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 courses and explore other programs of interest.
- Learn about co-op – apply at the end of your first year.
- Review your program requirements and plan for a successful degree path.
- Visit the Mathematics Assistance Centre and attend Supplemental Instruction sessions.
- Meet with your academic advisor to make key academic decisions.
- Live in the Faculty of Science Residence Learning Community to enhance your academic and social success.
- Select a concentration in Financial Risk Analysis or Big Data.
- Sign up for the Math Mentoring Program for additional support in your courses.
Middle Years
- Explore courses in related areas of study and think about a minor or an option to complement your degree.
- Consider taking science entrepreneurship or entrepreneurship courses.
- Apply for the NSERC Undergraduate Student Research Award (USRA) program or other summer research positions.
- Look for research opportunities and networking events through the MS2Discovery Interdisciplinary Research Institute or in the department.
- Participate in the William Lowell Putnam Competition.
- Take courses required for your concentration.
Final Year
- Complete coursework for your concentration.
- 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 Laurier Club of Computing, Physics and Mathematics (PHI), Faculty of Science Students’ Association (FOSSA), PrismResources or a special interest club. Or create your own!
- Participate in residence leadership opportunities or LOCUS events.
- Participate in the Laurier Student Poll with data collection and market research.
- Explore your interests by volunteering on campus (e.g., Sustainability Office, Schlegel Centre's Innovation Squad, peer programs, Students' Union and more).
- Join intramural sports or participate in recreational activities.
Middle Years
- Seek part-time employment or volunteer opportunities in the Mathematics Department or at the Mathematics Assistance Centre, including supplemental instruction and instructional assistantship positions.
- Be a note taker through the Accessible Learning Centre.
- Volunteer to be an O-Week Icebreaker and welcome incoming first years.
- Connect with local organizations to learn about volunteer opportunities.
Final Year
- Apply for an executive position in an on-campus club.
- Attend the Career and Job Fairs to network with employers.
- Look into the LaunchPad program for the opportunity to discover, validate and launch an innovative new venture.
- Attend the Canadian Undergraduate Mathematics Conference (CUMC) or the Applied Mathematics, Modeling and Computational Science (AMMCS) conference.
- Join professional associations like the Canadian Mathematical Society, Statistical Society of Canada or the Canadian Applied and Industrial Mathematics Society.
Be Engaged: Broaden Your Perspective
First Year
- Visit the Diversity and Equity Office and become a member of the student service provider groups.
- Visit Laurier International to learn about international options available to you to enrich your university experience.
- Complete the Intercultural Effectiveness Certificate to build your intercultural competence and global perspective.
Middle Years
- Consider enrolling in a language course.
- Visit Laurier International’s Global Kitchen or Soup Tuesday at the Indigenous Student Centre.
- Consider the Alternative Reading Week trip with Habitat for Humanity.
- Attend the Library Learning Commons Culture Series.
- Study abroad for an academic term.
Final Year
- Complete the Diversity Certificate.
- Consider attending the Ashoka U Exchange.
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
- Discover the Library – librarians can help you find and evaluate scholarly information for your assignments.
- 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.
- Visit the Writing Centre 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
- Get involved with the Students’ Union (e.g., Foot Patrol, EcoHawks, Food Bank, Shinerama).
- Apply for part-time jobs on campus (e.g., Athletics and Recreation, Wilf’s, Residence, Bookstore, peer programs, and more).
- Have your resumé reviewed in the Career Centre.
- Earn your Career Development Certificate.
- Be a changemaker – visit the Purpose Lab and get involved in social innovation.
- Get to know the location of the Wellness Centre for emotional, mental and physical health support.
- Create a profile on LinkedIn and laurier.tenthousandcoffees.com to connect with Laurier alumni.
- Add co-curricular activities to 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 the Career Centre’s Navigator portal.
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 Data Science.