Experience Guide

First Year

• Attend O-Week events.
• Join student clubs such as the Women and Gender Studies Student Association, Not My Laurier: Golden Hawks Combating Gender Violence, Because I am a Girl (BIG), HER Campus or a special interest club. Or create your own!
• Participate in events and skills-based workshops with your residence or off-campus LOCUS community.
• Get involved with the Laurier Students' Public Interest Research Group (LSPIRG).
• Explore your interests by volunteering on campus with Accessible Learning's Note-taking Program, Laurier International, Wellness Education, the Sustainability Office and more.
• Join intramural or club sports, participate in recreational activities and attend varsity games.
• Engage in the First-Year Leadership Program including Campus Councils, House Council and the Leadership Certificate.

Middle Years

• Get involved with roundtable discussions, research panels and conferences.
• Connect with local organizations and learn about volunteer opportunities.
• Attend film screenings organized by the department and student groups.
• Learn to write articles, draw illustrations or take photographs with Laurier’s weekly newspaper, The Cord.
• Participate in Sandbox workshops and attend the Entrepreneur Speaker series.

Final Year

• Apply for an executive/coordinator position with a student club or committee.
• Look into the StartUp Lab program for the opportunity to launch an innovative new venture.
• Share your Laurier experience with prospective students at open house events.

First Year

• Take Women and Gender Studies courses and explore other programs of interest.
• Learn about co-op – apply at the end of your first year.
• Earn the Writing Certificate.

Middle Years

• Explore courses in related areas of study and begin thinking about a minor or an option to complement your degree.
• Submit your academic work to the Laurier Undergraduate Journal of the Arts for a chance to be published.
• Enrol in a Community Service-Learning (CSL) course to engage with the local community.
• Consider taking social entrepreneurship or entrepreneurship courses.
• Connect with a faculty member to complete a directed studies course in your final year.

Final Year

• Learn about Research and Instructional Assistantship opportunities in Women and Gender Studies.
• Enrol in the fourth-year seminar to study one area in depth and conduct independent research in an area of your choice.
• Thinking of pursuing graduate school?
  • Talk to your professors and visit the Career Centre.
  • Sign up for a scholarship proposal writing workshop or book a writing consultation for help with your funding proposals. 

First Year

• Get involved with the Centre for Student Equity, Diversity and Inclusion.
• Visit Laurier International to learn about international options available to you.
• Complete the Intercultural Certificate with Laurier International.
• Engage in training on consent, bystander intervention and disclosure provided through Gendered and Sexual Violence Prevention Support.

Middle Years

• Consider enrolling in a language course.
• Gather for Soup Tuesday at the Indigenous Student Centre.
• Become a Global Engagement Student Ambassador.
• Study abroad for an academic term.
• Complete the Diversity Certificate.

Final Year

• Participate in Indigenous Education Week.
• Consider the Alternative Reading Week Trip with Habitat for Humanity.
• Earn your Certificate in Accessibility with Accessible Learning.

• Plan for a successful degree path by meeting with your academic advisor and reviewing your progression requirements on MyDegree.
• Visit your professors during their office hours.
• Discover the Library – librarians can help you find and evaluate scholarly information for your assignments.
• Complete the Academic Integrity module in MyLearningSpace.
• Utilize the Online Assignment Planner.
• Book a career consulting appointment to explore career options.
• Complete the Student Awards scholarship and bursary applications on LORIS.
• Access the Wellness Centre for emotional, mental and physical health services.
• Visit the Writing & Learning Lab to further enhance your writing, develop learning skills to become a better student and learn how to be successful with difficult courses.
• Attend the Further Education Fair to learn about postgraduate programs.
• Apply to graduate and attend convocation to celebrate your success.

• Volunteer with the Students’ Union (e.g., Foot Patrol, EcoHawks, Food Bank, Emergency Response Team, Shinerama).
• Have your resumé and LinkedIn profile reviewed in the Career Centre.
• Apply for on-campus jobs (e.g., Athletics and Recreation, Wilf’s, Residence, Bookstore, Library, writing tutor, peer programs, and more).
• Enhance your money management skills and confidence by completing the Money Management Certificate.
• Attend the Career and Job Fairs to network with employers.
• Earn your Career Development Certificate.
• Create a profile on Ten Thousand Coffees to connect with Laurier alumni.
• Earn the Wellness Education Certificate.
• Learn to think like an entrepreneur and be a changemaker through opportunities with the Schlegel Centre for Entrepreneurship & Social Innovation.
• Bring your ideas to life in Laurier’s Library Makerspace or Science Maker Lab.
• Reflect on your co-curricular experiences for your Laurier Experience Record.
• Network with alumni at career events to gain insight into possible career paths.
• Apply to jobs through Navigator for summer, part-time or full-time work after graduation.