Brock University’s Ian Beddis Gymnasium was packed for the New Student Welcome and Academic Orientation on Tuesday, Sept. 2.Brock welcomed thousands of new undergraduate and graduate students to campus on Tuesday, Sept. 2 with orientation events designed to help them make the most of their university experience.
Brock President and Vice-Chancellor Lesley Rigg addressed a full crowd in Ian Beddis Gymnasium.
Held in the Ian Beddis Gymnasium, the New Student Welcome and Academic Orientation (NSWAO) featured greetings from President and Vice-Chancellor Lesley Rigg, Brock Students’ Union President Fiona Seabrook and Associate Vice-President, Students Brad Clarke, among others.
Rigg encouraged students to embrace the full university experience.
“Here at Brock, education isn’t just about what happens in the classroom. It’s all of the experiences that are happening across our campus,” she said. “Learning is not a passive activity. It’s not about using artificial intelligence to get the answer. It’s about absorbing the knowledge. It’s an active process. It’s about diving in and experiencing it. Take this experience and make it what you want.”
Following the opening ceremony, students attended Faculty-specific orientation sessions that introduced them to academic supports and resources.
Brock University Student Union (BUSU) President Fiona Seabrook spoke during the New Student Welcome and Academic Orientation.
This year’s NSWAO keynote speaker was Katie Desveaux (BSM ’18, MEd ’21), who earned a Bachelor of Sport Management and Master of Education from Brock.
A former varsity figure skater and 2016-17 Brock Female Athlete of the Year, Desveaux shared how her involvement in academics, athletics and experiential learning shaped her path from working at Brock to her current role as a Human Resource Business Partner at PepsiCo Canada.
She encouraged students to pursue opportunities both in and outside the classroom.
Graduate Orientation welcomed more than 200 new graduate students in Thistle Complex. The day concluded with a lunch and service fair in Market Hall, where graduate students explored campus supports tailored to the next step on their academic journeys.
