U of S Student Orientation 2001

Posted July 30, 2001


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - July 30, 2001 2001-07-05-OTHER

Over 2,300 Students Expected at Orientation 2001

Over 2,300 students from around the province are expected to attend
Orientation 2001 on September 4 and 5 at the University of Saskatchewan.
The two-day event will cover a variety of topics, each designed to equip
first-year students with the skills they need to have a successful
university experience. Participants will also be able to interact with
upper-year students and ask them questions, and meet many of their new
classmates.

"Orientation provides an invaluable opportunity for students to learn about
their new surroundings and gives them a head start in making the transition
from high school to university," says Mark Savenkoff, one of this year's
Orientation Coordinators. "It also gives first-years a chance to meet people
and make new friends. I still talk with lots of the people that I met at my
own orientation two years ago."

Students attending Orientation 2001 will tour the campus and learn how to
find their classes. The main program will highlight various ways to get
involved on campus, deal with academic issues, discuss the diversity of the
U of S student body, and provide information on the different colleges.

"For many students, the prospect of attending classes with over 300 people
can be quite daunting, especially if they've come to Saskatoon from a rural
area where the population of their entire school was 300 people," says Erin
Stang, Orientation Coordinator. "At Orientation we try to take the fear out
of university and introduce students to the services that are available to
them. The more information students have, the better the university
experience will be."

Participants will also have the opportunity to attend sessions on managing a
student budget, turning a degree into a "real" job, and making healthy
lifestyle choices. There are also special programming options for
Aboriginal, International, Mature and Transfer students. As well, the
fourth annual Parent Orientation for parents of first-year students will be
held on September 4.

For current U of S students who would like to be involved with the event,
Orientation 2001 is still looking for volunteers. To date, close to 250
people have volunteered their time and talents.

"Ideally we would like to have around 350 volunteers. The more volunteers
we have the more personal the experience becomes for first-year students.
There are more people to answer questions and provide different viewpoints,"
says Savenkoff.

The deadline for registering for Orientation is August 15. For more
information, or to inquire about volunteer opportunities, contact Mark
Savenkoff or Erin Stang at (306) 966-5791, or check out the web site at
www.usask.ca/orientation.

For more information please contact:

Erin Stang
Orientation Coordinator
Rm. 60, Place Riel Student Centre
University of Saskatchewan
Tel: (306) 966-5791
Fax: (306) 966-5081
E-mail: orientation@usask.ca
Web: http://www.usask.ca/orientation