The Daily Bulletin is published by Internal and Leadership Communications, part of University Communications
Contact us at bulletin@uwaterloo.ca
Submission guidelines
Orientation goes online in 2020
Orientation leaders prepare for Waterloo’s first online Orientation with virtual events and videos to help welcome new students.
A message from Orientation.
In a typical year, we’d start to feel campus getting a whole lot busier around this time with thousands of new students starting their academic careers at Waterloo. Although we have more than 9,000 new students starting their first year, this fall is anything but typical.
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, 2020 was the first year we offered fully online summer programming to support our students’ transition to UWaterloo. With Waterloo Ready we’ve had more than 40% of our incoming undergraduate students already engaging with us this summer.
With most courses being offered online this Fall, first year will most certainly be different for incoming students. Although not in-person together, we are here to support and welcome students to the University of Waterloo community. To do so, undergraduate students will participate in a virtual Orientation September 1 to September 7.
A wide variety of online Orientation programming is planned for undergraduate students in the days leading up to the first day of classes to:
- support new students in their transition to Waterloo,
- create a sense of belonging and inclusivity,
- empower students to self-discovery and choice,
- and build Warrior pride.
Students will see their detailed and personalized Orientation schedule in UWaterloo Portal. Each day, they can click through their Portal calendar to access programming for that day – whether it’s a YouTube video, video chat, or other virtual event or activity.
Much like in-person Orientation, the festivities will kick-off with an official welcome from University President and Vice-Chancellor, Feridun Hamdullahpur and Waterloo Undergraduate Student Association (WUSA) President, Abbie Simpson before an introduction to the ever-popular “Water! Water! Water! Loo! Loo! Loo!” chant.
Programming includes both asynchronous (pre-recorded) content and synchronous (live) events. For example, asynchronous content includes things like faculty-welcome videos and Dear First Year Me series. Students can also participate in synchronous virtual events like trivia challenges, scavenger hunts, escape rooms, Warrior workouts, and more! International students can attend online sessions with the International Peer Community and Immigration Consultants to learn more about the supports available.
Follow #UWOW20 on social media and check out the Orientation 2020 YouTube playlists, available later in the week, to catch up on what students experienced.
“Waterloo Orientation is a rite of passage for new students,” said Abbie Simpson, WUSA President. “Although we’ve gone digital this year to keep everyone safe and healthy, the Orientation student leaders, and everyone involved, are working hard to ensure every new student feels welcome and knows that as a Waterloo Warrior, there is an entire community of people to support them and make them feel welcome.”
Orientation at Waterloo is a team effort and shared partnership between the Waterloo Undergraduate Student Association (WUSA), the Student Success Office (SSO), and all six faculties. With the support of the faculties, Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs (GSPA) has also been busy running the Waterloo Grad Ready program for incoming master’s and doctoral students. Stay tuned for an update on their programming next week.
Co-op program draws Loran Scholarship winner to Waterloo
This article was originally featured on the Faculty of Engineering website.
The co-op program at Waterloo Engineering was a major draw for an incoming student who will start her studies this fall with backing from a prestigious scholarship worth up to $100,000.
Anson Yu of Langley, BC, is the latest Loran Scholar to choose Waterloo after landing a four-year scholarship aimed at finding and supporting high-potential young Canadians.
“We believe that integrity, courage, grit and personal autonomy are better indicators of overall potential than standard academic measures,” the Loran Scholars Foundation said in an announcement.
Yu, one of 36 scholarship recipients for 2020 selected from an initial pool of more than 5,100 applicants across the country, will study systems design engineering at Waterloo.
“Despite classes being online in the fall, I am still beyond excited to join the Warrior community,” she said, adding she picked Waterloo Engineering because it “helps connect the classroom with the workplace with its career-oriented co-op program.”
A graduate of R.E. Mountain Secondary School, Yu led a national youth team for a charity that empowers children with disabilities and established the first beehive at her school.
She also advocates for environmental causes through videography and photojournalism, and works as a graphic designer and a debate coach for underprivileged elementary students.
'It means I don't have to worry'
“It means I don’t have to worry about being a financial burden, that I have a family of like-minded individuals, and that I am exposed to unique opportunities,” she said of the scholarship.
The scholarship includes an annual $10,000 living stipend, matching tuition waiver at a partner university and up to $10,000 in funding for summer internships, plus one-on-one mentorship, yearly retreats and social gatherings.
Of almost 700 past and present Loran Scholars since the national charity was established in 1988, 40 have chosen to attend the University of Waterloo. Yu joins eight others already doing undergraduate degrees at Waterloo.
Photo: Eric Choi, Edge Imaging.
Who’s Ready to Write? Waterloo undergrads, that's who
A message from the Writing and Communication Centre (WCC).
First-year undergrad students will have a little extra support as they start their classes at Waterloo this fall. The Writing and Communication Centre (WCC) is releasing Waterloo Ready to Write a series of workshops, resources, and live chats to help students navigate their first term.
The transition from high school to university writing can be difficult. Students are challenged by more complex assignments and by navigating the conventions of scholarly disciplines. This fall, online learning will add new hurdles for students as they figure out how best to learn and communicate remotely. Waterloo Ready to Write is designed to support students over the term as they adapt to university courses, understand and draft their first assignments, receive feedback on their work, and communicate with their peers online. Content will be released on a schedule from September to November, and students will be able to view and engage with it at their own pace.
Waterloo Ready to Write is developed and designed by senior Waterloo undergraduate students who remember the challenges that they faced when they started university:
“I remember going into University worried because my high school teachers kept talking about how difficult the transition would be. If there’s one thing I know now, it’s that with a helping hand it really isn’t as scary as they made it seem. That’s why we created Waterloo Ready to Write!” -Husneya, 3rd year Arts student
Guided by the writing and communication experts at the WCC, these students have been busy building content and creating helpful tips to guide new students during their exciting first term at Waterloo.
"Because we remember how daunting the first year was, we designed this program to be as relevant, friendly and accessible as possible. Our aim was to help students adapt through building on our experiences as first-years at Waterloo.” – Sara, 4th year Environment student
The content release schedule is available now on the Waterloo Ready to Write website. Students and community members can sign up with their email addresses to get new content when it drops.