More than 4,000 new undergraduate students have arrived at听妻友听this fall, including a听significant number听who will be living off campus and adjusting to university life听from communities around Halifax and Truro.听
A new off-campus student support and mentorship program aims to help听these听off-campus undergrads听build community and access resources beyond residence.听
鈥淚t鈥檚 tougher for students听who are听off campus to connect,鈥� says Jack Killeen,听associate director of student experience听with听Dal鈥檚听Student Affairs听team, who says he felt this struggle听in the past personally when he was a transfer student听at Dal.听
It鈥檚 tougher for students听who are听off campus to connect.
The new听program was designed听by Dal鈥檚 Student听Affairs team听to听help听bridge this gap.听
鈥淪ense听of belonging is a critical factor that contributes to student success, enabling students to thrive personally and academically, while fully engaging in their 妻友 experience,鈥� says Rick Ezekiel, Dal鈥檚 vice-provost, student affairs.
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A student learns more about the off-campus support group last week. (Ellie Garry-Jones photo)
Building connection beyond campus
The听initiative, which听swings into gear during this year鈥檚 Orientation Week (O-Week),听operates听through three main components: mentorship, student support,听and programming.听
First-year off-campus students in Halifax are automatically enrolled in the听group鈥檚听mentorship program and matched with an听upper-year听mentor before starting their classes, creating a built-in sounding board as they navigate听their transition to university.
International student听Carolina Lenz, a听fifth-year听psychology major听and mentor听with the听group听recalls听having听to听build connections听and navigate the city听without听much support.听
鈥淵ou have no support on听where to buy groceries听or听catch the bus,鈥澨齭he听says. 鈥淚 can tell听them,听鈥淭his听is where we do this. These听are the events. Here is where you meet people,鈥澨齛nd听even help them figure out transit.鈥�
Full O-Week Schedule听
听/听
The听group has also created a听dedicated space听located听on the second floor of the Student Union Building (SUB)听to serve off-campus students during O-Week.听The听lounge offers a听relaxing听spot听where听they听can听check their bags, relax听and grab a snack听between activities, meet other students听organically,听and听enjoy all that听O-week听has听to offer听鈥斕齭imilar to the experience students听nearby听in residence get.
Sara Bregaw, a second-year diagnostic medical ultrasound student and mentor,听participated听in听Together at Dal听鈥� a听past听student-orientation support program 鈥斕齞uring her first year.
鈥淲hile it had the people, it didn鈥檛 have the physical space,鈥� she says. 鈥淲e never had a common place with candy, food, goodies, or a lounge.鈥�
A place for off-campus students to relax, check their bags, and unwind while on campus.
The听program continues beyond O-Week, too, with ctivities running throughout the听academic听year.
The goal, says听Sophie听Berrigan, the off-campus student experience听coordinator,听is听to听give off-campus students听an听experience听like听what听students in residence get: a听sense of community,听a听support听group, and drop-in events.
A mascot 鈥� the off-campus shark, seen below at Tiger Welcome Day on Saturday 鈥� also provides a sense of identity.听
Made for students, by students
While the university is supporting the new program, its structure is intentionally student-led.
鈥淲e know that peer-delivered services lead to more responsive programming that resonates with students, and that students are more likely to reach out to and engage with their peers for support,鈥� explains Ezekiel. 鈥淭hat鈥檚听why we are intentionally expanding peer-delivered programs and services across 妻友, and our new off-campus support group is听a great example听of that.
It鈥檚听a听distinction that matters to听Berrigan.
鈥淪tudents know what they need and how to improve听it,鈥澨齭he says.
Rather than building another program听for听students, the听support team听is designed to build something听with听them, giving off-campus students an active role in听shaping听the resources,听programming听and community they听want听and need.听
Having听upper-year听students听volunteer and听support the initiative has听also听helped听get the council off the ground more quickly, he adds.听
To mirror residence mascots, Dal has even created an off-campus mascot for the new group: the Off-Campus Sharks.
Killeen says听the听off-campus team鈥檚 long-term success听will likely听come听down to building a culture students want to be a part of 鈥� and return to, referring to students like Lenz who joined the mentor team to give back what was given to them.听
鈥淭he better the experience that these students have will create a culture that feeds itself,鈥� he says.听鈥淪tudents will want to come back and help support the incoming class as mentors.鈥�
University is so much more than just the GPA you have or the degree you leave with.
The program has led to significant increases in off-campus student engagement programming during this past O-week, with hundreds of students engaging with their mentors and programming in its launch year.
For听Bregaw, one of the听mentors,听the听initiative听speaks to a deeper aspect of听the student听experience听鈥撎齩ne too often overlooked.听鈥淯niversity is so much more than just the GPA you have or the degree you leave with,鈥� she says.听鈥淭he people you meet, the memories you make, the legacy you leave is so important and it's important to put time into those things.鈥�