Experience Guide
Make the most out of your university career by taking advantage of all that Laurier has to offer you. Volunteer work, campus clubs, leadership programs, studying abroad, work experience – there are so many ways you can extend your classroom experience into the real world.
Year-to-Year Experience Guides
The following is a year-to-year outline of the kinds of experiential learning activities that work well with your program.
Be Inspired: Maximize Your Academic Opportunities
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.
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 or Instructional Assistantship opportunities in Women and Gender Studies.
- Complete the capstone course 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 proposal.
Be Involved: Explore Work, Volunteer and Leadership Experience
First Year
- 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 workshops and events 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, Laurier International, Wellness Education, the Sustainability Office and more.
- Join intramural sports, sport clubs or participate in recreational activities.
- 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.
- Join Women's and Gender Studies et Recherches Féministes (WGSRF) as a student member.
Final Year
- Apply for an executive/coordinator position with a student club or committee.
- Attend the Career and Job Fairs to network with employers.
- Look into the LaunchPad program for the opportunity to launch an innovative new venture.
- Attend Women's and Gender Studies et Recherches Feministes (WGSRF) Congress.
- Share your Laurier experience with prospective students at open house events.
Be Engaged: Broaden Your Perspective
First Year
- Learn about and get involved with diversity, equity and inclusion centres of activity and engagement.
- 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 related to sexual violence.
Middle Years
- Consider enrolling in a language course.
- Gather for Soup Tuesday at the Indigenous Student Centre.
- Consider the Alternative Reading Week trip with Habitat for Humanity.
- Attend the Library Culture Series.
- Study abroad for an academic term.
- Attend workshops, events or discussion groups to learn about diversity, equity and inclusion.
Final Year
- Participate in Indigenous Education Week.
- Earn your Certificate in Accessibility with Accessible Learning.
Checklists
Completing the checklists below will also help ensure your academic, professional, and personal success during your time at Laurier – and beyond.
Academic Success Checklist
- Plan for a successful degree path by meeting with your academic advisor and reviewing your progression requirements on MyDegree.
- Discover the Library – librarians can help you find and evaluate scholarly information for your assignments.
- Complete the Academic Integrity module in MyLearningSpace.
- Book a career consulting appointment to explore career options in the context of your academic studies.
- Complete the Student Awards scholarship and bursary applications on LORIS.
- Access the Wellness Centre for emotional, mental and physical health support. Attend Wellness Education events and complete the certificate.
- 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.
Experience Checklist
- Volunteer with the Students’ Union (e.g., Foot Patrol, EcoHawks, Peer Connect, Food Bank, Emergency Response Team, Shinerama).
- Apply for part-time jobs on campus (e.g., Athletics and Recreation, Wilf’s, Residence, Bookstore, academic & learning peer programs, writing tutor and more).
- Enhance your money management skills and confidence by completing the Money Management Certificate.
- Have your resumé and LinkedIn profile reviewed in the Career Centre.
- Earn your Career Development Certificate.
- Create a profile on laurier.tenthousandcoffees.com to connect with Laurier alumni.
- Learn to think like an entrepreneur and be a changemaker through opportunities with the Schlegel Centre for Entrepreneurship & Social Innovation.
- Feed your curiosity and ideas through exploration in Laurier’s makerspaces.
- 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 part-time, summer and full-time jobs for after graduation through Navigator.
Career Opportunities
When you're ready to start thinking about your life after graduation, you should check out the career and postgraduate options for people with a degree in Women and Gender Studies.