Welcome Week
Published September 2007
Weekly Albertan

 

SAIT students were welcomed back to school in the first week of September with a bang, or rather a punch from a grossly oversized boxing glove. Throughout the second week of school, students gathered for boxing in an inflatable ring, remote control car racing, a barbequed lunch and concerts.

“I’ve been in post-secondary for a few years and I think that this is great for the student morale,” said Janet Bonter, a second year Travel and Tourism student who tried her hand at the car racing.

“Everyone is stressed the first couple weeks of classes and just having a relaxing day really helps,” she continued.

Stacey Hofer, SAIT Student Association Vice President of Student Life & Development, said Welcome Week is designed to inform students of the various services available to them from SAIT, SAITSA or outside companies. New and returning students alike could discover an array of different services offered to students by SAIT, such as the Campus Safewalk, volunteer services, the Student Resource Centre and more.

The Expo, which took place September 5 in the Heart Atrium, showcased these services at booths manned by SAIT representatives.

“The expo is great to see all the different ways one can get involved in here at SAIT,” said Keri Hofer, a second year Travel and Tourism student. She added that events such as Fun Day are excellent ways to get to know other classmates outside of the classroom. But the week was also largely meant to help students have some fun and relieve some stress, continued Stacey Hofer.

“During the ASCENT Fun Day we find it beneficial for students to get out of class and have some fun. They can grab a hot dog, bag of chips and a pop and walk around and watch the people who are in the boxing ring or racing cars on the race track,” said Stacey Hofer.

“I just wish it was two days or maybe lasted longer,” said Saira Pervez, a second semester Accounting student, about Fun Day in particular.

Some students, including Bonter, also stopped by the X92.9 radio station RV to say hello to the jockeys as they broadcasted for the full week right from the SAIT campus outside the Heritage building. The week ended with a Fall Fest concert at The Gateway, featuring a great show from Canadian bands Social Code and Tupelo Honey, according to Hofer. Hofer said a Welcome Week committee consisting of SAITSA executives and staff members spend most of the summer months planning Welcome Week.

“It's a busy week but we all have a blast,” said Stacey Hofer.

“It's a team effort and because we all work on it together it has become a great success,” said Stacey Hofer.