{"id":35887,"date":"2015-10-14T16:05:43","date_gmt":"2015-10-14T20:05:43","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/brocku.ca\/brock-news\/?p=35887"},"modified":"2015-10-15T09:25:32","modified_gmt":"2015-10-15T13:25:32","slug":"brock-hosts-niagara-student-summit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/brocku.ca\/brock-news\/2015\/10\/brock-hosts-niagara-student-summit\/","title":{"rendered":"Brock hosts Niagara Student Summit"},"content":{"rendered":"

Hailee McKay and her friends already know they want to attend Brock University.\u00a0On Wednesday, they visited their first post-secondary choice as part of the Niagara Student Summit, organized by the Mayor\u2019s Youth Advisory Committee of Niagara Falls.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI plan on coming here,\u201d McKay said. \u201cThis school has a good reputation.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her friends Jordan Sammutt and Rachel Gillespie agreed, noting they love the campus and have visited before to attend youth camps and sporting events.<\/p>\n

\u201cI want to learn more about Brock and not leave it until Grade 12,\u201d Gillespie said.<\/p>\n

For Sammutt, the most impressive thing about Brock is all of the international students.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are so many people from around the world coming here,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\"Thorold<\/a>

Thorold Secondary School Grade 10 students Jordan Sammutt, left, Hailee McKay and Rachel Gillespie attended the Niagara Student Summit held at Brock Oct. 14.<\/p><\/div>\n

The trio – Grade 10 students at Thorold Secondary School – was part of a group of about 360 high school students from around Niagara who attended the summit, aimed at opening their eyes to post secondary options, self reflection and leadership opportunities.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey are learning about themselves and exploring opportunities after high school,\u201d said Beth Angle, community development co-ordinator with the City of Niagara Falls.<\/p>\n

The day featured a keynote address from Matt Tod, an international leadership facilitator, and sessions on everything from opportunities after high school and education funding to resume advice and responding to an emergency.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a huge number of students who want to find out what Brock has to offer.<\/span><\/p>\n

Angle said one of the most popular sessions was Explore Brock, which offered the students a tour and talk about the university.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a huge number of students who want to find out what Brock has to offer,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Recruitment Services Manager Melissa Beamer said hosting the event gave Brock a great opportunity to showcase itself to prospective students.<\/p>\n

\u201cReaching some of the younger students early may make them more amenable to coming here,\u201d she said. \u201cIt could be a game changer.\u201d<\/p>\n

Beamer said the University is always looking for ways to reach local students, including high school visits throughout the fall.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe need to be the first choice for Niagara students,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Niagara Falls mayor Jim Diodati addressed the students and urged them to look at the opportunities close to home.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne of the problems here in the region is that we\u2019re losing our youth,\u201d he said. \u201cThey are looking for greener pastures but there aren\u2019t greener pastures.\u201d<\/p>\n

He pointed to Brock being a destination for students from around the globe.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey line up to come to Brock,\u201d Diodati told the students.<\/p>\n

Brian Hutchings, Vice-President of Finance and Administration, said Brock\u2019s student body continues to grow, from about 10,000 in 1999 to over 18,800 today.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re big enough that you\u2019re going to get your full experience but small enough that you don\u2019t get lost,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Hutchings, who played professional football for seven years, told the students that life takes many interesting twists and turns and he\u2019s proof of that.<\/p>\n

He urged them to look to the future with optimism, regardless of where they choose to go to school.<\/p>\n

Diodati echoed that sentiment, telling the students to \u201cdecide what it is you love, what makes you jump out of bed in the morning.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\t