UNews - Asheley Cowie

Open House provides opportunity to explore undergraduate and graduate studies alike

trevor.kenney — Thu, 19 Oct 2023 20:35:47 +0000

There’s no better way to decide on a major commitment than to try something on for fit. The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge is offering just that over the next few days with a pair of Open House opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students.

Open House takes place Saturday, Oct. 21 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ’s Lethbridge campus, where nearly 700 registrants will have the opportunity to explore the ULethbridge experience in person.

On Saturday, Oct. 28, the Graduate Studies Virtual Open House will present a similar opportunity to graduate students who are looking to continue their post-secondary studies. More than 500 people have already registered for that event.

WHAT: Open House and Graduate Studies Virtual Open House

WHEN: Open House (in-person event) is Saturday, Oct. 21, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.; Virtual Graduate Open House is Saturday, Oct. 28, 9 a.m. to Noon and 3 to 6 p.m.

WHERE: ULethbridge (Lethbridge campus) and online (Graduate Open House)

“We’re thrilled with the response we’ve had in terms of registrations and are looking forward to showcasing everything ULethbridge has to offer,” says Asheley Cowie, manager, National Recruitment. “This is such a valuable opportunity for students and their families to explore our campus, meet professors, other students, graduates and staff, and really get an idea of what ULethbridge is all about. There’s nothing like a ULethbridge experience, it truly is unique and Open House will give you that sneak peek.”

In addition to being able to apply for on-the-spot admission and be entered in a draw for a $1,000 tuition credit, students can get help applying for scholarships and awards and student housing. As well, they’ll get a first look at the work-integrated and experiential learning opportunities available to all ULethbridge students, learn how they can participate in research, fine arts and athletics, and even try their hand at the stock market by participating in a trading simulation exercise. The ULethbridge Gameshow is also a chance to test your knowledge to snag some amazing prizes.

Morning and evening sessions are available for potential graduate students taking part in the Graduate Studies Virtual open House. A variety of virtual booths will be available, allowing students to interact with faculty, staff and current graduate students.

“We really wanted to give our potential graduate students the chance to get first-hand insight from those who know ULethbridge best,” says Cowie. “The virtual booths are designed to answer the key questions students need answered, all while showcasing the wide range of academic programs we have to offer, the cutting-edge research opportunities available and the student life for which we’re so well known.”

For more information on Open House, visit the web page, and for graduate students, check out the Graduate Studies Virtual Open House page.

Interactive experience awaits prospective students at ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge Open House

trevor.kenney — Thu, 27 Oct 2022 20:39:29 +0000

Excited to provide an in-person experience once again to prospective students and their families, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge’s annual Open House is unlike any that’s been offered before. The event has been reimagined with input from current students, faculty members and staff — the result is a new, fun and interactive experience that showcases all ULethbridge has to offer.

Open House takes place Saturday, October 29, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the main Lethbridge campus and gives future students the chance to explore programs, careers and work-integrated learning opportunities, connect with other future students, learn what to expect in the first year of study and much more.

“We are thrilled to welcome future students and their families to campus again and engage them in the ULethbridge experience,” says Asheley Cowie, manager of national recruitment. “We have incredible opportunities, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and support — we want students to experience them in an entertaining, hands-on way.”

While the basics of Open House remain, such as campus tours, the chance to explore programs and student services through information sessions, and the ability to apply for on-the-spot admission, a host of fun and engaging activities have been added to the jam-packed day. The highlight — a Crack the Code challenge that takes students through Science Commons and once completed correctly, enters them in a draw for one semester of tuition.

“People from all areas of ULethbridge have joined together to create an interactive and special day we think future students will love. Participants can explore music technology software, participate in a financial trading simulation, learn how to bead from an Indigenous artisan, test their knowhow by starting their own business or even build a tower out of marshmallows,” adds Cowie. “And of course, all our colleagues are eager to answer questions about programs, work-integrated and experiential learning opportunities, student supports and anything else they want to know!”

High school students who apply for admission before October 31, 2022, are eligible to win a $1,000 tuition credit. Open House is for anyone considering post-secondary studies or graduate school. For more information, including a complete list of activities and registration information, visit ulethbridge.ca/future-student/fall-open-house.

��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge students returning to campus for full in-person experience

trevor.kenney — Fri, 02 Sep 2022 17:10:00 +0000

A true in-person experience awaits ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge students this fall, promising the on-campus student experience for which ULethbridge is renowned. It’s also what students have been seeking for more than two years.

Campus begins populating this weekend as students and their families start the process of moving into residence. Residences will welcome just under 1,000 students this fall and are at 96 per cent capacity. As well, all social spaces will be open, giving residents the opportunity to create the social connections that are so important for post-secondary success.

Kathleen Massey, ULethbridge’s associate vice-president (students), says the full return of students brings an energy to campus that can’t be rivalled.

“Our students breathe so much life into our community and we’re thrilled to have them back this fall,” she says. “They are at such an exciting moment in their lives, and you can see it in everything they do, from their studies to their social lives. They are discovering their independence, their own voice and their own path and our faculty and staff take great pleasure in helping them find their way.”

There’s much happening over the next 10 days for ULethbridge students.

Residence Move-in

September 4 (first-year students) & September 5 (continuing students)

Students and their families will be hauling boxes and all the comforts of home into campus residence buildings.

New Student Orientation (NSO)

September 6

Starting university means big changes and lots of questions! NSO is a great way to learn about important student services, help students understand who to ask for supports both in their courses and out, and teach them about the academic expectations of being a first-year student.

“New Student Orientation has a very different feel this year than it has in years previous,” says Asheley Cowie, coordinator orientation and transition, Student Engagement. “Knowing more about the students we are welcoming this fall and based on student feedback, we built a program that focuses on supporting the unique student experience for each student. We’ve moved away from a conference-style, general information NSO and created a program that will support this student audience in making connections with fellow students, with their program, their faculty, and the campus.”

NSO Schedule

9 a.m. — 1st Choice Savings Centre Gym — Welcome: Dr. Erasmus Okine, VP Academic, Kathleen Massey, AVP Students, Kairvee Bhatt, ULSU President, Asheley Cowie

9:30 a.m. — 1st Choice Savings Centre Gym — Your 1st Year Experience: A session led by Jennifer Ellis Toddington and Brendan Cummins

10 a.m. — Across Campus — Plan for the Day and Meet your Student Leader

10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. — 1st Choice Savings Centre Foyer — Student Group Booth Fair: LPIRG, UVolunteer, Lethbridge Family Services, Fresh Fest, SAAG, Campus Food for Thought and SWAP

11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. — W650 — Iikaisskini Gathering Centre Tour

11 a.m. to 12 p.m. — Across Campus — Faculty Meet and Greet OR Campus Tours

12 to 1 p.m. — Lunch

1 to 3 p.m. — Across Campus — Faculty Meet and Greet OR Campus Tours

3 to 7 p.m. — ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ Hall Atrium — Graduate Student Orientation

New Student Orientation takes on even more significance for first-year students

trevor.kenney — Thu, 27 Aug 2020 15:35:34 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge is welcoming over 1,990 new students into the fold this fall, and the themes of welcoming, informing and lessening anxiety remain the same — even if the experience has moved online.

Asheley Cowie and her Student Affairs team put together more than 1,900 welcome boxes for new students.

“New Student Orientation (NSO) has always been a crucial first step for new students because it lays the foundation for their engagement with campus and their learning,” says Asheley Cowie, coordinator of orientation and transition in the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ’s Student Affairs team. “NSO is a chance for students to learn how things work at uLethbridge, meet faculty and staff and other new students.

“It’s a time for new students to feel excited to be starting university and should smooth the transition to campus life and the independence that comes with this. This year, it’s even more important for students to take part in NSO given that building connections to staff, faculty and other students will be essential when learning in a primarily virtual setting.”

NSO 2020, running Aug. 31 through Sept. 8, has been designed to meet students in the virtual space, supported by a welcome box that began arriving at students’ residences earlier this week. Packed with all the essentials to get the academic year off to a great start, the boxes include:

Fall 2020-specific student services and support department resources
Commencement coin and page
Faculty-specific information and giveaways
NSO giveaways
U of L ID card (if submitted)

Current students who are part of Cowie’s transition team helped design and build the packages. Having been through the first-year experience, they lent a valuable perspective to the exercise.

“In my first year, NSO provided me with my first true sense of belonging at the U of L,” says Courtney Derksen, a fourth-year science student and current student mentor on Cowie’s team. “Attending the sessions and meeting staff and students helped me feel more confident in beginning my university experience. I hope students who receive a box feel the connection and support that I did when I attended NSO.”

With box in hand, students are sent to the NSO 2020 welcome web page where the virtual experience takes off. Once there, students are able to learn about all the available student services, given a road map to help them understand who to ask for support both in and outside of their courses and learn about the academic expectations of being a first-year university student.

Student mentors, ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ staff and individual faculty members are also available to new students through a variety of virtual sessions scheduled throughout the week. The sessions include everything from how to order and pick up textbooks, student life in Lethbridge, tutoring and working on campus opportunities, to individual faculty meet and greets and more.

“Starting university is a huge transition for all new students, but it is fair to say starting university from home during a global pandemic creates additional stressors,” says Cowie. “We want students to know we created this NSO understanding they are uncertain and hopefully our support will help them get the best possible start. New students normally have a lot of questions, and this year will not be an exception, so we want to ease as many concerns and provide as much support as we can from day one.”

U of L welcomes new students at New Student Orientation

caroline.zentner — Fri, 31 Aug 2018 16:20:27 +0000

With students set to arrive for the first day of classes on Wednesday, Sept. 5, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge is busy getting ready for the 2018 Fall Semester.

The annual New Student Orientation (NSO) gets things going and sets the tone for the 2018-2019 academic year. It runs Sept. 3 and 4 and serves as an introduction for new students and their families, providing information on important student services, academic expectations and general post-secondary life.

“We invest a lot in NSO because it’s a very important first impression for many of our students,” says Asheley Cowie, orientation and transition coordinator for Student Engagement. “This year, we’ve made some fairly big changes to our event through feedback from previous years. We’ve extended the opportunity for new students to meet and interact with other students and we’ve focused our campus tours on way-finding, making sure that our first-year students know where to access student services, can find their classrooms and just feel much more comfortable about getting around campus on their first few days.”

The NSO program kicks off Monday, Sept. 3 with Commencement, featuring keynote speaker Bryn Hewko, the 2018 Young Alumnus of the Year. A mentor meet-and-greet session follows that will include a scavenger-hunt type game that will help students quickly build new friendships as they learn to navigate campus.

Other feature sessions from the first day include those for international students, Understanding your permit – Studying and working in Canada, and Cultural Transition – What to expect inside and outside the classroom. Other featured sessions are Career Planning: Tips for success from Counseling and Career Services, How to get the most from your liberal education, Welcome to YQL and more.

On day two of NSO, sexologist Dr. Justine Shuey presents How to have awesome relationships, while the key to financial student survival is available in Being thrifty is nifty: How to budget and survive financially in university.

A full itinerary of NSO activities can be found on the Future Student website: ulethbridge.ca/future-student/events/new-student-orientation.

Fall 2018 enrolment numbers are strong across the institution. Approximately 2,000 new students will be starting their post-secondary studies at the U of L’s campuses in Lethbridge and Calgary. As of August 28, 2018, there is an increase in the number of Indigenous students as well as solid growth in the number of master's- and doctoral-level students.

“Our enrolment numbers are very strong and we’re excited to welcome both our new and returning students to campus,” says Kathleen Massey, the U of L’s associate vice-president (students). “With steady growth in both undergraduate and graduate students, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ continues to be a preferred destination for today’s learners and we’re here to give them an unparalleled student experience.”

Following NSO, a campus-wide Welcome Week kicks off with a pancake breakfast on Wednesday, Sept. 5 at 7:45 a.m. on the Markin Hall patio. Over the ensuing days, wayfinding booths will be set up across campus to help students with any questions they might have, the Fresh-U Jamboree Festival takes place and Pronghorns women’s soccer hosts a pair of games against Mount Royal ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ and ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Alberta.

Students who live in residence at the U of L will be moving into their dorms over the weekend as well. Move-in day for new students is Sunday, Sept. 2, while continuing students will move into residence on Monday, Sept. 3.

Cowie views SOS support as freeing up students to be their best

trevor.kenney — Fri, 02 Oct 2015 22:05:44 +0000

Asheley Cowie’s enthusiasm is contagious. Her voice bubbles with positive energy, especially when she starts talking about her job at the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge. Even the name of the position (the tongue-twisting title of Coordinator of Orientation and Transition, Enrolment Services) isn’t enough to slow down Cowie’s rapid-fire dialogue. She’s bursting with energy, and she credits a lot of it to the passion she has for her job.

Asheley Cowie sees herself as the beneficiary of her own SOS donations.

“The work is very hands on and I love it,” says Cowie. “Students are the best – they are energetic and optimistic, and they constantly give their all. Helping them is a joy. I really can’t articulate how much admiration I have for people who embark on the journey through university. Whatever helps students start out on the right foot or makes things less stressful for them, that’s what I’m here to do.”

Aside from daily interactions with students when she’s providing answers to every conceivable question a new student might have, Cowie goes beyond the call of duty and puts her money where her mouth is. She’s been a contributor to the U of L Supporting Our Students (SOS) initiative since 2009, and says backing up her work with dollars simply makes good sense.

“My job is to help students. That’s what I’m paid to do. Working one-on-one with students every day has given me a really good sense of the challenges they face, and financial pressure is very real for a lot of them. If my role here is to assist those students, then financial assistance is part of my job. Yes, it’s voluntary, but it’s also a win/win situation. When I contribute to SOS, I’m not just helping students – I’m fostering an environment where I can thrive as well.”

Cowie paid her own way as a university student, and contrary to the notion that everyone should do the same, Cowie takes the position that she’d rather make the road toward a degree easier to travel for those behind her.

“I got through university working a variety of jobs, and it was really tough. I see students who struggle, and I see those whose burden is lightened by virtue of someone else’s financial generosity. The gift of that is incredible. For a student to be able to focus on their studies, and not have to think about picking up a second or even third job to cover the bases financially – that’s invaluable to them. It’s motivating and humbling, and it helps to foster the kind of climate on campus I think we all want to have.”

Contributing to SOS sends a clear message, Cowie says, one that, from professional experience, she strongly feels students need to hear.

“From the moment I start communicating with students, the message is, I’m here for you. I’ve got your back – you’re not alone. The SOS program is a way for U of L faculty and staff to broadcast that message at large. When students feel supported, they are able to give their best. We’ve got to do our part so they can do theirs.”

UNews - Asheley Cowie

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