July 26, 2018 – Students and their families have a chance to get a head start on the new school year as Lethbridge College hosts a Family Orientation session tomorrow. Beginning at 1:30 p.m. in the Food Court (AN1639), the information session is designed for parents, spouses and other adult family members of students coming to the college this fall.
Family support is critical to a student’s success because parents and partners are the most influential people in that student’s life, says Nancy Russell, Lethbridge College manager of student engagement and retention. By sharing information about the college’s range of support services, families can help encourage students to access the support they need to succeed. Many family members have expressed surprise at all that’s available on campus — whether tutoring or other learning support, career advising, health care or counselling.
“If we can help parents or partners feel a little more comfortable when they get in the car and drive away, especially if they’re leaving the student here for a semester because they live out of town, then we’ve achieved what we wanted,” Russell says. “We want our students to succeed, not just academically but we want them to grow emotionally, socially, physically, and all of that is supported through the classroom and outside of the classroom. We’re here for students.”
The orientation session will include presentations and discussion time about the wide range of services available on campus to support not only academic performance, but health and wellness, financial management and student life. Stephanie Savage, a 2018 graduate, will share a student’s perspective as well.
While family members attend these sessions, new students will attend a meet-and-greet with the Lethbridge College Students’ Association in The Cave (CE1300). The two groups will come together for a campus tour around 3 p.m.
Fifty families have registered for this Family Orientation. Interested families of new students can still register online for a Family Orientation planned on Sept. 2. Lethbridge College also offers new students a series of optional pre-orientation workshops for new students and has posted a checklist to help new students prepare for the new school year.
All new students, including those who’ve taken part in Family Orientation, will kick off their school year at New Student Orientation Sept. 4. The first day of classes for most programs is Sept. 5.
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