Monday, September 9, 2019

Orientation Week in review

A message from Orientation.

Orientation wrapped up on Saturday and was a great success. We’d like to thank the campus community for helping to welcome new students to the University of Waterloo. Throughout last week, over 6000 first-year students made their way to the Great Hall, where they received a swag bag, their faculty t-shirt, their Orientation schedule and a wristband.

When asked what her favourite part of Orientation Week had been, Juanita Peduru, a Federation Orientation Committee (FOC) member shared, “seeing everything come to life after 10 months of planning is probably just the best thing in the world.” From talking with first years, she believes students are transitioning well into university and was happy to help them navigate their way through campus.

As students adjust to a new school, possibly a new city or even country, staff and faculty are encouraged to continue wearing their Here-to-Help buttons through the first few weeks of the term. This helps students feel welcome and lets them know where they can turn with questions, for directions, or for information about services. Please continue to make students aware of the supports available to them and where they can access those resources.

The end of Orientation means the beginning of Welcome Week. The Waterloo Undergraduate Student Association (WUSA) is hosting its annual Welcome Week, which kicked off today with the Warrior Breakfast.  Events continue through the week and are a great way to get involved and introduce yourself to students. Check out the events section for full details.

Fall Welcome Week begins today

The Waterloo Undergraduate Student Association (WUSA) is kicking off the new school year with Welcome Week, a week full of fun (and free) events for undergraduate students. Welcome Week takes place once every term with the intent of welcoming both new and returning students back to Waterloo. Put on by the Campus Life department of WUSA, with the help of many enthusiastic student coordinators and volunteers, this year promises a number of exciting events, beginning this morning with the Warrior Breakfast from 8:00 a.m. to 10 a.m. in SLC Great Hall. Undergrads, don't miss this week's other exciting events:

• Sex Toy Bingo, September 9, 7:00 p.m. to 10:30 p.m., SLC Multipurpose Room
• Tinder Tales, September 10, 8:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. Humanitites Theatre
• Carnival, September 11 and 12, 7:00 p.m - 11:00 p.m., BMH Green
• Sip & Sweets, September 12 and 13, 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. SLC Great Hall

For more information on Welcome Week, visit the WUSA website.

Observing Mennonite Heritage Week

A message from Conrad Grebel University College.

Earlier this year, the Canadian Parliament declared the second week of September to be Mennonite Heritage Week – a time to “recognize the contributions that Canadian Mennonites have made to building Canadian society, their history of hope and perseverance, the richness of the Mennonite culture, their role in promoting peace and justice both at home and abroad.”

Founded by the Mennonite Church in 1963, Conrad Grebel University College at the University of Waterloo continues to be inspired by Mennonite values of peace, service, and community, coupled with a love of music. It seems natural, then, that Grebel is home to UWaterloo’s academic departments of Music, Peace and Conflict Studies, and Mennonite Studies. 

Grebel currently has two Mennonite-related public art exhibits on display. Growing Family: Design & Desire in Mennonite Genealogy explores themes of family and the art of remembering, while New Fraktur uses a traditional Mennonite art form to express present-day topics. The College also houses the Mennonite Archives of Ontario and will be hosting events and lectures throughout the coming year, all of which offer the chance to explore the history and culture of the Mennonites.

Learn more about these and other opportunities to recognize Mennonite Heritage Week.

Get Involved with Planning International Education Week at Waterloo

A message from Waterloo International.

Every year, a celebration of international education takes place around the world.  This year’s International Education Week – November 18 to 22, 2019 – will again showcase the merits to international education through a variety of programmes, events, and activities at universities across the globe. 

The University of Waterloo plans to join over 100 other nations in celebrating this important week by hosting events and activities open to the campus community.

In preparation, Waterloo International hosted a successful meeting in July with interested on-campus stakeholders to share individual units’ plans for International Education Week, and to gauge interest in developing campus-wide events/initiatives.

Waterloo International will be hosting a follow up meeting on September 13^th for interested, on-campus partners to continue the planning process. Even if you missed the first meeting, we welcome you to attend and bring your unit’s plans for the week.  

Please contact Ashley McCarthy with any questions and to confirm your attendance at the meeting September 13^th for the chance to represent your unit and provide valuable input into the week’s proceedings; it is our hope to make this truly a campus-wide endeavor.

For more information on International Education Week and to stay up to date on events and activities as they are confirmed, visit the Waterloo International – International Education Week webpage.

Meeting details are as follows:

• Date: September 13, 2019
• Time: 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
• Location: EC1 1004.
• RSVP: ashley.mccarthy@uwaterloo.ca