Do you know a high school student living in Calgary who is considering UVic? If so, Student Recruitment is presenting a great new opportunity for this prospective group on March 27.
In 2007, UVic experienced a high number of visitors from the Calgary area in particular, many of whom arrived on campus during the last week of March. These students elected to take their spring break holiday to visit UVic, and so this year Recruitment Officer Karen Waugh thought it would be nice to provide a more focused day-long event for the group on March 27. “These students [from Calgary] showed up last year, and we met with them one-on-one, but they all had similar questions," said Waugh. "We thought it would be helpful to arrange an organized day of events.”
The event fits within the targeted areas of growth in the Enrolment Management Plan (EMP), according to Associate Registrar Justin Kohlman. “The number of registered students [from Calgary] has increased 67% over the last three years.”
The EMP provides direction for the Office of the Registrar and Enrolment Services, of which Student Recruitment is a part, to achieve the targeted growth set out in UVic's larger strategic plan. While several factors have contributed to growth in the student population from the area, Waugh felt that the combination of the quality and attractiveness of UVic and the strong Alberta economy were significant influencers to prompt Calgary students to head west..
On March 27, the Office of Student Recruitment in partnership with the Student Transition Centre will be hosting a day of events for the Calgary-based visitors. The prospective students will hear about admission requirements, program options, scholarships, cooperative learning research initiatives, athletics and a plethora of student services. To add to the experience, arrangements have been made for a block of hotel room accommodations and a package of island activities.
The Spring Break at UVic event will also be incorporating the student point-of-view with the participation of a panel of Calgary-based current UVic students. This panel discussion will give prospective students and family members a chance to ask questions about the life of UVic student. While the University has a lot to offer in terms of prestige and academic opportunity, it is often individual experiences that best represent the real reasons students choose UVic.
Complete event details area available at www.uvic.ca/springbreak.
Originally published in Volume 1, Issue 2 of the Fountain, February 2008