Hundreds of first-year students gathered at the Bahen Building (40 St. George St.) on Tuesday, September 7 to discover their new campus and meet professors and staff at the annual Fun With Faculty event.
Under an overcast grey sky, students participated in a range of programs from funny improv classes to informative research talks and campus tours.
Professor Jonathan Rose (EngSci 8T0, ElecE MASc 8T2, PhD 8T6) offered one of the first lectures of the day. He spoke to students about the engineering science behind smartphones and delved into how apps are developed. Organizing and speaking at the lecture was just as much fun for him as it was the students, Professor Rose admits.
“It’s exciting to touch the energy of first-year engineering students as they embark on their career,” he says. “I was also excited that the talk attracted students from across the engineering disciplines — chemical, mechanical, civil, etc.. — who all came out,” he adds.
The day organized by the Faculty is a meet-and-greet event special to U of T Engineering. “Fun With Faculty is a unique program because it really gives students the chance to meet the professors, staff and people who work behind the scenes,” states Lesley Mak, Student Success Specialist and TrackOne Liaison. “It really encourages new students to get to know our Faculty in a way that not many other programs and Faculties do.”
Fun With Faculty is one of several frosh events taking place this week that began with matriculation and ends with an overnight trip to Hart House on Sunday September 11.
During the event, current undergraduates helped orient first-years. They hosted improv classes, flipped pancakes for hungry students and answered questions of every kind from 8:30 am to noon.
While the allure of free food and playing games for many was tempting, meeting their peers and professors was the main goal at the frosh event.
“It’s great to be able to meet your profs and the other people in your year in a really fun way,” says Kate Kazlovich (CivE 1T5). “You learn so much about your peers and what to expect this year.”
The cheering that emanated from the lobby of Bahen Building where most of the day’s events took place was deafening at certain points. Students covered in purple dye sang Skule™ songs, while others schmoozed with staff and leaders.
For Marko Spudice (CivE 1T3) the day was a reminder of how much fun he had in his first year. The need to create a memorable experience for others was behind his decision to flip pancakes starting at 6 am on an outdoor grill.
“My time [at orientation] was the best, and I wanted to help with entertainment and help other people have a good time,” he says. “And besides I love working with barbecues so it was a no-brainer for me.”
Along with Spudice, engineering students from each department helped hundreds learn about their departments and find their way around the St. George campus. Hourly tours introduced students to common room hangouts, lectures, department space and labs.
Another one of the many students to chip in was Ishan Gupta (ChemE 1T4). Along with his cousin Kunal Taneja (MechE 1T4), Gupta spent most of their day helping their groups of students get settled into life in the Faculty.
“Engineering is really a community,” Gupta explains. “We’re all united, and I want new students to feel that way, too. We want them to feel as welcome and comfortable as we do,” Kunal adds.
He, a first-year Engineering Science student, participated in a similar class, the Learning to Lead class, and found it fun and educational.
“I met a lot of people and like how they put the emphasis for leadership on connections, not just about what you know,” He states. “I think [the class] and just everything here today helped people open up, at least for me it did.”
