On August 31 and September 1, Durham College (DC) welcomed more than 700 new international students from 52 countries to the college’s International Student Orientation, demonstrating that the student experience comes first.

Held at the Oshawa campus, the event saw DC president Don Lovisa and Dr. Elaine Popp, vice-president, Academic, engage with this diverse group of new students as they learned about the many services and supports available to them as they begin their post-secondary journey in Canada.

Students received guidance on how to adapt to the college environment, attended workshops on finding part-time work in Canada and the Canadian classroom, learned about finding local housing, and gained information about building a future in Canada. They enjoyed lunch on both days, an afternoon at Lakeview Park in Oshawa and other activities, giving them the opportunity to get to know each other and employees from the International Office. A highlight was the Thursday afternoon “Race Around DC” event, a fun twist on the traditional campus tour, inspired by  “The Amazing Race Canada” complete with clues, mini-challenges and checkpoints at key campus locations designed to get the new students oriented and acquainted with all DC has to offer.

The number of international students attending the college for the 2017-2018 academic year will be 1,100 – a significant increase from the previous academic year in which 835 international students were registered. This year’s group of international students represents 55 countries.

“Durham College’s reputation for providing quality education has spread, resulting in a record number of applications from international students around the world this year,” said Larissa Strong, manager of International Student Support. “While students will be challenged to learn and grow in their chosen fields by their professors in the classroom, they will also find support outside the classroom as they adapt to their new learning and living environment. With services on campus including academic, career, and health care, international students will feel well supported as they strive to find their personal success.”

With additional students expected to arrive as the 2017-2018 academic year gets underway, DC prides itself on offering international students the highest-quality Canadian education; a safe and vibrant campus environment; and a fun and rewarding student life – with everything from clubs and cultural activities to sports and recreation – to balance studies with activities outside the classroom.

For more information, please visit the college’s International website.