Prep Week

8:30 - 9:00 | Morning Meet-up

Presenters: Room specific Orientation Team Leaders (OTLs)
Start each morning in a homeroom with upper year students and peers in similar program. Get a jump start on connecting with future classmates and meet experienced students who are excited to help you make the most of Prep Week.

9:00 - 10:00 | How to Prep Week

10:00 - 11:00 | Time management tips for a successful first year

Presenter: Gretchen Derige Cortens, Academic Advisor
In this session, we'll introduce you to some fundamental time management strategies that you can use to organize your independent study time.

11:00 - 12:30 | Special Lecture: What does Reconciliation Have to Do with Me?

Presenter: Dr. Cary Miller, PhD
Colonialism in Canada continues to be an ongoing process - not just something that happened in the past, and Canadian law and treaties have established legal relationships with Indigenous people that people in Canada have a responsibility to learn.  Drop in to learn more about your role in reconciliation.

12:30 - 1:00 | Break

1:00 - 2:00 | Faculty Sessions

• Price Faculty of Engineering | Helpful People to Know
  Presenters: Associate Dean of Undergraduate Studies - Karen Dow, Student Services Coordinator - Heather Nicolson, and more!
  Get an overview of the Faculty and meet important people that you will be interacting with throughout your studies, such as the Associate Dean of Undergraduate Studies, Student Advisors, and the Awards Coordinator. You will also hear from the Engineering Access Program (ENGAP) and Co-op/IIP. 
   
• Faculty of Science | Microbiology: The Microbial World
  Presenter: Dr. A. Karen Brassinga, Associate Head of Student Experience & Outreach
  The presentation will include a brief presentation on the field of microbiology research and applications, and career opportunities in academic, laboratory and industry settings. The majority of the session will be dedicated to answering questions from the audience.

2:00 - 3:00 | Profs are people, too!

Presenter: Carrie Madden; Kenneth MacKendrick; Samuel Schultz
Achieving success at university requires a partnership between students and their instructors.  Meet a few profs who teach intro courses to see what instructors are really like and what they expect from first year students.

3:00 - 4:00 | What I wish I knew when I started University

Presenter: Elena Karamanova, Student Advocate 
This session covers key lessons about University life that senior students have told us that they learned the hard way. Students will learn techniques on how to address these difficulties so that they can feel better prepared as they enter University.

4:00 - 5:00 | Science Students' Association

5:00 - 6:00 | Justice for Women

8:30 - 9:00 | Morning Meet-up

Presenters: Room specific Orientation Team Leaders (OTLs)
Start each morning in a homeroom with upper year students and peers in similar program. Get a jump start on connecting with future classmates and meet experienced students who are excited to help you make the most of Prep Week.

9:00 - 10:00 | Special Lecture: Microbiology for University students.

Presenter: Ayush Kumar, Ph.D., Professor (Microbiology), Associate Dean-Strategic Initiatives
In this lecture, we will discuss what the Faculty of Science has to offer to University students. We will also discuss what the Microbiology program has to offer for your University career.

10:00 - 11:00 | Concurrent Sessions

• 8 to Be Great
  Presenter: Jackie Jordaan, Academic Learning Centre
  This session discusses proven strategies for student academic success!  Find out what successful students have in common, and what you can do before, during, and after class for the best results.
   
• Advising Services for New Transfer and Advanced Degree Students
  Presenters: Kathy Synkiw and Brigitte Wiebe
  Students will be guided through resources that assist with the development of advising connections at the U of M. The presenters will provide information about advising processes and resources available to students and think about how to capitalize on those resources for students who already have completed previous college or university programs/courses.

11:00 - 12:30 | Writing Academic Papers: Understanding Assignment Instructions

Presenter: Emily Maggiacomo, ALC Writing Tutor and Amanda Kristjanson, ALC Writing Tutor
Prepare to write academic essays by discussing example assignments and talking to experienced students about what they have learned about writing at the university.

12:30 - 1:00 | Break

1:00 - 2:00 | Faculty Sessions

• Price Faculty of Engineering | Responsibilities of Students & Supports for Success
  Presenters: Associate Dean of Undergraduate Studies - Karen Dow, Student Services Coordinator - Heather Nicolson, Vice-Stick Academic - Kassem Harb
  Learn about different rules and regulations of the Faculty, academic integrity, and the many supports and resources that are available to assure your success. You will hear from our Associate Dean of Undergraduate Studies, our Student Services Coordinator as well as the Vice-Stick Academic from UMES who will share their perspective. 
   
• Faculty of Science | Chemistry: Opportunities to discover research in science 
  Presenter: Dr. John Sorensen, Department of Chemistry
  This presentation will offer a brief description of the opportunities that are available for students in the Faculty of Science to join a project in one of the research laboratories
   
• Faculty of Science | Computer Science

2:00 - 3:00 | Special Lecture with Dr. Claudia Navraez

3:00 - 4:00 | Financial Aid & Awards: Money Matters

Presenter: Ivan Henwood, Awards Officer
An introduction to Student Aid, Scholarships, and Bursaries.

4:00 - 5:00 | The Engineering Student Experience

Presenter: Dawson Switzer UMES Senior Stick (University of Manitoba Engineering Society)
Dawson will talk about what UMES is and does, the benefits of getting involved in engineering student life, and all the opportunities available for students to get involved in the faculty, as well as his own personal perspective and experience as an upper year student. A question period will be available following his presentation.

5:00 - 6:00 | Arts Student Body Council: Clubs and Community

Presenter: Hannah Belec, ASBC Director of Academic Programming and Alex Rana, ASBC Director of Community Engagement
Join us to learn about the Arts Student Body Council, the many student groups and clubs that Arts has to offer, and various opportunities for you to get involved and meet others! We will have club representatives sharing information about membership, involvement, and events. This is also a chance to ask current students any questions you may have about ASBC, Arts clubs, and the general Arts community. 

8:30 - 9:00 | Morning Meet-up

Presenters: Room specific Orientation Team Leaders (OTLs)
Start each morning in a homeroom with upper year students and peers in similar program. Get a jump start on connecting with future classmates and meet experienced students who are excited to help you make the most of Prep Week.

9:00 - 10:00 | Special Lecture with Dr. Tina Chen
 

10:00 - 11:00 | Effective Group Work at the University Level 

Presenters: Madison Reed, Student Life Programs Assistant, and Jackie Jordaan, ALC Assistant Coordinator
Group work at a university level can be different compared to high school, this workshop is designed to give new students the tools to work effectively in groups at the university level. Participants will learn key characteristics and strategies for effective groups, participants will analyze common conflicts that groups experience, and identify strategies to avoid or resolve challenging situations.

11:00 - 12:30 | Writing Academic Papers: Gathering Information

Presenters: Sarah Clark, UM Librarian and Emily Maggiacomo, ALC Writing Tutor
Learn how to gather information from readings to build compelling arguments in your essays. Hear from librarians and writing tutors about how they can support you in the reading and writing process.

12:30 - 1:00 | Break

1:00 - 2:00 | Faculty Sessions

• Price Faculty of Engineering | First Year 101
  Presenters: Dr. Meghan Guyot, Ethan Axdale
  You already know that university will be different than high school, this session will explain some of those differences. You will be given an overview on what classes will typically be like, differences between lectures, labs, and tutorials, and what are some best practices and advice to succeed from a first-year course professor as well as a student.
   
• Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences
• Faculty of Science | Biological Sciences
• Faculty of Science | Mathematics

2:00 - 3:00 | How to Take Advantage of Recreation Services on Campus

Presenter: Dannielle Paguio, Recreation Services Assistant
We want to share more information about our Recreation Services membership and all the items our members have access to in our facility. In addition, we want to inform students on how they can activate their membership and start using our facility. We also wanted to share the different programs that we offer that your students might be interested in. 

4:00 start | Concurrent Sessions

• 4:00 - 5:00 | U1 Council : Who reps your faculty?
  Presenters: Keji Preston, U1SC President and Selena Toledo, U1SC Vice-President
  "Who reps your faculty?" is a presentation about the ongoings of the faculty's student council. You'll learn about student advocacy, running a council, what happens behind the scenes and how you can join! 
   
• 4:00 - 5:30 | University - A Time to Explore Life’s Big Questions, Spiritual Health and Inter-Faith Engagement
  Presenters: Edgar French, Spiritual Care and Multi-Faith Centre Coordinator/ Michelle Collins, Lutheran Chaplain, Rev. Helen Holbrook, St. John's College chaplain
  Is learning simply limited to the lecture hall, or these days, the virtual class room?  Should you expect more of your education than a degree or a transcript?  University is not simply about acquiring professional knowledge and skills, but an opportunity to develop yourself as a well-rounded human being.  It is a chance to seek answers to your big questions, wrestle with the meaning of your life and future, and do so in and with the support of community.  Join us for a conversation on the relevance of cultivating spiritual health with other students.   

8:30 - 9:00 | Morning Meet-up

Presenters: Room specific Orientation Team Leaders (OTLs)
Start each morning in a homeroom with upper year students and peers in similar program. Get a jump start on connecting with future classmates and meet experienced students who are excited to help you make the most of Prep Week.

9:00 - 10:00 | Special Lecture: Lockdowns, Vaccine Mandates, and the State: do we have a duty to do what the state tells us to do?

Presenter: Professor Steven Lecce, Department of Political Studies
States forbid their citizens from doing many things; they also compel them to do many others.  These restrictions and requirements are often backed up by punishments--fines, prison, and, in some cases, even death.  This lecture introduces students to one of the oldest questions in political theory: do citizens have a duty to obey the state and, if so, why?  As we will see, the most influential answers to this question are problematic.

10:00 - 11:00 | “But this worked in high school... ”: Active study strategies for university

Presenter: Gretchen Derige Cortens, Academic Advisor
In this session, we’ll talk about some of the key differences between studying in university versus studying in high school, and how it can be challenging (but necessary!) to use new strategies for a new learning environment. We’ll review simple but effective study strategies that you can start to use on your very first day of class. 

11:00 - 12:30 | Writing Academic Papers: Expressing Your Ideas Clearly

Presenters: Kathy Block, Instructor, Academic Learning Centre and Heather Morris, Director, Student Advocacy and Case Management
Get ready to write essays by learning how to integrate information from sources and how to bring out your own voice in your drafts. Ask experienced students your questions about academic writing.
 

12:30 - 1:00 | Break

1:00 - 2:00 | Faculty Sessions

• Price Faculty of Engineering | Get Involved & Upcoming Events
  Presenter: Associate Dean of Design Education - Paul LaBossiere
  University isn’t just about classes. Engineering is a big faculty and there are so many things that you can get involved with such as joining a student group, participating in team competitions, and attending events. You will hear from our Associate Dean of Design Education who leads student design competitions, as well as a few students who have been involved in a variety of extra-curricular activities throughout their student career. We will also highlight some upcoming events that you won’t want to miss! 
   
• Faculty of Arts | Welcome to Psychology at the Faculty of Arts
  Presenter: Dr. Melanie Glenwright, Associate Head (Undergraduate), Department of Psychology
  Are you starting an Arts degree in Psychology this year? Attend this session to learn more about your degree options (including co-op), hear about typical courses, see a comparison of career paths and get a glimpse into what graduate studies would be like.
   
• Desautels Faculty of Music | Surviving & Thriving As a Music Student
  Presenter: James Maiello, Associate Dean (Graduate Programs & Research); Associate Professor of Musicology
  This presentation offers an introduction to life as a student in the Desautels Faculty of Music and offers practical strategies for success as a music student. Topics include practice skills, time management strategies, and study skills.

2:00 - 3:00 | Financial Aid & Awards: Money Matters

Presenter: Ivan Henwood, Awards Officer
An introduction to Student Aid, Scholarships, and Bursaries.

4:00 - 5:00 | Concurrent Student Communities Session

• UMISO (UM International Students Organization)  
• The Women's Centre | About the Women's Centre, Resources, and More!
  Presenter: Christine Yasay - UMSU Women's Representative
  In this presentation, the UMSU Women's Representative, Christine Yasay, will introduce you to the Women's Centre, give some background and information about the centre. She will also talk about different resources for women both on and off campus. 
   
• UMSU (University of Manitoba Students' Union)

5:00 - 6:00 | Students who are parents/care-givers support session

Presenter: Jesse Singer, Student Advocacy and Case Management
If you are a parent/care provider and a student this session is for you!
Come to connect and share with other students like you, and hear about supports/services on and off campus that might be useful to you as a student with care-giving responsibilities. It's not easy, but it's definitely doable!

8:30 - 9:00 | Morning Meet-up

Presenters: Room specific Orientation Team Leaders (OTLs)
Start each morning in a homeroom with upper year students and peers in similar program. Get a jump start on connecting with future classmates and meet experienced students who are excited to help you make the most of Prep Week.

9:00 - 10:00 | Special Lecture: Why Amazing Films by Indigenous Filmmakers are More than Entertainment

Presenter: Jocelyn Thorpe, PhD, Women's and Gender Studies and History
Films are sources of education rather then merely entertainment. In this interactive lecture, students will have the opportunity to analyse a short film and learn about how films can make the world a better place. 

10:00 start | Concurrent Sessions

• 10:00 - 11:00 | Get experience, get ahead: the importance of experiential learning in your university career
  Presenters: Anny Chen, Lisa MacPherson, Sarah Saunders
  In this interactive session, you will learn how to get involved on campus, the impact you can make, benefits of engagement, and how to harness experiential opportunities with an eye to future career opportunities.
  
   
  
   
• 10:00 - 11:30 | Small Talk Strategies for the Classroom
  Presenters: Josie Fast, English Language Instructor; Matt Hildebrand, Coordinator of Part-Time Academic English Courses
  This 90-minute workshop will support new UM students for whom English is not a first language.  Students entering degree study in a Canadian university commonly express a strong desire to connect with classmates.  Many students, however, are held back in this regard because they lack confidence and are unsure of the norms of small talk in this context. They may lack confidence for initiating and sustaining an informal conversation with their peers.  As such, this interactive workshop will focus on cultural norms and expectations around small talk, along with providing and practicing specific strategies and phrases for effectively connecting with classmates.  The primary goals of the workshop are to increase students’ cultural knowledge and their confidence in engaging in small talk/informal conversation.

11:30 - 1:00 | Break

1:00 - 2:00 | Faculty Sessions

• Price Faculty of Engineering | Q & A
  Presenters: Associate Dean of Undergraduate Studies - Karen Dow, Student Services Coordinator - Heather Nicolson, Vice-Stick Academic - Kassem Harb
  Have a question that didn’t get answered throughout the week? Come to this open Q & A session to have them answered by our Associate Dean of Undergraduate Studies, Student Services Coordinator and Vice-Stick Academic.
   
• Faculty of Science | Physics and Astronomy: Studying beautiful and mysterious phenomena
  Presenter: Dr. Danielle Pahud, PhD, Instructor II and Dr. Ruth Cameron, PhD, Senior Instructor
  Scientists study physics and astronomy to understand the fundamental nature of the universe, with all of its mystery, beauty, and wonder. We will give an overview of our programs, our first year courses, and some of our facilities, as well as discuss opportunities available to Physics and Astronomy graduates.
   
• Faculty of Science | Statistics

1. Full participation in Prep Week,
2. Completion of UM Essentials, and
3. Participation in Welcome Day.

Full participation in Prep Week is defined as participating in a minimum of five sessions. Keep in mind the following:

• at least three sessions must be a skill-based workshop, a special lecture or a faculty-led session;
• maximum of two student communities session; and
• a maximum of two International Centre orientation sessions may apply toward this five session requirement.

Once you register for, attend, and reflect on each of your five chosen sessions, you will have completed the Prep Week requirements for co-curricular recognition!