First-year students were welcomed to Lethbridge College on Tuesday to kick off the fall semester with a new student orientation. The event gave students a chance to get familiar with services on campus and learn their way around.
“We are so excited to welcome back over a thousand students who registered for NSO. It’s very exciting, lots of energy on campus today — we have program orientations going on, campus tours and a complimentary barbeque, as well as a bunch of booths set up in centre core for students to interact with some of our services that we have on campus,” said Kelly Bari, coordinator of first year experience at Lethbridge College.
New students were welcomed last year with an online orientation and Bari said it is good to have students back on campus.
“It’s been a very very welcoming, exciting morning — it’s so fantastic to be able to chat with students again face to face and make those connections and I think that’s very important for them as well,” she said.
Masks may be mandatory for some services in the college’s wellness centre, but are not required for other interactions on campus, according to the college’s pandemic response team. There are no enhanced public health measures in the province and the college is going into the fall semester with in-person classes, extracurricular activities and on-campus events.
Chiane Shade is a student ambassador who helped during orientation. She said it is great to see the campus alive and busy again. “It’s really rewarding to be able to assist the students and make them feel comfortable and welcome — kind of ease the nerves a little bit,” she said. “I know what it’s like to be a new student, so I am really glad that I can help and guide the students and support them.”
Students start classes on Sept. 7. More than 5,000 students, including more than 2,300 new students, have registered for the fall semester, according to the college.
