Students at the Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences (SBS) in The University of Queensland were treated to a faculty welcome with a difference during their Orientation Week in February.
Prizes, including a dinner-for-two at Customs House, were on offer at an information session on February 19.
Winner of the dinner-for-two was first-year Bachelor of Social Science student, Eadie Adams, of Caboolture, who said she would treat her boyfriend, Barney Wray, also of Caboolture, to an evening out. Mr Wray began International Hotel and Tourism Management studies at UQ this year.
SBS Faculty Development Manager, Gordon Lynn, said the Orientation Week session was a way of extending the hand of friendship to new students as well as providing traditional course and program information and details of support services available.
“Starting at University can be a challenging time for a number of reasons ¬– moving away from home and family and settling somewhere new, not to mention making new friends, and money worries, even before facing the daunting prospect of study itself,” Mr Lynn said.
“The session helped to identify the staff and systems students could access if they find themselves struggling with study or personal issues at any time.”
He said prizes and gifts for the event had been donated by St Lucia campus retailers and the UQ Union, as well as Customs House in Brisbane city.
Acting Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences Executive Dean, Professor Cindy Gallois, said faculty staff understood how to support students through their first steps into University life and study.
“We hope the relationship started with students today will last a lifetime. We want them to feel welcome and also to feel that they can count on us for support and advice,” Professor Gallois said.
“We are keen that our students view us as like a big family and that we are here to support each other.”
Mr Lynn said the session had been a fun, friendly and memorable welcome for students and was a key part of the faculty’s development of a relationship with students extending throughout their degrees and beyond graduation day.
MEDIA: Gordon Lynn (telephone 3346 7967), Eadie Adams (serenity_ bella@hotmail.com) or Shirley Glaister (telephone 07 3365 1931 or email s.glaister@uq.edu.au).
