By Candice Zhang
As summer ends and September begins, new and returning students, are preparing for a semester filled with exciting lessons and experiences. One of the ways for students to prepare is through ‘online orientation’ – an interactive event showcasing everything the college has to offer. Hosted by the Department of Student Life and the Student Association of George Brown College (SAGBC), participants can choose events and plan their schedules ahead of time.
But many have noticed that this year’s orientation is significantly different compared to previous years: sessions are hosted online instead of in-person due to the pandemic.
“At first, I was a little uneasy because of how [the orientation] was a new start to something,” said Hitomi Usui, a first-year Fashion Management student. “For my ideal orientation, I didn’t expect it to be online, but [due to] COVID-19, there was a chance of spreading the virus,”
Many new students are also experiencing similar emotions and thoughts as Usui. Some of them did not even choose to attend any orientation session since the event is entirely virtual.
“[If the orientation was held in-person], I would have done it,” said another first-year student who requested to remain anonymous. “I didn’t do the [event] since it was online.”
At the beginning of every semester, orientation at George Brown is not only a welcome for new students but also a readjustment session for returning students. The events are divided into different sections encompassing academic, personal support, school services, and mental wellness components. By engaging these sessions, new students obtain their digital student ID cards, learn more about equipment loans, and become further aware of academic accommodations.
The SAGBC also hosted its own sessions for students to participate in as well. The SA, which funds the Dialog, hosted events ranging from informational sessions on the organization’s services to games and events like a virtual escape room and a virtual paint night designed to help students connect with their new classmates.
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Although the pandemic has affected the structure of the events, students and employees at George Brown are learning to adapt to the situation. Participation may be lower than in previous years, but the numbers do not stop the event from happening. Joseph Stapleton, GBC’s manager of student life, said that the pandemic inspired the team to think differently while planning the orientation.
“The orientation team has been thinking long before the pandemic [about] expanding program [options] and [having] a greater online presence,” said Stapleton. “While we had some ideas, it required a lot of creativity, learning, planning, [and] collaboration to develop a virtual orientation program that brought students from [all over the world].”
Regardless of the tireless planning and unexpected turn of events, students and faculty were still able to learn and meet new people through the online orientation. According to Usui, most of her classmates enjoyed the virtual event.
“[The orientation team] did their very best to answer everybody’s questions,” said Usui. “[They] gave us everything we have asked and tried to include everybody as much as possible,”
Statistics have also indicated that the event was a huge success on the orientation team’s behalf.
“The Live Welcome on September first had reached more than 17,000 students,” Stapleton mentions. As a means of maintaining the number of attendees for other events, the orientation team used Blackboard Collaborate, Zoom, Instagram, and Facebook to interact with students.
Peter Koutsokeris, George Brown’s coordinator of orientation and transition programs, also witnessed a change in digital interaction throughout the event. “Open rates on communications from the college average above 75 per cent,” Koutsokeris said. “Students are eager to find out [about] academic supports and services, and [engage] with their peers.”
Although students remain unable to physically tour the campus and participate in activities, Stapleton and Usui both feel optimistic about the upcoming semester, when traditional classroom operations resume.
“We have developed a strong engagement plan and will be working hard to ensure engagement opportunities continue throughout the school year,” said Stapleton. “We will maintain regular communication with students to ensure that they are aware of everything the college and SAGBC have to offer.”
“After listening to others [talk about their experiences], I felt really excited and glad that I chose George Brown,” said Usui.
