When Brock’s second-year students continue their academic journeys this fall, they will also be experiencing something new as they begin on-campus learning for the first time.

To ensure this new step is a comfortable one, a group of partners from across campus has created the Year 2 Orientation program to help students become better acquainted with a campus that will feel both new and familiar.

Tanya Bradley, Brock’s Manager of Student Engagement, said second-year students have had a unique beginning to their post-secondary experience.

“In 2020, first-year students participated in Brock’s first-ever virtual orientation, while simultaneously adjusting to online learning and life as a new university student during a pandemic,” she said. “We know that experience was different for them and that as second-year students they are looking for continued support as they join Brock’s campus in person for the first time in September.”

To help ensure a seamless transition, Bradley sought advice from the students themselves.

“We listened to feedback directly from second-year Badgers, and we have created a series of unique orientation experiences just for them,” she said. “Year 2 Orientation will give returning students the opportunity to create new friendships and attend in-person and online events, while also providing them with all the tools to get connected and prepared as they come back to Brock.”

Among the activities included is the LEAP UP program, which aims to connect students with the specific services and resources that will assist them in their university experience, along with skill development workshops and an introduction to living in Niagara.

Year 2 Orientation will have “something for everyone” as second-year students prepare for their September arrival on campus, Bradley said.

A variety of workshops will focus on many aspects of university life, from note taking to managing stress and emotions, and students will have the chance to join engagement communities based on their program or interests and to take campus tours to figure out where their classes will be.

“We know that arriving on campus this fall will come with its own excitement and hesitation for our second-year students,” Bradley said. “With these resources and the support of partners in every corner of the University, we hope they will feel at home and ready to continue their studies in the supportive environment Brock is known for.”

To learn more about the resources available to second-year students, visit the Year 2 Orientation website.