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Find your community with Connection Collective!
Connection Collective is an opportunity for equity-deserving students to connect with other equity-deserving students.
Connection Collective is a group mentorship program, facilitated by the Student Success Office, to support historically underrepresented students, such as Black, Indigenous, Racialized students, students part of 2SLGBTQIA+ communities, students impacted by their socio-economic status, students in larger bodies, disabled students, neurodivergent students and any intersection of any of these identifiers.
Upcoming Connection Collective Events
If you registered for the Connection Collective program, you will be automatically enrolled in these events! If you are interested in the content, but do not want to be opted into the program as whole, please register individually for the events that interest you!
Get connected! Equity deserving grad student panel
Join us for a panel centering the experiences of equity-deserving graduate students.
Meet and Greet
Join us for our official Connection Collective kick-off event!
Affinity spaces - community partner panel
Have you ever wondered what equity, diversity and inclusion looks like in action? Join this panel discussion with campus community members.
Parent & Supporter: Equity and Community Supports
This session is for Parents and supporters of incoming undergrad students.
Student Services and Clubs Human Library
Come and meet representatives from student-led clubs and services!
Student, Faculty and Community Roundtable on Belonging
Listen to an open discussion involving students, staff/faculty, and local organizations.
Haldimand Tract Welcome and closing of Connection Collective virtual events
The University of Waterloo is situated on the Haldimand Tract, land granted to the Six Nations of the Grand River (the Mohawk, Seneca, Oneida, Cayuga, Onondaga and Tuscarora nations).
What can I expect as a Connection Collective member?
Connection Collective is built into three phases, with one phase happening each term. Phase 1 (pre-arrival) is specifically for incoming undergraduate and graduate students. Phase 2 (fall term) and 3 (winter term) are open to all current undergraduate and graduate students.
As an international student, I initially joined the program to gain exposure to the university life and talk with people who went through what I would experience at UW.
I later discovered that the Connection Collective is so much more than that. It is a complete community of upper years who are ready to guide you through your first challenges and first years with whom you can relate and go through the first year together.
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In this program, there is emphasis on intersectionality, understanding that there are multiple pieces to one's identity.
If you're wondering whether this program would be a fit for you or if you have any questions, please reach out to Tara Kleinsteuber, Student Equity Specialist.