Tuesday, September 8, 2015

Orientation 2015 is over 9,000

A message from Orientation.

You might have noticed 9,000 or so new faces on campus this morning. That’s because Orientation for all new students in is full-swing with many activities across campus.

First-year undergraduate students will spend a large part of the next few days with their faculties, participating in faculty-specific events that include everything from a Dean’s Lunch and academic sessions to community building events like spirit parades and aerial photos.

At night students will participate in cross-campus events that bring the faculties together. Tuesday night is Choose Your Own Adventure, and allows students to attend different events that include a hypnotist, Feds Services Showcase and live performances. On Wednesday night students will venture beyond Ring Road to learn more about their community during World of Waterloo in uptown Waterloo.

Graduate student programming starts today with a networking lunch in the PAC Main Gym with President Feridun Hamdullahpur. Following that, students will attend conference-style sessions that introduce them to different campus services and resources. At night, students will enjoy live music during a Welcome Reception at the Grad House with their families and peers. Staff and faculty are welcome to attend. More information about the different Orientation schedules is available online.

Wear your ‘Here to Help’ button!

If you’re one of the 1,800 staff and faculty members participating in the ‘Here to Help’ button campaign for Orientation, we hope to see you wearing your button throughout the week. Staff and faculty are wearing these buttons to remind students that we’re here to help and they can ask questions. Get asked a question you can’t answer? You can always send the student to the Student Life Centre, multipurpose room for Orientation headquarters, or encourage them to log into their Student Portal to check their schedule and access directions to different on-campus locations.

Questions about Orientation?

Contact orientation@uwaterloo.ca, and follow along during the week on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. 

Photograph of a Warrior Welcome event by Ryan Connell, seen on Twitter.

More about Orientation and its activities

Orientation for all new students is taking place between September 6 and 12.

The Federation of Students and the Student Success Office partner with the Faculties, Housing and Residences, the Graduate Student Association, College Pathways, Waterloo International and the affiliated and federated institutions of Waterloo to organize Orientation. The event also involves more than 1,000 student volunteers.

“Starting studies at Waterloo is an exciting time for all students, but we know it’s important that all groups receive tailored programming that will support their success beyond their first week,” said Heather Westmorland, associate director, student transition and learning services in the Student Success Office.

“The Federation of Students is proud to have a key role in Fall Orientation, and our student volunteers have been preparing exciting activities and events for months,” said Federation of Students President Chris Lolas. “I look forward to welcoming first-year students and sharing information about the diverse opportunities available for them through Feds.”

Welcoming events for Faculties begin today, including:

• Faculty of Engineering Welcome and Meet the Dean, 8:45 a.m., Colour HQ
• Welcome to Science, 9:00 a.m., Village 1 Green
• Dean of Math's Welcome Breakfast, 9:00 a.m., DC Quad
• Faculty of Environment Welcome, 9:50 a.m., Environment 3 green space
• Applied Health Sciences Dean's Welcome, 11:00 a.m., Humanities Theatre
• Faculty of Arts "Homecoming" Parade, 1:00 p.m., Student Life Centre to the Arts Quad

Graduate student orientation events today include:

• International Graduate Student Orientation, 10:00 a.m., Physical Activities Complex Main Gym
• Graduate Student Orientation, 11:30 a.m., Physical Activities Complex Main Gym)
• Graduate Student Social, 6:00 p.m., Grad House

Tonight's signature cross-campus event is Choose Your Own Adventure, which has various events happening all over campus, including a haunted house, hypnotist Casey St. Jones, live performances, and a Feds Student and Commercial Services Showcase.

Further information about the various Orientation schedules is available on the Fall Orientation 2015 website. To follow along on social media, use the #UWOW15 hashtag.

Schulich Leader Scholarship winners coming to Waterloo

Four incoming first-year students at the University of Waterloo are recipients of Schulich Leader Scholarships, for their demonstrated leadership in areas such as academic excellence and entrepreneurship.

This year's scholars have averages ranging from 94 to 99 per cent, and extracurricular activities that include founding a humanitarian group and participating in international robotics competitions and competitive sports. All of the scholars were drawn to the University of Waterloo for its reputation for innovation, high standards, and entrepreneurial spirit.

Ella Rasmussen of Oakville, Ontario, will join the mechatronics engineering program. She founded and co-captained a team that took home 15 awards from regional, provincial, and international events in one season, and co-founded WeeSprout, a startup that combines environmental sustainability with food nutrition and community.

“Since Grade 6, I've wanted to go to Waterloo because I heard that it was one of the best engineering schools in Canada,” said Rasmussen, who says coming to Waterloo satisfies a lifelong dream. “I also thought that the co-op opportunity was one of the best things that could happen for an engineering student.”

​Madeline Shred of Ladysmith, British Columbia, graduated with an average of 99 per cent, and will be a student in Waterloo’s biomedical sciences program. She helped found a charitable organization at her school called Building a Legacy, which raised money for Free the Children.

“I'm really interested in Waterloo's reputation for innovation,” said Shred. “In today's economy and world, it’s innovation that's going to help us create a better future.”

Aaron Grenke, from Spruce Grove, Alberta, made a Rotary Club-sponsored humanitarian trip to Guatemala, and spearheaded a mentorship program for younger students at his high school.  He will study mechanical engineering at Waterloo.

“I’m really excited about having a hands-on approach to learning, especially with the co-op term. It should expand my personal horizons, and open my eyes,” he said. “I’m really excited to be able to work alongside my education and see how it fits.”

Rising regularly before dawn to hit the rink in her hometown of Coquitlam, Cindy Wei is a competitive skater who attained the silver levels in both free skate and ice dance, won medals in many competitions, and performed in ice dancing shows. She gives back to that community as a CanSkate assistant coach and learn-to-skate instructor for the City of Coquitlam. She’s written two children's novels and has a blog about cooking and nutrition. Wei will study kinesiology in the Faculty of Applied Health Sciences.

“I ended up choosing Waterloo because it's such an innovative university, and the environment there seems very welcoming," said Wei. "It's a place where I can be creative and develop my ideas further.”

Open to every high school, secondary school and CEGEP across Canada, Schulich Leader Scholarships recognize Canadian students who plan to study one of the STEM disciplines during their undergraduate years at university. These students demonstrate two of the following attributes: academic excellence, outstanding community, business or entrepreneurial leadership or financial need.