UNews - NSO

Move-in day, New Student Orientation, first day of classes all on deck for ULethbridge students

trevor.kenney — Fri, 29 Aug 2025 15:51:42 +0000

The students are coming!

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge is readying to welcome students at both its Lethbridge and Calgary campuses over the next several days as they begin to arrive for the start of the 2025 Fall Semester. Residences will spring to life over the weekend with the annual move-in day slated for Monday, Sept. 1.

New students will have four days of New Student Orientation this year to help them become comfortable on campus.

“It’s always exciting to see the families come in and get their students settled in their new home,” says Laura Correal, Associate Director of Housing Services. “It’s also a pretty emotional day because for many, this may be their first time living away from home, so we’re there to help with that transition and make things as comfortable as possible for them.”

One of the key activities welcoming students to campus is the annual New Student Orientation (NSO), which has taken on a new look this year. Previously a one-day event, NSO will now run Sept. 2-5, allowing students a full four days to become acclimated to campus and post-secondary life.

“We’ve been wanting to expand programming for many years, and the academic schedule afforded us the opportunity to extend NSO to four days,” says Kendra Fuglerud, Assistant Registrar, Curriculum and Student Records. “This format allows students to attend more than one faculty meet and greet — a great bonus for students in combined degrees or who are curious about exploring another program, major, or minor down the road.”

In addition to multiple meet-and-greet events with faculties and schools, students can take part in scavenger hunts, campus tours, open advising sessions, learn transit tips, get the ins and outs on how to live with a roommate, participate in fun games, chill with art sessions, and more.

“Students can curate an experience just for themselves. They can attend presentations and events throughout the week as they pertain to their interests and curiosities,” adds Fuglerud. “We partnered with folks around campus and beyond to make this week come together, and we’ve been very fortunate to have the support of our colleagues and the community so we could put this iteration of NSO together.”

As well, the StartSmart Quiz returns for its third year. An initiative that began in 2023, ULethbridge encourages all first-year students to take the quiz before they begin their academic journey.

“We’re really pleased with how many students took the quiz last year. It set the tone for this new world they are entering and gave students a leg up heading into their first few weeks by helping them learn about the skills and attitudes needed to succeed at university and proactively connecting them to helpful supports at ULethbridge,” says Kathleen Massey, Vice-Provost (Students). “This is such an important time for new students, and we want to make sure they get off to a positive start because it can really set them up for success and help them grow confidence as post-secondary students.”

First day of classes is Monday, Sept. 8.

��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.”

UNews - NSO

Move-in day, New Student Orientation, first day of classes all on deck for ULethbridge students

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

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