Student Affairs is seeking volunteer tour guides to help at Preparing for University, the first event of the UM Orientation series. The event will take place on May 4, 2025, from 1 to 4 p.m. on the Fort Garry campus.

To join the team, volunteers must:

• Be current UM students
• Be outgoing and comfortable sharing their experiences in groups
• Have a basic navigational understanding of Fort Garry campus
• Have a basic understanding of the essential UM services on Fort Garry campus
• Be physically capable of standing and walking for up to a couple hours at a time
• Be an enthusiastic member and advocate of the UM community

Kareem Sowid is an example of the type of students who make perfect orientation volunteers – friendly, well-spoken and invested in helping others. He was first drawn to a volunteer recruitment posting in his first year because he saw value in supporting new students at what can be a confusing, stressful time. Sowid explains, “Getting to meet new students, seeing their faces when they first walk into university, and getting that first impression – it really made me think, ‘wow, that was me two years ago when I first walked into university, and I was this nervous.’ So, when I volunteer, I genuinely always try my best to accommodate the students and I always let them know that there are no embarrassing questions or stupid questions.”

As much as new students benefit from the help of orientation volunteers, volunteers derive many personal benefits for themselves, too. For instance, volunteering is a great way to meet students from different faculties who you might never encounter in your classes. “It was very nice to meet people with different interests,” Sowid reflects, “I met a lot of my friends from the planning for university and I think it was a very good experience.” Furthermore, Sowid recalls how the experience left him feeling valued by his community, both at the event and long after.

If you are interested in becoming a volunteer tour guide, Student Affairs encourages you to apply. Start by filling out the 2025 Orientation Volunteer Application Form and choosing a 30-minute interview timeslot (if you’re a new volunteer). Successful applicants will need to attend a training session the week before the event to understand the structure of the event, learn the campus tour script and route, and cover any additional information they will be expected to know or convey to new students.

UMSU University Centre is the primary hub of the event. Students in grades 10 to 12 can attend one of the many presentations and tours, or talk one-on-one with staff and students at the Information Village. Our Information Village is a convenient, one-stop resource for students to learn more about the different program options offered by UM. 

All daytime programming takes place from 9:00am to 2:00pm on February 20. Visit the Open House website for more information, including a program and day-planner with complete schedule and session descriptions.

Choose what you want to attend from our diverse day-long schedule of activities:

• Attend sample university classes or faculty presentations throughout the day
• Take a campus tour, or tour a more specific area of campus such as our student residences
• Explore our state-of-the-art athletic facilities
• Meet with staff and current students in our Information Village

Open House visitors can also use the UM recreation facilities for free! Bring your gym gear and play basketball with friends, swim in the pool or check out our workout area. To access our fitness and recreation facilities, go to the Customer Services Desk located on the main floor of the Active Living Centre. 

Students and parents can attend our evening program from 6:00 – 8:00pm to learn more about our academic programs, services and connect with staff, professors and current university students.

Students of all ages are welcome to attend.

After graduating the BEd program, Henderson went on to become an innovative social studies teacher at teacher at St. John’s-Ravenscourt School before his appointment as as principal of MET School where he continues to work today.

Matt Henderson is an accomplished graduate from the Faculty of Education.

In 2013, he received the Governor General’s History Award for Excellence in Teaching and a Government of Canada History Award. His work in this field has also resulted in his receiving the Association for Manitoba Archives “Manitoba Day” Award. He was named one of CBC Manitoba’s 40 under 40 in 2015.

Considered a passionate teacher, a ground-breaking curriculum designer and teacher trainer, he ran for office as an independent candidate in the riding of Winnipeg South Centre in 2011 and for the NDP in 2015, experiences he chalks up to a great lessons to share in social-studies classes.

Henderson has published a number of articles in academic journals. The happily married man and a father of two kids continues to teach and works evenings and weekends to complete his graduate studies, focusing on the relationship between experience and ecological literacy.

His master’s thesis topic was “Bridging the Ecological Knowledge and Knowledge-Action Gaps: A Utopian Vision for Education in Manitoba.”

Many of the university’s academic programs and most non-academic programs and student supports will have booths at the event to provide interested students with information about program options, opportunities and university resources. Another key feature at Evening of Excellence is the opportunity for prospective students to connect with the U of M community and get many of their questions answered. The Indigenous Community area is one booth that hopes to see many new faces at this year’s event.

“Indigenous student recruitment officers will be in the Indigenous Community area to answer questions about admissions and the application process. We can also provide direction to support unit and faculty booths within the main area of the event,” said Marla Robson, Indigenous Student Recruitment officer.

Indigenous Student Centre (ISC) advisors will also be available to speak to students about admissions, creating an academic plan and their services and programs. Students who are interested in pursuing careers within the Health Sciences will have the opportunity to speak with staff from Ongomiizwin – the Indigenous Institute of Health and Healing.

“Evening of Excellence is a great opportunity to come out, visit campus, see what program options are available, ask questions in person and connect with us one-on-one,” said Robson. “We are here to make the journey to university as smooth as possible.”

For a look at the type of information students can learn at Evening of Excellence, we asked Robson to outline some of the most-asked questions and highlight their answers:

1) How do I connect with the Indigenous community and stay up to date?

Pick up an Indigenous Viewbook. Information on the programs and services for Indigenous students can be found in the Viewbooks, which will be available at the event. Another important step for students is self-declaring their Canadian Indigenous Identity when applying. Getting added to the Indigenous Student Newsletter e-mailing list also ensures access to information about new opportunities– program announcements, various events, scholarships and bursary information.

2) What resources or programs are available for first-year Indigenous students?

The Indigenous Student Centre (ISC), located in Migizii Agamik, provides many resources to all Indigenous students, including holistic supports, services and opportunities so students feel a sense of belonging, are affirmed in their identities, have meaningful experiences and achieve authentic success. There are also programs within certain faculties such as Engineering, Business and Nursing. And the Access and Aboriginal Focus Program can provide resources for students as they pursue any U of M undergraduate degree.

Information on these programs and more will be available at Evening of Excellence.

3) What if I think of a question after the event? How can I easily get answers or check my application?

The Indigenous Student Recruitment team is dedicated to providing information on degree programs, the application process, admission requirements and the supports and programs available to incoming Indigenous students. For answers to any new questions, or for information on how to get a personalized tour of campus, including Migizii Agamik, contact a member of the Indigenous Student Recruitment team.

For more information on Evening of Excellence and to register, visit the event web page here.

“There was an extremely positive and inviting energy at the event,” says Lisa Kachulak-Babey, director of student recruitment at the University of Manitoba. “I would bet that many students had their eyes opened to new educational possibilities and I cannot think of anything more exciting!”

Evening of Excellence is an event for high school students that have achieved distinction in academics, athletics or leadership.

Volunteers from Let’s Talk Science perform science demonstrations at Evening of Excellence

The event included an academic fair, presentations on scholarships and awards and student experience, mini-tours of campus and in-person application assistance. In addition, two $1,000 tuition prizes were handed out. The academic fair showcased all of the faculties and provided representatives the opportunity to meet prospective students.

“The Evening of Excellence was a brilliant success for us,” says Steven Lecce, associate dean of the Faculty of Arts. “Turnout was very good and it was wonderful to meet so many inquisitive and enthusiastic future students.”

Bonnie Schott, a current student in the Faculty of Law, attended the Evening of Excellence as a high school student and volunteered this year. “When I attended the Evening of Excellence as a high school student, I really enjoyed being able to talk to representatives from all of the faculties in one night. It allowed me to discover and learn more about the variety of opportunities available at the U of M,” says Schott.

“As a volunteer, I really enjoy seeing the students getting excited about attending university and seeing them discover new areas of interest that they may not have considered before attending.”

What brought Murdoch MacKay Collegiate’s James Watts out to the Evening of Excellence?

“To increase my knowledge, go on to a better career, increase what I like and what they don’t really teach in high school,” said the Grade 12 student, while an exuberant Billy the Bison cheered him on. “There’s a lot more courses; there’s a broader spectrum of things to learn.”

Watts came to the event with a good idea of what he’d like to study at the U of M, but left with more options to consider.

“A science degree would be pretty wonderful – I like that – but I’m also interested in anything to do with English, and philosophy was interesting – that I learned just now.”

Student Recruitment director Lisa Kachulak-Babey called the Evening of Excellence one of the most important recruitment events of the year.

“I had the pleasure of talking to many students and parents this week,” said Kachulak-Babey. “The common theme was that they were happy to be able to get all the information they need in one place. Quite a few students stated that they felt much more secure in their decision to apply to the U of M and they are excited for both in-class and co-curricular opportunities available.”

Visiting high school students also had the opportunity to meet with current U of M students, including the Asper School of Business’s Deanna Mirlycourtois – a past Leader of Tomorrow scholarship recipient.

“I had the privilege of presenting to a group of students on my student experience, and was able to share the different leadership, travel, and student group opportunities that I have taken advantage of as a U of M student,” said Mirlycourtois. “I remember attending the Evening of Excellence as a high school student, and I left feeling inspired and excited about the years ahead.”

Interested in applying to the U of M? Create your online profile and learn more about the programs and services that interest you at umconnect.ca.

Organized by student recruitment, Student Affairs, students participated in a morning of activities including presentations about admission requirements and applying to university, career and degree planning information for international students, campus tours and an information fair featuring representatives from U of M’s many faculties and academic programs.