THUNDER BAY— Students from the region and around the world headed to Confederation College on Tuesday for orientation.
As the school's student union president, Kai Fucile Ladouceur is excited for classes to start.
“We really want students to feel like they're part of our community here,” he said.
The day-long orientation included a variety of games and events, Fucile Ladouceur said.
“They can connect with all our different services. We have our clubs and communities over in one area, we've got games, we've got free food, we've got a performance happening with some music,” he said. “So, it's just a great day.”
Providing all students with a huge warm welcome is what matters most, Fucile Ladouceur said.
“We really want students to feel like they're part of our community here. We've heard students in the past who have said I just didn't really feel part of the community,” he said.
“It really breaks my heart to hear that.”
With a goal of inclusivity, Fucile Ladouceur said it won’t be hard for students to feel at home in the big college family.
“The Confederation College is great in the sense that it's small enough that you kind of meet everyone here,” he said. “It’s a great time.”
The first day celebrations also connect new students with services they might not otherwise know about, he said.
“Students being able to connect with the services here on campus is so vital so that they know, hey, if I need to get counselling, who do I go to for that,” he said. “It's also a really great opportunity to meet and connect with students who have similar passions.”
One of the students joining in on the celebrations is first-year student, Genisis Sugarhead.
“It's a very overwhelming feeling just meeting a lot of people and taking it all in,” she said.
Luckily enough, Sugarhead met some friends from her high school.
“We also met some people from my graduation and from our high school,” she said.
Coming from Eabametoong First Nation, with approximately two thousand people, to bustling college life has been hard, Sugarhead said.
“I've been away from my community for about four years, but the reason that I'm taking college and continuing my education is for my community,” she said.
Another student ready to make a difference in her community is Adriana Wilson, who’s entering her first year of the developmental service worker program.
“I'm very passionate about the field,” she said. “I'm hoping to be able to serve a large community here in Thunder Bay after graduation.”
On her second round of post-secondary education, Wilson said she’s thrilled to return as a mature student.
“I'm thrilled; it's been a long time coming. I went to college once before, so it's a second career for me,” she said.
With words of encouragement, Wilson said anyone can go back to school, no matter their age,
“I think it's super important to know that it's not just for people fresh out of high school, (and) to feel welcome and included,” she said.
