There really is nothing like Day One at a college campus. It is filled with energy as new students arrive and returning students rekindle relationships with classmates they haven’t seen in several months. In a word, it is “fantastic.”
Elder Barry Sarazin leads Indigenous drummers as they sing a morning song on Day One of classes at Algonquin College’s Pembroke Waterfront campus.
Day One at the Pembroke campus started with Indigenous drumming. Elder Barry Sarazin led drummers in singing a morning song under a crystal blue sky along the shores of the Kitchissippi or Ottawa River. Using the campus Grandfather drum, Elder Sarazin reflected on his own experience when he studied at Algonquin College’s Ottawa campus in the 1980s, sharing the excitement that he felt in being a post-secondary student for the first time.
As classes got underway, students had plenty of time to socialize and meet new people. Over the lunch hour, the Students’ Association had mentalist and illusionist Wayne Hoffman entertain students with his trickery, leaving students with plenty of questions on “how did he do that?” On Day One and throughout the first month of classes, there are always plenty of social activities and events for students to participate in. It helps them get comfortable with their new surroundings and plays an important role in student success.
For some students, Day One meant engaging in practical learning activities that are a key component of their programs. For example, the Urban Forestry and Arboriculture program students got their first taste of climbing trees. It was an opportunity to put on harnesses and learn about tree climbing safety, as the students will spend many hours honing their climbing skills during their program.
At the Wilderness Tours Resort, Day One for Outdoor Adventure students meant lots of time on the Ottawa River. Students will spend their first-week navigating whitewater rapids, a key program component. Students are trained to become whitewater guides, learning how to maneuver a raft safely through the turbulent waters of the Ottawa River, one of the top destinations for whitewater rafting and kayaking in Canada.
Urban Forestry-Arboriculture students get ready to climb trees at Riverside Park in Pembroke on day one of their program.
The Pembroke Campus has always been a destination for students because of its unique mix of programs. More than 50 percent of the more than 800 students who started classes on Day One had to relocate to the community. This group includes students from across Canada and more than 160 international students who have arrived from all around the world. The list of countries that are represented by these students includes India, China, Ghana, Philippines, Nigeria, Cameroon, Mexico, Zimbabwe, Hong Kong, Brazil, Nepal, Mongolia, Kenya, Chile, Pakistan, Indonesia, Japan, Taiwan, Thailand, Egypt, United Kingdom and Uganda.
Day One was great. It’s the beginning of a new chapter in our students’ lives, an opportunity to position themselves for career success. Getting off on the right foot is important. The journey is just beginning.
Posted by Jamie Bramburger, Interim Dean of the Pembroke Waterfront Campus
The College has imposed strict safety guidelines such as the requirement that masks be worn on campus, that all students and employees complete an online health and safety COVID-19 course and that faculty take student attendance. Additional measures such as enhanced cleaning, the removal of furniture to ensure physical distancing and the closure of some common spaces with a shift to more virtual services have also been foundational in the college’s approach to keeping its students and staff safe.