Create: New Student Orientation

The University of British Columbia's Okanagan campus is located in Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada. Create: New Student Orientation is the campus' official welcome to new-to-UBC students.

Create

Orientation day for new students.

Create is part of UBC's new student orientation program ^[1]. The day-long series of events for new-to-UBC students, help new students transition to becoming a student at UBC Okanagan^[2].

During Create, students learn about the people, places, activities, and resources available at UBC's Okanagan campus. Students meet other students as they explore their new university campus. They're also introduced to UBC's VIPs and given the program-specific information they need to get started on the right academic path. With free entertainment, food, prizes, and UBC swag, Create is a fun-filled, jam-packed educative day-to-remember.

Create is very similar to other Orientation Week, except it is mostly concentrated to activities on one day, with social events taking place the rest of the week. UBC is the only university in Canada to cancel the first day of class for a new student orientation program ^[3].

Specifically, the day includes several activities:

• Icebreakers - when new students arrive on campus they are broken up into groups based on their intended Faculty/degree of study. An Icebreaker (facilitation) provides the opportunity for students to get to know one another^[4].

• Create Kickoff Event - formerly the Invocation Ceremony, the Kickoff event is an assembly-like gathering of all new students and UBC's VIPs. The Chancellor, President and Vice-Chancellor Stephen Toope, and the Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Principal Doug Owram are in attendance and give speeches to welcome the new students to UBC's Okanagan campus.

• Meet-the-Dean - Meet-the-Dean provides Faculties to formally introduce their new incoming class of students. Deans normally give a brief introduction of the history and future of the Faculty, as well as introduction to key Faculty personnel (e.g., program directors, unit heads, rock star researchers).

• Student Experience Panel - The Student Experience Panel is the opportunity for new students to ask senior students and academic staff questions pertaining to student success and achievement. The senior students on the panel are asked to speak from experiences and how they adjusted to UBC.

• Campus Tours - allows students to get to the campus. Also, as students are grouped with other students in the same Faculty, Orientation Leaders (student volunteer leaders) are able to show students the specific and relevant buildings and services that apply to a student in each specific Faculty^[5].

• Showcase - Showcase provides both on-campus and community partners of UBC to interact with new students. This provides new students the opportunity to get to know what is available both on campus, and in the local Kelowna community.

• The Concert - In previous years, students left Create once Showcase was over. However, to keep students engaged in safe activities and to keep them on campus, UBC's Okanagan campus' Associate Vice-President (Students), Ian Cull, financed a free (for students and UBC employees) concert. For Create 2010, possible bands include: Dragonette, Marianas Trench, and Current Swell (to be confirmed closer to the date).

Faculties and Schools involved with Create

• The Irving K. Barber School of Arts and Sciences
• Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies
• Faculty of Applied Science (School of Engineering)
• Faculty of Health and Social Development
• The Faculty of Management (affiliated with the Sauder School of Business)

The Faculty of Education and the College of Graduate Studies do not formally take part in the day as they have specific orientations for their students.

The Create 2010 Orientation Planning Team was also lucky to have the support of several local businesses. Valley First Credit Union, Powerconcepts, Aramark, Via Rail, Canadian Springs Water, Interior Savings Credit Union, Classic Fare Catering, and The Central Okanagan Foundation for Youth all financially supported Create 2010.

External links

• Official UBC's Okanagan campus' website
• Create website

References

1. ^ http://www.students.ubc.ca/newtoubc/orientations.cfm
2. ^ http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/Clearinghouse/Advisingissues/Orientation.htm
3. ^ Orientation week
4. ^ www.exforsys.com/career-center/facilitator/ice-breakers.html
5. ^ www.dabcc.com/article.aspx?id=14164