This winter, the Conestoga community welcomed approximately 1,750 new students to the college during Orientation, held January 3 and 4 across Conestoga campuses.
International transition coordinator Avni Adams welcomed students to the International Student Orientation at the Doon campus on January 12.
Designed to offer support as they transition successfully to the college, Orientation provides an opportunity for new students to meet program faculty and learn about services available on campus.
Conestoga’s International Office has also been supporting new international students through various programs to help with start-up activities. On January 12, hundreds of new international students were welcomed at the Recreation Centre at the Doon campus where they learned about Canadian culture and support services specific to international student success. Jasdeep Singh and Sahil Bansal were in attendance.
Both students are enrolled in the Administrative Business Management graduate certificate program and arrived in Canada in late December -- just days before the start of the winter term.
Singh is from Haryana, India and said the cultural diversity at Conestoga, as well as its facilities, attracted him to the college. Bansal, from Punjab, India, said he was interested in the college’s high graduate employment rates.
The pair have only spent one week in class so far and are still adjusting to life in Canada, but said their transition has been going well. They have found the college community, and their professors, to be very supportive.
The international orientation provided them with information about health insurance, security services on campus, tips about success in Canadian classrooms, and information from a student panel. Another international orientation for students at the Waterloo campus will be held January 19.
Conestoga’s Student Engagement team, in partnership with other service areas, will host additional orientation activities to welcome students to the college. A welcome event for mature students was held on January 8, an LGBTQ2+ welcome night is scheduled for January 16, and Aboriginal Services will welcome new Indigenous students during an event on January 17. A Get Involved Fair will also be held at the Doon campus January 22 to 24 which connects students to volunteer opportunities on and off campus. All orientation activities are supported by student volunteers.
Conestoga’s Student Engagement team meets the needs of students through innovative programming designed to achieve goals with learning outcomes-based initiatives including the Co-Curricular Record, Orientation, the Respect Campaign, the Connect Leadership Workshop Series, Campus Service Learning, and various student volunteer and committee opportunities.
The International Office offers comprehensive support services to all international students to help them become familiar with both the college and the community from the time they are accepted until after graduation.