Georgian College opened its doors to hundreds of prospective students and their families Saturday at an open house at the Orillia campus.
The event, which included campus tours and an opportunity to talk to both faculty and current students, was all about getting prospective students acquainted with the campus, faculty and programs, said Shelley Marchant, director marketing and communications.
“We focus on community safety, health and wellness and human services,” she said, of the popular programs offered at the Memorial Avenue campus. “We really cater to what the Orillia community is looking for, and human services and community safety are two key fields in Orillia.”
Some of those seeking information and admissions were from Orillia and area, but others had come from farther away.
Gabrielle Tompkins, of Toronto, who applied for the Veterinary Assistant program, was excited about touring the facilities.
“Only three other colleges have my program,” said the 17-year-old. “I wanted this one the most, because they (admissions office) told me they have animals to work with during co-op, and that attracted me to the program.”
Although the on-site veterinary clinic didn’t have any animals on hand Saturday, Tompkins thought the chance to get hands-on experience made the program a good choice for her.
Like many others, she and her family learned about the college and its services through a campus tour led by a current student.
“We’re a tight-knit campus here, so you’ll make friends,” said Faith Ducker, a first-year Social Service Worker student, answering a question about campus population. “They’ll become your family towards the end of it all.”
Sarah Dowdall-Davis had heard good things about the gym and fitness centre from friends who had graduated from Georgian College. That was one of the factors that attracted her to the campus.
“This is a place I can commute to from home,” said the 21-year-old Pefferlaw resident, who will be starting in the Child Youth Care program in the fall.
“I like that you get to go to different co-op settings, school or alternative field placement,” she added, talking about her program and referring to the internship options offered through the Centre for Social Innovation. The centre gives students a chance to work on projects in collaboration with local non-for-profit organizations.
The campus tour and information session convinced Brianna Archer, 19, to complete an on-the-spot application for the Early Childhood Education program.
“I’m a mother to a two-year-old,” said the Coldwater resident, adding the college was close enough so she could commute every day.
During the information session, she learned she’s already doing a lot of the activities with her son at home.
“Getting into the program, I will learn more about that and it will help get into the field,” said Archer.
