A Successful Open House

It was the perfect day to curl up under a duvet. Still, over 200 people braved the autumn drizzle and grey skies to head to Saint Paul University on Saturday, November 3, for the Open House. In short: a near-record crowd, four on-site registrations and, above all, students (and parents) who are better equipped to look to the future. Read on to find out what our visitors had to say to us.

Visitors from afar

For some students who live far from major centres, choosing a university is first of all based on the surroundings. For them, quality of life is more important than the size of the city. This is especially the case for Maxim-Emma Leclerc, who travelled some 1,000 km from Bathurst, New Brunswick, to attend the Open House.

In addition to the B.A. in conflict studies, the unique character of the region drew her to SPU: “I like the fact that it’s a bilingual, safe and green city. Although you’re in a big city, you don’t feel lost. And being so close to the canal is ideal for running!”

A smooth transition

For other students, especially college students, beginning a transition to university is a smart choice, especially when their credits are recognized and the student–professor ratio is low. That’s what Brittney Sander, a marketing student in the region, plans to do. “I want to take the B.A. in social communication. I think that here at Saint Paul, I would find the same welcoming atmosphere that I’m used to. I know that will help me learn.”

For Brittney’s dad, seeing his daughter make the transition to a university on a human scale without losing her college credits is very reassuring: “As a parent,” he said, “I find the 2+2 agreement is very beneficial, as it will allow my daughter to increase her skill set. Also, the tuition fees are unbeatable!”

Defining their future

Finally, for many people who have already graduated or are in the labour market, it is the program of studies that is important. For Isabelle Lefebvre, who has a master’s in constitutional law and is an elementary school teacher, doing graduate studies in ethics, social justice and public service has been a long-standing professional goal: “I am already exploring social and ethical issues in my work,” she said, “but I want to go further. It’s a field that totally fascinates me.”

Making contact

The visitors we spoke to all said the same thing: thanks to the presence of dozens of professors, support staff and student ambassadors, they were able to get the information they needed to confirm their choice. Which goes to show that human contact is always worth the trip, even in bad weather!