Dominique BaillargeonHead Start leaders like Dominique Baillargeon will engage new students online this summer.

Student orientation moving online in response to COVID-19 pandemic

Head Start 2020 will be moving to a virtual model in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Head Start is meant to give incoming UWindsor students a better understanding of what to expect before they arrive at the University of Windsor. The orientation program is typically a full-day event with multiple dates throughout the summer that include faculty presentations, informational sessions, opportunities to meet other students, and campus tours.

This year’s virtual Head Start orientation will be reduced to three dates, two in July and one in early August, and will be provided in a condensed format that will span two or three hours. In this new virtual platform, students will be able to view both general and faculty-specific presentations, take part in a virtual campus tour, network with other students, and ask questions in real time. Virtual orientation will also include gamification features, where students will be able to earn points for attending presentations, participation, and more.

“We are excited about this change and will be utilizing a platform that will allow us to deliver the same important messages and information about a successful transition to campus life, while still fostering relationships between students, faculty, and staff,” says Amber Norman, student development specialist.

The dates and schedule are still being determined and will be updated on the Head Start website as details are confirmed. More information about orientation programming can be found on the UWindsor orientation website.