SEC hosts iBegin program

The Student Experience Centre (SEC) recently offered the iBegin program to help give students an idea of what life at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT) is going to be like.

The one-day faculty-specific program, held during the week of July 22 to 26 at the north Oshawa location, was designed to promote students’ academic and personal success, help clarify their expectations for the coming year and provide them with a real opportunity to experience the academic environment. Students also had an opportunity to meet fellow first-year students, upper-year student leaders, faculty and staff.

“We were thrilled to welcome incoming students and their guests to this year’s iBegin program,” said Sarah Rasile, Associate Director, Student Experience. “UOIT is committed to ensuring student success and iBegin provides a way for incoming students to discover how they can make the most of their university experience. It’s also a great way for students to get a head start on completing their university business and connecting with the campus community.”

For the first time, the SEC will be offering a second one-day iBegin session on August 8. “So many people were interested in attending iBegin but were unable to attend their scheduled faculty-specific day, so a non-faculty specific alternative date was scheduled and all incoming undergraduate UOIT students are invited to register,” Rasile said.

Feedback from incoming students has been very positive. “Not only was iBegin a place where I was able to realize that the upper-year students cared, but I was also able to ask lots of questions,” said Forensic Science student Natalie D’Hollander. “It was really awesome that we had chance to come here before coming in fall, and it was also a great chance to meet other people who are in my program and other programs and get that social networking open. I now know some of my classmates, and I can now connect with people on the first couple of days when I’m here before orientation.”

“At iBegin I learned how open and accepting the school really is,” said Nursing student Kelsey Glofscheskie. “I got so many questions answered today that I would have been too nervous to ask anybody else at any other time.”

In recognition of the important role parents and family members play in a students’ transition to post-secondary studies, the SEC also offered a Parent and Family Orientation as part of the iBegin program. This session provided family members with information and resources to assist them in supporting students’ success.