Orientation & Retreat

Orientation

The Graduate Affairs Committee, the School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, the Teaching Support Center, and the Geograd Society organize welcome and orientation activities for the incoming student cohort the week of Labour Day. Some of this is specific to Teaching Assistants while the rest applies to all new graduate students. The latter will include information on such things as: departmental offices, departmental resources, and health and safety. Some of this is self-directed (e.g., contact the Graduate Administrator to obtain office space and keys, activate computer and print accounts, get details about how to obtain ID card) while the rest involves both a meeting with your entire cohort and a full department casual "meet and greet". On the third Friday of term the cohort of incoming students goes on a Graduate Retreat (see below).

Geography's Orientation Day activities, Retreat, and Health and Safety session are mandatory for all new GeoGrad students. The Teaching Support Center's TA day is highly recommended for those of you who will be teaching assistants.

Orientation Itinerary 2022 (in progress)

Day and Time Location Item Who
Aug 31, Sept 1-3 (Wed-Sat)

 International Student Orientation Day
International and Exchange Student Centre. 		 International & Exchange students

School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies - check here for upcoming events

 new & continuing grads
Day 1
Sept 2 (Fri)
12:00-12:15pm

 

SSC 1004

Welcome Message Grad Chair & Department Chair
(Godwin Arku & Katrina Moser)

 new grads
12:15-12:30 SSC 1004 Health and Safety
(Erika Hill)		 new grads
12:30-12:45 SSC 1004 Cartography
(Karen Van Kerkoerle)		 new grads
12:45-1:15 SSC 1004 Society of Graduate Students (SOGS) new grads
1:15-1:45 SSC 1004 Graduate Teaching Assistants' Union -PSAC 610 new grads
1:45-2:00 SSC 1004 Centre for Teaching & Learning new grads
2:00-2:15 SSC 1004 Let's Talk Science new grads
2:15-2:30 SSC 1004 Health and Wellness new grads
2:30-2:45 SSC 1004 Mitacs
(Joseph Santarelli)		 new grads
Day 2
Sept 9 (Fri)
1:00-1:15pm

 

SSC 1004

Collaborative Program Specialization Information

Migration & Ethnic Relations
(Teresa Abada)

 new grads
1:15-1:30 SSC 1004 Global Health Systems

 new grads
1:30-1:45 SSC 1004 Hazards Risks and Resilience
(Craig Miller)		 new grads
1:45-2:00 SSC 1004 Institute for Earth & Space Exploration

 new grads
2:00-2:15 SSC 1004 Environment and Sustainability 
(Paul Mensink)		 new grads
2:15-2:30 SSC 1004 Own Your Future
(Nafisa Gillani, SGPS)		 new grads
2:30-3:00 SSC 1004 GeoGrad Society Co-Presidents new grads
3:00-4:00 SSC Lower Patio Meet and Greet all
Sept 6 (Tues) grad classes and undergrad classes start - make contact with instructor for whom you are the TA.
Check your course outline for start dates.		 all
Sept 7 (Wed)
9:00-12:00noon		 online TA Day - Centre for Teaching and Learning - graduate student teaching assistant workshop all TA's
Sept 8 (Thurs)
11:30am-1:00pm

virtual expected

 Graduate Student Welcome Event - Graduate Student Life all
Sept 9 (Fri)
T.B.D.
 drop-in Graduate Student Success and Services Fair - Graduate Student Life all

Retreat Itinerary 2022

This year we will hold a one-day retreat at Camp Stevenson on Friday, September 16. 
In addition to the various departmental meetings and campus activities, all new students participate in a subsidized retreat where additional familiarization, briefing and program preparation are undertaken in an informal setting. The retreat is also meant to help students get to know their cohort of peers - which is typically 20-25 students - and to explore issues about being a grad student (at UWO). The Graduate Affairs Committee representatives and the new students are transported by arranged travel. Lunch is provided; participation is mandatory.
There is a $20 fee for the Retreat.

Before We Go:

  1. FOOD ISSUES The event is catered, so notify the Graduate Administrator about any dietary issues or food allergies (by Sept 8).
  2. FEE The subsidy for this trip is substantial (thanks to a generous anonymous donor) leaving a balance to be paid by the student to the Graduate Administrator. This will be communicated at the Orientation.
  3. WAIVER All students are required to sign a waiver. Return your completed waiver to the Graduate Administrator (by Sept 12).