U of T Engineering hosts 1,000 guests at March Break Applicant Event
Despite the wind and rain, U of T Engineering’s annual March Break Applicant Event was a roaring success with an estimated 1,000 attendees, that included 820 applicants and their guests. While the majority of attendees were grade 12 students from Toronto and surrounding areas, some guests came from as far as Ottawa.
Designed to give applicants exposure to the Faculty and its academic programs, March Break Applicant Event featured Department-specific presentations, teaching and research lab tours, and Q & A sessions. Applicants and their families also joined mini-campus tours. New this year, several Engineering student clubs set up information booths in the lobby of the Bahen Centre to provide a well-rounded picture of life as an engineering student at U of T.
Having planned the overarching logistics of the day, Jessie Metcalfe, Recruitment & Retention Coordinator was thrilled with the enthusiastic turn out. She emphasized the importance of the event to the student recruitment cycle. “It’s really good to get the applicants here to see the facilities and to meet some of the faculty they would be working with. It gives them an excellent opportunity to see what it’s all about.”
Liam Mitchell, Manager of External Relations for Chemical Engineering, also describes March Break Applicant Event as an important piece of the recruitment cycle to help build excitement for U of T Engineering. “We spend a lot of time describing what four years in Chemical Engineering looks like. We also focus on what we offer that’s unique, and what we do particularly well.”
The event also gave prospective students the opportunity to interact with and learn from current students. Volunteer student ambassador, Garret Kulham (EngSci), related to prospective students in an important way. “I can remember when I attended these types of events when I was in high school. I didn't come prepared with the right questions to ask about engineering. I think most prospective students were just glad to hear from current students around their own age and get an idea of what to expect from Engineering Science.”
March Break Applicant Event is one of many events the Faculty hosts each year to attract top students to U of T Engineering. The first interaction many students have with the Faculty occurs at the Ontario Universities Fair in September. In October, students have the opportunity to attend Fall Campus Day, a University-wide event, to get further acquainted with the campus, programs and people. Just prior to accepting their offer of admission, March Break Applicant Event provides students with the opportunity to gain more specific information about their program of choice.
Newsletter Archives
Did you miss a past issue of the Engineering Newsletter? Revisit past articles and catch up on Faculty news on the Engineering homepage.
The Engineering Newsletter is a twice-monthly summary of key headlines, events and opportunities for faculty and staff in the Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering. If you have questions or comments, please contact us: dean.engineering@ecf.utoronto.ca.
Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/uoftengineering