On August 30 and September 2, UFV’s Chilliwack and Abbotsford campuses will throng with new students participating in the Amazing Race, UFV Edition.
As part of its commitment to make New Student Orientation more engaging, UFV has introduced a brand-new format for this event. NSO Part 1 — Start Your Journey was held on three dates in May and was attended by over 850 new students and 500 of their supporters. While Part 1 focused on preparation for registration, Part 2, entitled Survival Guide, will help students get ready for the start of classes. Teams of new students, guided by Student Ambassadors, will complete challenges at 25 stations across campus.
Kyle Baillie, Director of Student Life, explains that the goal of NSO Part 2 is to further develop the initial connections made between new students and UFV resources back in May.
“We want students to put a name and a face to each service so that they will feel comfortable accessing these resources when they need them,” Baillie says. “Our aim is to help new students forge social connections with their peers as well as with UFV faculty and staff — to integrate them fully into the UFV community. Research has shown a direct link between a student’s social connectedness on campus and first-year retention.”
The involvement of UFV staff and faculty, as well as current students, is essential to the success of NSO.
Student Transitions Coordinator Belinda Karsen encourages staff and faculty to help out at New Student Orientation. “NSO is the second biggest annual event on campus. The UFV community comes out in force to bid our students farewell at Convocation; we should do the same to welcome the newest members of our community at NSO.”
There are many ways for faculty and staff to get involved at NSO, from checking students in to giving directions to cheering at the Amazing Race finish line.
While NSO is grounded in student development, it is also a celebration—of the first step each new student is about to take and of the values and character that define UFV.
Please contact Belinda Karsen at Belinda.Karsen@ufv.ca if you would like to volunteer at New Student Orientation. NSO will be held on August 30 at Chilliwack and September 2 at Abbotsford.
For more information, contact Belinda Karsen at Belinda.Karsen@ufv.ca
09/02/2016