Student Groups
Find your community!

Student groups, associations and clubs can help you connect with others. Whether you are looking for other students who share your interests, are in the same academic program, or are committed to advancing similar causes, there are still ways to connect.

Peer mentoring
Whether you’re a mentor or a mentee, peer mentoring programs are a way to build lasting friendships and understand the resources available to you. There are many mentorship programs at UM that can help you navigate the academic, personal and professional aspects of university and post-university life, including the Career Mentor Program, Neechiwaken Indigenous Peer Mentorship Program and UM Café.

Community Engaged Learning
Are you interested in developing intercultural competence, civic engagement and bringing your classroom learning to community work? Community Engaged Learning offers programs and workshops aimed to help you better understand the challenges and solutions in social, economic and environmental justice work all while giving you hands-on experience and building your capacity to contribute to social change. They also offer the Mutual Aid Program: Students Helping Students! that aims to build community and opportunities to support other UM students during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Recreation Services
Recreation Services provides membership and recreational programming at both the Fort Garry and Bannatyne campus locations. The Active Living Centre and Joe Doupe Centre are both open for workouts and group fitness classes. Timeslots for both must be booked in advance. Find out more about their new health and safety measures.

Student Exchange
Through the International Centre’s student exchange program, you can receive credits toward your degree while spending one or two terms in a different country. Many faculties, schools or colleges also offer international exchange. Due to COVID-19, exchanges may not be possible for the 2021-22 Academic year. Applications are still being accepted, but you should be aware that exchanges may be cancelled.

Language Partner
The Language Partner Volunteer Program matches volunteers with English Language Centre students to help them practice their informal listening and speaking skills and adapt to Canadian culture. As a volunteer, you will get to learn about another culture while sharing your own culture, practice cross-cultural communication and enhance your resume with volunteer experience. You may also qualify to receive a Letter of Recognition and notation on your co-curricular record. The International Centre also offers a Language Exchange program. 

Leadership
Whether you are in your first year or nearing graduation, you can develop your leadership skills through interactive workshops and activities. One of the leadership programs on campus is the President’s Student Leadership Program.

Co-curricular record
Your Co-Curricular Record (CCR) is an official university document that catalogues your involvement in campus activities and organizations that support your development outside the classroom. Approved activities & groups are listed online, and any questions you might have can be addressed by a staff member in Student Life.

Involvement on campus can help you gain new skills, polish existing ones, expand your resume (or network), explore possible academic or career pathways, and make a difference in initiatives that you’re passionate about. A well-rounded CCR supports the skills you have gained and refined from your experiences on-campus, while supplementing your resume and making you more competitive in the job market.

Find more ways to get involved here, and all the updates about COVID-19 for students here. And if you’re not yet following the @umstudent account on Instagram, make sure you do. There you will stay up-to-date about what’s important to students, and also learn what your peers are up to throughout the year.

The program connects students with opportunities to volunteer at events such as Open House, Orientation or Homecoming. The benefits of participating in the program are wide-ranging from gaining experience and building employable skills to meeting other students and connecting with U of M faculty and staff. The experience gained will be recognized on your Co-Curricular Record and will help you build a résumé for future employment.

Oreoluwa Joda, UMVP volunteer

“I decided to join the UMVP program because volunteering gives me a sense of purpose, responsibility and commitment,” says Oreoluwa Joda, a fourth year economics student who has been a UMVP member for the last two years. “All UMVP volunteer events are fun, but I have especially enjoyed volunteering at Open House.”

“The program instills values of commitment, balance and stewardship as a student,” Joda adds. “I have created many campus memories at the U of M through my volunteer experience.”

When asked what advice she’d give to other students who are contemplating whether or not to join the program, Joda explains, “I would advise students to ‘Just do it.’ Students can view the program as a way of accessing opportunities to serve the campus community while investing in their personal and professional development. The benefits of volunteering are endless and there is always a role which best suits your area of interest and strength. Volunteer students should also be open minded and sociable, as they would be working with diverse groups or team members while volunteering.”

“If you not only want to go through university, but have a holistic experience and a meaningful time at the U of M, then I’d encourage you to join the UMVP program.”

The University of Manitoba Volunteer program is currently accepting applications for upcoming opportunities including Open House (deadline January 26), New Student Orientation team captains (deadline January 29) and New Student Orientation volunteers (deadline March 31).

For more information about UMVP or to sign up, visit: umanitoba.ca/student/studentlife/umvp