York University will welcome 6,000 potential students and their families to the Keele campus March Gala on Saturday, March 11, and a further 600 to Glendon's Open House on Sunday, March 12. This year's events are jammed with opportunities for students to explore, encounter and experience the many reasons York should be seen as the right choice for their university education.
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The Keele campus gala will get into full swing at 10am in Vari Hall, which will serve as the welcome centre for the event. From Vari Hall, students can then explore York's facilities through walking and bus tours of campus and tours of the residences buildings, sports and recreation facilities and the main library. Glendon's Open House on Sunday will offer students the same opportunity to explore the many facilities available at York’s bilingual campus.
The highlight of the day promises to be the nine exciting undergraduate Faculty zones. Students will have an opportunity to sample what York’s diverse faculties have to offer. Some of the activities planned include:
- Arts Zone: Learn how to say "I'm coming to York" in 17 different languages.
- Environmental Studies Zone: Attend a mini-lecture with Faculty of Environmental Studies Undergraduate Program Director Harris Ali.
- Glendon Zone: Explore a re-created Glendon campus in Vari Hall.
- Fine Arts Zone: Attend film screenings and dance workshops.
- Osgoode Zone: Experience mock trials with Osgoode Hall Law School students.
- Schulich Zone: Learn about the Schulich advantage from the business school’s alumni.
- Science & Engineering Zone: Tour the new Advanced Optics laboratory.
- Atkinson Zone: Hear from current students about how to excel outside of the classroom.
- Education Zone: Explore a specially equipped classroom for the Teacher of the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Program.
An exclusive group of top applicants from across Canada will also have the opportunity to attend the Circle of Scholars Breakfast at The Underground. The breakfast, which takes place prior to the March Gala, will give students and their guests and opportunity to meet some of York’s top current students and professors, and Rob Tiffin, York’s vice-president students.
Parents of future students can also rest and recharge in the Parents' Lounge in Vari Hall. There they can speak with other parents of university-bound students and browse the resources and support material York provides for them.
Guests will also be welcomed to the Experience the Rainforest room also located in Vari Hall. Interactive displays, photos, plants and Las Nubes coffee will bring the Costa Rican research centre to life.
A full array of workshops at the Student Life Zone located in Vari Hall have been arranged to help applicants (and their families) prepare for university life. On offer in the Student Life Zone are half-hour sessions about money matters, residence life, ways to connect to campus for commuter students and building job-hunting skills.
The Student Services Information Fair will take place in the link between Vari Hall and the Ross Building – informative displays by York's Housing Department, Sport & Recreation, Student Community & Leadership Development, Parking & Transportation, Security Services, the York University Bookstore, Counselling & Development Centre, Office for Persons with Disabilities and York International – will highlight York's exceptional resources for supporting students. For applicants with the long-term in mind, a quick chat with the Office of Alumni and York is U, York's student alumni group, can also be part of the day's plan.
In their gaze-grabbing red jackets, more than 150 members of the Student Spirit Team will circulate through the crowds to guide guests and speak about their York experience.
If applicants are unable to attend the gala, York will offer a program of special information sessions and tours from March 13-17. More information is available at the March Gala Web site.
The Glendon campus is holding a March Break Open House on Sunday, March 12 from 9:30am to 2pm. Events include tours of the beautiful campus, one-on-one meetings with professors and chats with current students. For more details visit the Glendon Open House Web site.