Another academic year at Lethbridge College begins Tuesday, Sept. 5 with New Student Orientation (NSO), the annual event that welcomes new students to campus.
More than 5,000 students, including more than 2,500 new students, have registered for the Fall 2023 semester.
The day begins bright and early with check-in taking place in the Val Matteotti Gymnasium from 8 to 9 a.m. A welcome from Lethbridge College President and CEO Dr. Brad Donaldson and a keynote speech from Stephanie Savage, Lethbridge College Alumni and Engagement manager, will follow.
Program orientations will run from 10 a.m. to noon, and a complimentary barbeque lunch with the Lethbridge College Students’ Association will be held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in The Cave (CE1300). Campus tours will also be offered throughout the day to ensure new students are familiar with their buildings and classrooms.
Additional welcome events for international students and for Indigenous students will take place from 1 to 4 p.m.
“NSO is one of several components of our First Year Experience program that helps students get ready for college before they even start class,” says Nancy Russell, Dean, Student Affairs. “For the past two years, we have also offered summer orientation tours and sessions with key service areas to ensure students who need supports have everything in place for the start of the term.”
Student Affairs also teamed up with the college’s Marketing department and a Digital Communications and Media practicum student over the summer to launch the College 101 campaign. A series of posters with phrases like “Starting college can be stressful, but it doesn’t have to be” and “Making friends can be hard, but it doesn’t have to be” contain QR codes that direct students to online resources when they need a helping hand.
“We want to normalize struggle, to show students they’re not alone in needing help,” says Lindsay Workman, Associate Dean, Student Affairs. “The opportunity to work with a current student in creating a campaign for new students was a wonderful experience. We hope having this information readily available will reduce some stress for newcomers to campus.”
Students who are new to Lethbridge College or who are starting a new program should attend New Student Orientation on Sept. 5 and can register on the Lethbridge College website. Students learning from a distance are also welcome to attend.
Apprenticeship students are already on campus this week, and a trades-specific orientation took place on Monday. The first day of classes for most students at Lethbridge College is Wednesday Sept. 6.