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 required Health Administration courses and explore other programs of interest through electives.
- Complete Foundations courses in your first two years.
- Meet with academic advising to select appropriate courses if you are interested in one of Conestoga's graduate certificate programs (Human Resources Management or Community and Social Services Management) as part of your Laurier degree.
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 Bridges: An Undergraduate Journal for Contemporary Connections for a chance to be published.
- Consider taking social innovation or entrepreneurship courses.
Final Year
- Complete the health care practicum course.
- 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 proposals.
Be Involved: Explore Work, Volunteer and Leadership Experience
First Year
- Join student clubs such as the Health Studies Student Association or a special interest club. Or create your own!
- Participate in workshops and events with your residence or off-campus LOCUS community.
- Contribute to Laurier’s biweekly newspaper, The Sputnik, or submit a creative piece to Blueprint Magazine.
- 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
- Volunteer to be an O-Week Icebreaker and welcome incoming first years.
- Connect with local organizations to learn about volunteer opportunities.
- Join the Human Resources Professionals Association (HRPA) as a student member.
- Complete a co-op or field placement as part of the Conestoga graduate certificate in Human Resources Management or Community and Social Service Management.
- Participate in Sandbox workshops and attend the Entrepreneur Speaker series.
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.
- 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
- Gather for Soup Thursday at the Indigenous Student Centre.
- Consider the Alternative Reading Week trip with Habitat for Humanity.
- 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.
- Create a piece to participate in the Diversity Art Series.
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 Writing and Study Skills to get feedback on your work, develop your learning skills, and further enhance your writing.
- 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., EcoHawks, Emergency Response Team, Food Bank, Foot Patrol, Healthy Lifestyles, Peer Connect, Shinerama).
- Apply for part-time jobs on campus (e.g., Athletics and Recreation, Residence, U-Desk, Bookstore, academic and 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 Health Administration.