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Laurier Off-Campus University Students

If you decide to live off-campus, it doesn’t mean that you have to miss out on all the great events and opportunities on campus! The Laurier Off-Campus University Students (LOCUS) program at our Waterloo and Brantford campuses work specifically to support our first year off-campus community with events, mentors and opportunities to get involved!

About LOCUS

LOCUS is a program designed to aid the transition into university for first-year students living off-campus. The program provides you with academic, social, and personal support to ensure that you will not miss Laurier’s on-campus experience. 

Just like a residence floor has a don to guide and mentor their first-year students, off-campus first year students have access to a group of Off-Campus Advisor’s (OCA)’s. OCA’s host regular programming opportunities and are there to answer any questions you may have about their Laurier experience, academics, the city, or just life in general. OCA’s can also help you navigate life at Laurier, find more opportunities for volunteering, leadership, and fun.  

Starting in September, you will have access to the various pods of opportunities and resources we provide such as social engagement, academic, community & campus outreach, and wellness-based connections within the community. LOCUS provides a fantastic opportunity for you to meet other off-campus students, learn about Laurier through engaging events, and have a mentor for you to ask about all things Laurier! 

Get Involved with LOCUS

LOCUS works closely with Laurier’s Residence Education department, and because of that, LOCUS students are included in the First Year Leadership Program (FYLP). Some of these include first-year activities based on interests such as sustainability, academics, athletics and wellness, and more. LOCUS students are able to apply for student leadership positions within the FYLP. First-Year Leadership Positions, such as the Campus Council Representatives will become available during September Orientation Week and provide students with the opportunity to connect with all first-year students, including those living in Laurier residence buildings.

In addition, students can enhance their leadership skills with the LOCUS House Council. During weekly meetings, the LOCUS House Council plans LOCUS-specific events and occasionally teams up with House Councils from residences for even larger-scale events. 

Programs and Events

The LOCUS program provides numerous opportunities for off-campus first-year students to connect with each other and engage in the Laurier community. As a member of the LOCUS program, you will be able to participate in all of our in-person and virtual events as well as provide feedback on events you would like to attend in the future.

Our Off-Campus Advisors (OCAs) will facilitate a variety of events throughout the year which will be focused on building connections, meeting new people, academic success, student wellness, and/or getting to know the campus and surrounding community.

A large part of the virtual programming we offer is through our streams on Twitch. We have a dedicated streaming team that stream a variety of games including Minecraft, Among Us, and Overcooked, while also running more interactive streams such as Minecraft Campus Tours, Game Shows, and Let's Tier streams. All students are welcome to watch and participate in chat during any stream, while some streams are open for students to join in and play alongside the LOCUS streaming team.  

Check us out on Twitch and don’t forget to give us a follow! 

Frequently Asked Questions