September 1, 2009
By Barbara McKechnie, Communications Coordinator – Marketing + Emerging Media
To help integrate and welcome students to University, the Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering added a two-day program to this year’s student-run Orientation Week.
The additional programming included Faculty tours, events, the first lecture of the academic year, and other fun activities to help familiarize First Year students with university life. The student-organized F!rosh Week was held September 5-7 and more than 1,000 students participated.
As part of F!rosh Week, over 60 clubs set up booths in the Bahen Centre lobby to introduce First Year students to the variety of activities and groups available to join, including the Engineering Society, Skule™ Nite, Concrete Canoe, Engineers Without Borders, Chinese Engineering Students’ Association, and Skule™ Arts Festival, showing the breadth and talents of the diverse Engineering student body.
Simon Guan, Engineering Clubs’ Day Subchair, said the annual event is a great social tool. “For First Year students, it is a monumental event as it serves as an introduction to the huge, comprehensive, and often over-looked extracurricular side of University life. It gives them a chance to meet Upper Year students that could perhaps share the same common interests and hobbies as they do,” he said.
September 8 highlighted the new Campus Discovery Day, which featured tours of Engineering buildings, as well as of the greater U of T campus, and informed students about the Faculty and services available to help them succeed.
Faculty Day ran September 9 and was redesigned this year to include informative research talks from faculty members; workshops on leadership, involvement and communication skills; and a Q&A with Professor and First Year Chair Susan McCahan. As in previous years, Vice-Dean of Undergraduate Studies Grant Allenand Professor Zeb Tate hosted less formal activities, such as Rock Band and Dance Dance Revolution; performances by the Skule™ Orchestra and Jazz Band entertained; and soccer and ultimate Frisbee saw students, staff and Faculty come together in a display of team work and healthy competition, creating a foothold to the path ahead.
