At Durham College (DC), the student experience comes first, something 200 new international students from 22 countries learned first-hand during the college’s international orientation sessions on Thursday, August 28 and Friday, August 29. Don Lovisa, president, and Nevzat Gurmen, vice-president, Corporate Services and chief financial officer, welcomed the diverse group as they began their journey at the college’s Oshawa campus.

New international students received a crash course in how to settle in at DC; a campus tour; workshops on acculturation and academic integrity; assistance with finding housing; information about working in Canada; the new Career Development certificate program; and the new Co-Pilots program, which pairs an international student with a Canadian student to learn from each other. Orientation activities also included Amazing Race DC and DC Bingo, which gave students the opportunity to get to know other international students, as well as staff from the International office. Additional students from abroad are expected to arrive as the 2014-2015 academic year gets underway.

“International students have chosen Durham College as the next step in their personal and professional development, and the college is here to support them by addressing their specific needs,” said Larissa Strong, manager, International Student Support. “International students bring so much to the campus and classroom but need a little extra support with the challenges they face that are different than their Canadian counterparts. Orientation is the first step in providing that information and getting the students moving in a successful direction.”

DC prides itself on offering international students the highest-quality Canadian education, preparing them to find rewarding employment in Canada or in their home countries; a safe and vibrant campus environment; and a fun and rewarding student life, with everything from clubs, to cultural activities, to sports, to balance studies with challenges and fun outside the classroom. For details on how international students can apply to DC, please visit www.durhamcollege.ca/info-for/international-students/how-to-apply.