Fall Orientation welcomes new UCalgary students to campus community

Faculty by faculty, more than 5,000 new University of Calgary students will march into the Jack Simpson Gymnasium for the New Student Induction Ceremony, the official beginning to their post-secondary journey.

Excitement is in the air — each student wears a T-shirt matching their faculty’s colours, and with their peers, trade enthusiastic faculty-themed cheers across the gymnasium. As the stage lights dim, the cheers make way for the sound of bagpipes as the procession of university leadership marches toward the stage and the formal portion of the ceremony begins.

The New Student Induction Ceremony sets an important tone for the entirety of the student’s university career. The events, workshops and information sessions are designed to help students take charge of their education, learn from new ideas and decide which campus offerings can best help them to achieve their goals. Both a shared and individual experience, Fall Orientation is about inspiring new students to become agents of change in their own lives, and advocates for causes that matter to them.

Exemplifying these traits is Raul Arora, the 2019 keynote speaker at the New Student Induction Ceremony. Arora is a recent graduate of the Health Sciences program at UCalgary with a specialization in biomedical sciences, and a Rhodes Scholar — a scholarship awarded to only 11 Canadian students each year. Like past keynote speakers, Arora’s message continues the tradition of Fall Orientation as an event that helps shape the student experience, encouraging them to become active citizens in the wider campus community.

For over two decades, Fall Orientation has provided new students with a comprehensive introduction to academic and university life, including the many offices, services and programs available to students. While Fall Orientation officially only spans two days, students can sign up for a variety of activities throughout the week. These range from social events with the UCalgaryStrong Carnival, community volunteering opportunities with the ucalgarycares Day and Night of Service and the KICKOFF Dino’s Football game at McMahon Stadium. Head to Alumni Weekend’s biggest party with carnival games, Spolumbo’s sausages and dunk tanks. Stay for the Dinos’ first home game of the season.

“We encourage students to take full advantage of the sessions, events and workshops offered throughout Fall Orientation to ensure that they are equipped to navigate all of the opportunities available to them at university,” says Kelly Kay Spurlock, co-ordinator of Orientation and Student Involvement.

“These will be some of the most exciting years of their lives, so it’s important to take advantage of opportunities to meet new people, get excited about their studies and get involved in the campus community.”

This year’s festivities will run Sept. 3-4.

2019 Fall Orientation Feature Events

Staff and faculty are encouraged to visit campus Orientation programming as spectators if they wish. One of the generous sponsors of Fall Orientation is Bullfrog Power. In their role as our sustainability sponsor, Bullfrog Power uses its generators to put 100-per-cent green power into the grid to match the amount of conventional electricity the event uses, displacing energy from polluting sources.

New Student Induction Ceremony

• When: Tuesday, Sept. 3, 10:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m.
• Where: Jack Simpson Gymnasium

UCalgaryStrong Carnival

• When: Tuesday, Sept. 3, 4 p.m.-7 p.m.
• Where: MacEwan Hall