U of L opens doors to prospective students

By Justin Seward - Lethbridge Herald on October 29, 2024.

Herald photo by Justin Seward Tayla Smyth, Sadie Tilleman and Anya Kapcsos build a skyscraper model as part of a session called Exploration into Teaching on Saturday during the University of Lethbridge Open House.

The University of Lethbridge held an open house on Saturday to give prospective students a glimpse of what the campus has to offer for programs and amenities.

“A really big focus is giving students the opportunity to see the places and spaces where they’ll be learning,” said Asheley Cowie, U of L’s national recruitment team manager.

“So a really big priority for us was to give interactive opportunities where students could be in the spaces.”

Open house attendees could meet the people teaching their classes, those that would be in the same classroom and student support services representatives.

“We want students to start to feel comfortable with post-secondary and to be able to see themselves pursuing post-secondary,” said Cowie.

Current students took the time to volunteer all day.

“What a difference it makes to have current students talking to prospective students and telling them what that experience is like as someone who has just gone through it a few years ago,” said Cowie.

When asked about the interaction in the faculty of education during the open house, Danny Balderson, assistant dean for student programs services, says it’s been really strong,

“The numbers are up from last year as far as for us and excellent questions,” said Balderson.

Balderson heard during the open house that students were wanting an education that will go somewhere.

“We hear over and over again at these type of things (that) they come to the Faculty of Education because of the reputation,” said Balderson.

Chad Laing applied for next fall to get a major in psychology and minor in religion.

“I figure the open house was a great way to get the help that I needed to get set up because I find the process to be daunting,” said Laing.

There were over 1,100 students along with parents that attended.

“It’s been a busy day but it’s been a very engaging and interactive campus all day,” said Cowie.

Attendees could see fine art rehearsals, musicians at work, do art projects, experience sessions in the Dhillon School of Business trading room, see the nursing simulation centre and in the faculty of education got to experience a university-level class is like to name a few.