M is for . . . Merry Christmas from the Mount!

As we lead into crunch time of the holiday season you may be, like many of us, running around doing last minute stops at the mall and trying to get all of your stocking stuffers bought. If you make it into the Halifax Shopping Centre don't forget to look up to see the gigantic Mount Saint Vincent University poster!

The Mount loves the holiday season and the students and staff enjoy taking advantage of the opportunities to give back to our community. This year staff from the Admissions Office, Registrar's Office and Financial Services Office all dug deep and donated an overwhelming amount clothes, games, toys, household items, groceries, etc. for a local family.

The students like to get in on the giving too - this year the the Student Alumnae Association organized an Angel Tree project for the Mount community to be involved in. As Krista Armstrong, the Program Coordinator for Alumnae Relations, said: "The response from the Mount community has been staggering. Through donations from Mount students, societies, staff, faculty, alumnae and friends, we have (so far) collected 6+ big boxes of toys, gifts and donations for needy children in the Halifax area . . . We have been blown away by your support…we even had to call the Salvation Army for more gift tags! With 70 tags distributed, at least 70 kids will have a better Christmas this year thanks to your generosity."

The Mount also has a huge campaign to raise funds for the United Way each year and the Christmas season marks the end of each year's campaign. Our goal was to raise $20,000 this year and, while we won't get the official number until later today, I have been assured that we have exceeded this goal by a substantial amount through staff and student contributions!

We are proud of the Mount's tradition of social justice and giving back to our communities. We would like to wish all of you a happy holiday season and a joyous new year!

L is for… Lovely Ladies!

Yes, that’s right. The Mount is full of lovely ladies! We used to be an all girls University you know. Now we openly welcome guys and there are more and more coming every year.

Did you know we have a special event to celebrate the lovely ladies of The Mount every year?

It's called...the Mr. Mount Competition..."Mr?" you are wondering...allow me to explain!

What is a Mr. Mount Competition? You might ask.
Well let’s start with what it’s not:
Mr. Mount is not a beauty pageant. Mr. Mount is not a talent show.

Mr. Mount IS an Annual one of a kind event where the ladies get to understand how it feels to be a gent, and the gents get to understand a little more about the ladies!

It’s where the men compete as ladies and the ladies compete as men for the affection of the crowd and judges to officially be crowned “Mr. Mount”.

It is a fabulous event that you just can’t miss out on!

Don't believe me...check out the picture below or visit Mr. Mount Competition for more info.

Brought to you by the Double L!

K is for…Kids

Kids? You might think to yourself that a University is no place for kids, but you would be wrong! Yes, students do sometimes act like kids, (You just need to check some of the pictures of Student Union activities to see that) but acting like kids can be FUN!
This isn’t what I mean though. The Mount offers a few services for kids on campus. So if you have kids, or want to work with them someday, The Mount is the place for you!
From Child and Youth Studies: where you can prepare yourself for a career where you can work with kids;
To The Fountain Play Centre where students who have children can have them looked after at an affordable price and where students can get in some valuable volunteer hours;
Click on the Athletics Department  to see where students can earn some money while working with kids!
There are so many great ways to prepare yourself at The Mount for a career in Child and Youth!
Ciao 4 now!

Brought to you by the letter K

J is for…Jeremy

Yes… That is Jeremy on the floor in “J” form. Why is ‘J’ for Jeremy you ask? Well the good spirited guy in the green shirt lying on the floor next to me is our President of The Mount’s Student’s Union! Aside from being up for anything…including taking the form of the letter ‘J’, Jeremy (or Draino as he is known on campus) is responsible for representing you – the students of The Mount. This position is open every year and getting involved in the Union is a great way to meet friends and make the most of your University experience!
Check out all the Executive Bios at mounstudents.ca.

Brought to you by the letter J

I is for... International

Hi everyone. My name is Kutay Ulkuer and I am the international admissions officer. The Mount houses over 400 international students from 62 different countries. I am sure some of you already met one of these wonderful and interesting students.

Internationalization of our campus is one of the main goals for Destination 2012 action plan. After all we are living in a global market environment where more and more people are identifying them selves as global citizens. The Mount is dedicated to educating individuals who will be able to live and work anywhere in the world.

Ok I have to admit I like the travel part of my job a lot. This year I spent over 2 months traveling the world for international students. Some of the countries I have been to are: South Korea, China, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Kazakhstan, Bermuda, etc...

The Mount also gives you the opportunity to study abroad as an exchange student up to one year. This would be a great opportunity for anyone who is looking to learn by seeing and touching. Are you a history major? Paris is waiting for you. Are you a business student looking to get some international experience? China would be a great place for you to witness one of the world's largest economies.

For more information check out the exchange programs page of our website:

If you would like to get more information regarding our international students or go to a different country as an exchange student please visit our international students page.

H is for... (Part Two!)

Housing! How clever am I ?! I used the letter AND the word.

Future students: The Mount will be your home.

I know some of you may be from HRM and will be commuting everyday, however, nearly 400 students make our campus their home. And for those of you that won't be living here, visit your future friends in residence, take in the on-campus experience!

I will admit - I did not live on campus, but was often jealous of students who did. As a student who did not, I will share with you "My Top 5 Favourite Things About Living on Campus - even though I didn't!"

1) Dining halls in close proximity
2) Decorating the residences for the holidays (it can get competitive!)
3) Neighbours/Roommates
4) Close to class
5) SCHOOL SPIRIT! *This is for both on and off campus students.

Being on campus, living or just visiting, helps you build your school spirit - and we've got lots of it! In fact, the Mount won the GM Canada School Spirit Challenge.

If you cannot come to campus to check out our residences, go to http://www.msvu.ca/ to see the virtual tours!

You can apply for housing after being accepted to the Mount. The application will be available online in the new year.

H is for… (Part One!)

Hills!

You might have already heard the rumour. The Mount is located on a mountain. Okay, so it’s not THAT bad, but we do have a hill to contend with when traveling between buildings. But hey, we always like to look at the bright side. Maybe you’ve heard of the ‘Freshmen 15’: those 15 pounds that you gain your first year of university. Well at the Mount, we call it the ‘Freshmen 7.5’ – maximum. Also, all of our residences are at the top of the hill, so if you oversleep you only have to worry about getting down the hill. And lastly, when you do make it to the top, you have a beautiful view of the Mount campus and Bedford Basin.

Part of the Mount hill and its view

Brought to you by the letter H

G is for Graduate Studies!

At the Mount we focus on both undergraduate AND graduate level studies. Like Melanie said in the letter “E” the Mount is all about excellence, and it shows in our graduate programs. Take for instance our Masters of Applied Human Nutrition – it’s the only graduate program in nutrition in Atlantic Canada. And our Public Relations program is unique too – it’s the only one in the country. And if you want to go big, check out our Education program. There you’ll study with classmates from around the world!

With opportunities like this, our dedication to graduate studies is undeniable. Check out all our offerings:

Applied Human Nutrition
Child and Youth Study
Education
Family Studies and Gerontology
Public Relations
Tourism Management
Women's Studies

Brought to you by the letter G

F is for FUN!

There are sooo many fun things to do at the Mount!

Join a society, cheer for a sports team- play on one, get involved in the Student's Union, participate in frosh week, attend Mr. Mount, participate in Mr. Mount, attend the variety show, attend multicultural night... the list goes on and on...

Check out mountstudents.ca for info about student life!

My top 5 "Fun Mount Moments"

5. Hanging out in residence on snow days with hot chocolate and everyone watching a movie

4. Cheering our Mystic basketball teams to an undefeated season 2 yrs in a row

3. Seeing guys finally discover what it's like to wear heels and tights in the Mr. Mount competition.

2. Frosh week!

1. Getting that diploma in hand!

Brought to you by the letter F

Ciao 4 now!

E is for Excellence!

That's right...excellence.

Who doesn't want to be excellent, or excell, or go to a university that prides itself on excellence?

Well certainly not me!!!

Excellence Innovation Discovery

That's The Mount motto!

A small university with a global outlook, The Mount fosters academic excellence and educates the leaders of tomorrow (That's YOU!). The sense of community and personalized approach to education means class sizes are small, and students have access to high-quality faculty and opportunities to be involved in research. In fact, The Mount has among the smallest class sizes in Canada!

I know what you're thinking...."Excellent"

And yes, yes it is!

Brought to you by the letter E.

Ciao 4 now!

D is for Detour!

Well it's time for another funny Melanie story.

So today I was traveling from PEI back to Halifax, and...silly me... I was relying on my GPS to get me home. Well we (me and another recruiter) were on our way to what we thought was the Confederation Bridge when we realized the GPS was directing us to the fastest route back which was....you guessed it, the FERRY! We realized pretty much right at the terminal that we were not headed towards the bridge...and the bridge was now 2 HOURS away! We both had to be back for meetings so we kind of panicked and went to the info booth to find that the next Ferry was leaving in 5MINS...we JUST made it!

So our detour turned out to be the best mistake of the day! We made the Ferry and got back earlier than we would have if we took the bridge. What does this have to do with The Mount? Well I think that it kind of works as a metaphor for the decisions you have to make coming up. How do you decide where to go? What if you aren't going in the direction you planned? It just shows that going with the original plan isn't always the best idea. Trying to choose a program might be challenging, but there is always room to change your mind. Just because you always planned to take a certain program or go to a certain university doesn't mean you can't choose a different path. Take a different course every once in a while, you never know what you might stumble upon. Sometimes mistakes help you make great discoveries!

Brought to you by the letter "D"

Ciao 4 now!

C is for Crow!

Crow?

Yes...crow... The Mount property has lots of crows at certain times of year. There are many stories that surround why these birds are around campus. Want to hear them? You will have to come to campus to find out!...In the meantime I will tell you about our famous lounge area on campus, "The Crow's Nest" so named because of the crows on campus.

The Crow's Nest is a small lounge area that really feels like a living room. There is a TV, couches, computers with internet access and a printer. The Cornerstore is also right next door so you can grab a snack, a cup of coffee or one of many other options to enjoy in this warm and cozy study/hangout area on campus.

Brought to you by the letter "C"

Ciao 4 now!

B is for Business

As in

"Let's get down to Business" or

"Business is Business" or

"Mind your own Business" OR

Bachelor of Business Administration

A Bachelor of Business Administration at The Mount prepares you for a career by offering small class sizes, great professors and practical experience. There is an optional co-op program that provides you with about a year worth of experience so you can test out some different work options before jumping right into a career.

The program provides in-depth knowledge in at least one of the functional areas of business: accounting, economics, finance, management, marketing, tourism, general business studies and hospitality management!

For more info check out Business Administration at The Mount

Brought to you by the letter B!

Ciao 4 now!

A is for Apple!

Hello Everyone!

So I'm starting the ABC's of The Mount... What are the ABC's of The Mount you ask?

Well they are the basics of why The Mount is the BEST University around.

Soooo

A is for Apple...and Aramark

What do the two have in common? Well Aramark is our food provider on campus. They are all about bringing healthy and tasty choices to the students of the Mount.

Our meal plan works as a declining balance, so you pay only for what you eat which means NO money wasted! Check out ARAMARK for more info! Meal plans are also included with your residence fees and are mandatory in Assisi and Birches 1-4.

Brought to you by the letter "A". Stay tuned...tomorrow is...you guessed it "B"!

Ciao 4 now!

This is what November means...

Hello readers!
I am reporting to you from Philipsburg, Sint Maarten. It is beautiful, sunny, and around 30 degrees celsius everyday! A little different than our campus in Halifax, but I am still near the water and I feel at home.

While this time of year is busy for us recruitment folks, I was thinking to myself today that I want to share some advice with students out there. I remember while studying that November is always a busy, busy month for university or college students (who I work with a lot). It is also a hectic time for students in high school. I can relate to all of you in feeling the crunch of November, and I don't just mean those leaves under your feet!

What I want to remind you all to do is remember to take some "breathing" time everyday. At this time of year for university of college students, you are up to your eyes and ears in group projects, research papers, and exams are looming just around the corner. Everyday you must do one or two of the following: sit back and eat a full meal without studying at the same time, or head up to the Fitness Centre and rock a step class, or run, run, run on the treadmills. Read some silly gossip on the Internet. Look at pictures on Facebook (even some of ours! I will have a lot of new ones up next week!).

For students out there in high school. If we haven't been to your school to visit yet - hold on - we're almost there!! While you are working on mid-terms and praying for upcoming snow days, you are considering your options for next year. My advice is the same for you, take a break and soak up the greatness of your last year in high school. Take advantage of the social events, but also study a lot! Your grades from this semester could really help you out at scholarship time.

Once January hits it is application time! Until then, get through busy November day by day and December will feel a lot better - I promise!

YOU’RE Famous!

After Open Campus Day I not only realized that I’m famous…but you are too! I spent Open Campus Day trying to find all the students I met before at their own high schools just to say hi. No autographs or anything, but I did try to get some applications in…and those have to be signed…so it’s kind of the same thing! You really are like celebrities to me! It’s so exciting to talk to interested students. I’m spending the next week in NB which is great. I have had a lot of students this week asking about how hard it is to go to med school, law school and other graduate programs from the Mount. The answer is, we have several students who apply to these programs and get in from our undergrad programs. Work hard, get to know your professors and get involved as much as possible during your undergrad to help pave the way to these programs, but for now focus on choosing that first degree that you will be enjoy and be able to excel in so you keep the doors wide open when you are finished!

Ciao 4 now

Melanie

Three Secrets Just For You

So I'll let you in a on a few secrets about finding the right university for you and what the Mount's really all about. I have been working at the Mount for almost five years and am also an alumni so I've got some cred behind me in discovering these secrets. But I'll share them with you because I wish I had known them myself.

Secret Number One

Every university's viewbook makes it look like the best school to go to. They all have pretty pictures, and everyone is having fun, and the information is all there. Same with the websites. And posters, and advertisements, you get it. But the ONLY real way to find out if a school is right for you is to visit it. Seriously. You have to get on campus and walk around and do some serious visualization. Play pretend for a day. You don't have to tell anyone you're doing it - just pretend you're a Mount student when you're at our Open Campus Day on Friday. Pretend you live in Assisi or The Birches and walk around like you own the place. If it feels right, then you're one step closer to finding that fit that is right for you.



Secret Number Two

We have candy at our Open Campus Day on Friday. Yep. It's on Halloween this year so that means we get to dress up and give away candy. In fact our tour is really Trick or Treating so make sure you don't miss that. You also get to sit in on mini lectures to see what our profs are like and what the programs are all about, along with an information fair and a few surprises we'll keep under our hat until you get here (can't give away all the secrets!!). We also have some pretty great prizes so when you leave you will not only have a much better idea of what the Mount's all about, but you will also have candy and maybe a prize. Not too shabby.


Secret Number Three

Okay, so our slogan this year is "Independent Thinking Lives Here". What does that mean? That means that our school is the place that the people who don't just do what everyone else is doing go to. If you are the type of person who lets their true colours show (or just wish you could), the Mount is the place that will let you do that. And it's not just a "slogan", it was created by current and past students, staff, and faculty who thought long and hard about what the Mount is all about and realized this is it. This is a truly special school unlike no other - just ask any student who goes here or has gone here. There will be lots of them at Open Campus Day on Friday to talk to and will be happy to tell you their stories.

So what do you need to do now? Register for Open Campus Day at this link: http://www.msvu.ca/admissions/opencampusday/ - do it now so we buy enough candy for everyone!!

See you then!

Heidi

Tales from the Newbie...

Hi everyone,

I would like to introduce myself to you: my name is Shannon Kehoe and I am the newest member on the Mount Admissions team. Over the last few weeks I have been traveling through communities in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia talking to students about coming to the Mount for university – in fact you may have met me at your school!

The Mount mobile in front of the world's largest

illuminated fiddle in Sydney, NS. (55 feet tall)

I have had an awesome time meeting new people and going new places, and I think I have more in common with some of you than you may think. Sure, I have a degree (Bachelor of Public Relations) and I have a job in my field, but I still don’t always know where I am going in life. For instance, on my first week on the road I let my GPS take me down a back road used for logging. According to Daniel (the GPS) this road was the best way from Chipman, NB to Halifax, NS. I am here to tell you that it was not the quickest and at times was scarier than the highway would have been. But I believed that the choice I had made would work out, and I was right. Forty five minutes later than planned, the Mount mobile emerged from the woods, unscathed, and I emerged a little wiser. What does this have to do with being in high school? My point is that we don’t always know where we are going in life – and you don’t have to know exactly what you want to do out of high school. Just like my GPS gave me a couple options of routes to take, university is giving you options about what you can do in life. It’s still early in the year. Take this time to learn about schools – do research and ask questions, and when you do choose a program, choose something that will interest you. The decision you make should be based on what you want to do in your life. Remember to follow your passion and to enjoy the scenery life hands you along the way.

Taking in the scenic route along Kelly's Mountain in Cape Breton

:)

I did it!!! And you can too!

Hi Everyone!

Well it was a big weekend this past weekend for me because I became an official Mount grad! Woo Hoo! Such a celebration!

'Why am I telling you this?' You might ask... well one of the big questions I got today and have received in the past is "How do I decide what to program to take in University?" There are so many cool programs sometimes it's hard to decide what will be best suited to lead you to the right career path. One thing that worked for me and that I would suggest to all students trying to choose a program, is to look at the courses offered in programs you are interested in. You don't have to stress about what you will do when you are finished if you are loving the courses you're taking. For example if you see a program with courses that really interest you, then you will enjoy them, do well, and find it easier to decide what to do with your degree. If you aren't sure, try a general arts or science degree and see what some of your favourite courses are and then decide from there.

When I look back at my choice to take Public Relations (PR) I did so because I wanted to take courses in Media Relations, Crisis Communication, Public Speaking and Persuasive writing among MANY others. The degree looked so cool I wasn't even sure what a PR person did, but I knew if it involved all those things then I would love it! =)

You can apply this lovely philosophy to ANY program!

This tip and others brought to you by the letter "M" and the "Brilliant" mind of Melanie LeBlanc!

Psych!

Hi everyone,

I'm back in Halifax this week visiting schools at lunch hour! I had the first school today and had a grrrreat question! "Does the Mount offer a degree in psychology through the arts program?" The answer is "YES!" we do offer it through the arts and science program. So come, learn, enjoy...and have no fear psych is here!

Ciao 4 now!

I'm Famous!

Hi again Everyone!

Today I went to my old high school...it was awesome! The year I left, they also built another high school nearby the old one and i got to visit my old teachers at both....and even some who went to other high schools. It was so nice to catch up and speak to students about my experience in high school and university. I talked to two leadership classes about how their leadership skills can be applied to post-secondary education. One of the main things I learned and wanted to share was that "You are not a leader because people follow you...but instead people follow you because you are a leader."

I had lots of questions in these sessions...one of the most popular was about how high school prepared me for university. I think that it prepared me well. Lots of the things I learned that I thought I would never use became very valuable. Things that I thought were small skills were actually invaluable assets in my degree and since then. One of the best skills I learned from my leadership class was an ability to interpret my audience. If you want to know more about what I mean e-mail me...it's helpful in everything from applications to essays!

Also check out the attached pictures! It's ME! I'm a celebrite in the Kawartha Pine Ridge Distric School Board...these posters are in each school in the board! (I'll be handing out autographs upon request)

Ciao 4 now!

Independents Begin

Hello Everyone!
I'm just about to start 3 weeks of independent visits for the Mount!
I will be in Courtice, Brampton, Kitchener and then Mississauga this week.
I look forward to meeting with interested students and I hope to see some students I have already met in the last two weeks. Happy Thanksgiving to everyone...I hope it was delicious.
Know what I'm thankful for? That I have the best and easiest job in the world! I get to travel and meet great people while promoting the best* university around.

Also enjoy the pic...this is what you might see if you encounter me at your school. =)

Have a good one, and again feel free to contact me with any questions!
Ciao 4 now

*Opinions above reflect Melanie LeBlanc and although she believes if you attend you will agree, they do not necessarily have any scientific basis.

Ontario Student Applications

I've had a lot of questions the last few days about how to apply to The Mount if you are an Ontario student. Since we don't operate under the Ontario application process it is a bit different. For students who want to apply to The Mount, you actually apply directly through our institution.

1. Click on the tab at the top of our homepage (msvu.ca) called "Apply Online".
2. Click on 'Undergraduate Programs' and follow the directions.
3. You will be prompted to pay a $30 application fee which you can do by credit card or by mailing the amount to The Mount.
4. After this you will have to send high school transcripts as they become available. Just ask your guidance office or whoever is in charge of transcripts to do this for you.

Hope this was helpful!

Also today I was in Oakville, Mississauga and Brampton... there were some great questions and I met some really cool students! I'm about halfway through my Ontario time and just loving being back where I lived for my 'formative years' (grade 7-12 haha). I hope to talk to more interested students this week and next!
Ciao 4 now!

Introducing The Mount to the World

So this week I've received the challenging assignment of visiting high schools and the college in Bermuda. I know, rough life, ha ha. Mount Saint Vincent University actually has a long relationship with Bermuda - we have been coming here for over twenty years and the Sisters of Charity who founded the Mount so long ago also founded a high school in Bermuda - Mount Saint Agnes - where I was at today.

I love coming to Bermuda not only because of the obvious reasons (it's stunningly beautiful, the people are as friendly as they are in the Maritimes, and, of course, it's hot almost all year round!!) but also because of the opportunity to introduce the Mount to a new generation of students and meet all sorts of Mount Saint Vincent University Bermudian alumni who have come back home after their degree.

One of the great things about the Mount is that we don't differentiate between Canadian and international students as far as admissions to limited enrollment programs, and scholarships. That means that if you meet the admissions and scholarship requirements you will not be penalized against because you're not Canadian - you get the exact same consideration and advantages. This also means that every year more and more international students get to experience life in Canada and all of the benefits of a great Canadian education!

I am also managing to squeeze in a bit of recreation when I've finished working for the day. I have gone for some walks and taken lots of pictures of palm trees - and me with palm trees (as you can see!), and another day I got to spend a couple hours snorkelling off the coast of Bermuda - I saw tonnes of fish, coral and shipwrecks - and one barracuda!! Luckily he was more interested in the other fish than us but it kept us all awake and paying attention for the rest of the trip that's for sure! :-)

Opening Lines

Hello again everyone!

The first week in Ontario was great! It was awesome to see so many students interested in looking into the East Coast and the Mount as an option for their post secondary education. I realized I didn’t mention what exactly it is I’m doing on the road. For those who haven’t seen me yet I thought it would be good to let you know what I mean when I say I’m on the road visiting high schools.
Well generally when I’m on the road I set up a table with the other university recruiters and answer your questions. What might you encounter when you come up to my table?
I thought I would share some of my great opening lines:
1. Howzit going? (Yes I say it like it’s one word)
2. Looking for any program in particular?
3. Go ahead and take a book.
4. Let me know if you have any questions.

Now that I see them all written out I’m thinking I might need to come up with a better opening line… any suggestions?

Sometimes I think that maybe I’m intimidating to students…but I really hope I’m not! Please come talk to me and ask questions. I love meeting potential students and telling them about why I love the Mount. Why do I love the Mount? Well I will share my top 3 reasons with you right now:
Small campus – Big city… best of both worlds.
Professors care about your success and know you by name
Programs so great that students on campus come from over 60 different countries

I will post again soon with some of my favourite questions from the road.
Ciao 4 now!

From the Road

Hi everyone! Well I’m part way through week 2 of recruiting. Last week I was in Southwest Nova Scotia staying at the beautiful White Point Beach Resort. What a gorgeous place! I was completely blown away by all the Bunnies! I met some great students who I know would just love the Mount and I look forward to seeing many of you again at Open Campus Day!
For the rest of this week I will be traveling to Kingston, Courtice, Whitby and Toronto. I’m staying in beautiful downtown Ottawa right now and it’s spectacular! I will keep you updated on my travels and try to post some pictures as I travel to high schools in ON to meet some future MSVU students. Please contact me if you have any questions or if you would like to know if/when I will be traveling to a high school near you. melanie.leblanc@msvu.ca.

*Fun Story of the Week*
I will try to post fun stories as they happen…they made me laugh so I hope they do the same for you (even if it is at my expense!).
Tonight I went to the parking garage with another recruiter and we heard a very strange noise coming from a few cars down. We went to investigate and thought that it sounded like a small animal. We looked everywhere and couldn’t find it. Using some keen skills we determined that it was the sound of a kitten (a VERY loud one). We narrowed it down to one car but couldn’t find the cat anywhere. We decided that we couldn’t just leave the scene and we went to the front desk and told someone that works at the hotel that they should check it out and that we had to run to visit a school. He looked at us like we were crazy but said, “Umm sure… I’ll look into it.” When we got back we went and asked and he said “Oh, ya… we found it, it was a kitten…he’s out back.” Immediately I thought he was mocking us and put the most “that-was-offensive-face” I could muster and he said “No I’m serious!” He proceeded to go out back and bring the cutest kitten ever to us! As the rest of the story goes, he went and looked, saw nothing and thought we were crazy, but then other people were telling him too…and finally two guests of the hotel realized the sound was coming from the ENGINE where the kitten had hidden!!! Apparently he must have been in there for a while. Thankfully he is safe now and we are trying to help find a home for him. I will try to get a picture!

Anyway…that’s the story of how I helped save a life tonight!
Ciao for now!

Open Campus Day!

Hello future MSVU students.

Questions? Concerns? Just want to take a look around campus? Then our Open Campus Day is just what you need.

Here's a short video from last year's Open Campus Day! A day where you can experience what MSVU student life is all about.

Open Campus Day '08 will be held on October 31st.

Stay tuned for registration information.

The Final Countdown

2008-2009 MSVU Representatives (clockwise from centre: Courtney Barnhill, Heidi Tattrie, Melanie LeBlanc, Suzanne Hayes, Karl Turner, Kutay Ulkuer)

The signs of a new school year about to begin - boxes being loaded into the bookstore daily, syllabuses for classes printing off in the print shop, housekeeping staff dusting out the residences, and the new MSVU viewbooks arriving in the Admissions Office. This is my favourite time of year as I get to see all of the students I met during the year arriving on campus in a couple weeks, and then after that I get to hit the road for another year of meeting new students ready to learn about MSVU!

In the Admissions Office we've been busy getting ready for the fall recruitment season - that's when we travel around Canada and the world attending career and education fairs. I, Heidi, will be spending most of my time driving around Nova Scotia and New Brunswick and getting to know many of the local potential students. To help me out we also have hired a recruiter named Melanie LeBlanc who was a Public Relations co-op student in the Admissions Office last fall - she organized the Open Campus Day and all of the tours last fall - she also did a bit of recruitment too - and she is graduating this fall. Melanie also travelled around Nova Scotia this summer with Coralee and Nicole attending community events and parades in the newly decorated MSVU car. Melanie will be mostly in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and PEI - but also spending some time in Ontario.

As for the other Admissions staff: Courtney Barnhill will be travelling around several spots in Canada talking to students about transferring to MSVU. We have a lot of articulation agreements with different colleges where students do the first year or two there and then transfer their credits to MSVU - this year she'll be in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, PEI, Newfoundland, Quebec and some Caribbean islands (she's got a tough gig, ha ha). Kutay Ulkuer will be doing his Around the World in 80 Days tour (well more like 50 days actually!) and making stops in China, several countries in the Middle East and Turkey. Our Manager, Karl Turner, will be visiting some Maritime stops, as well as Bermuda. Suzanne Hayes is our Graduate Admissions Advisor and will be going around the Maritimes a bit talking to people interested in doing their Masters at MSVU.

So we've got a very busy few months of living out of suitcases, sleeping in hotel rooms, flying and driving to different locales each week, and talking (lots of talking - although luckily we all talk a lot anyway so it's not an issue for us!) ahead of us but we all love getting to meet the prospective MSVU students along the way and see Canada and the rest of the world so we don't really mind at all! I'll be keeping this blog updated with pictures and details of my trips so watch for when I make it to your town!

Melanie LeBlanc and Coralee Malloy on the South Shore of Nova Scotia with our redecorated MSVU vehicle!

How to speak "university-ese"

One of the first things a new student at university might notice is that within a university there seems to be a whole other language being spoken - for example, what is the difference between a Bachelor's degree and an undergraduate degree? Is there one? How do you know if you're in a unit or a credit? I thought compiling a list of the most asked questions I get about terminology might be useful but this is by no means an exhaustive list, just the first few I came up with! There are plenty of words and terms I'm so used to hearing that I forget they're new to those just entering the university lifestyle. If you are wondering about any other terms, please comment and let me know and I'll do my best to translate it to English! Most of this information translates to most universities (particularly in Canada) but I will write it from MSVU's terminology as that is what I know the best!

Terms/Semesters: This is a time frame and generally mean the same thing. The fall term goes from September to December. The winter term runs from December to April. Then there is the Summer I term (May/June - this is known as a compressed term, or intersession); and Summer II term (June/July). At MSVU most programs start in any of these terms but the majority of new students start in the fall.

Credits/Units: These are how courses are measured. The terms are often used interchangeably however some schools work in credit hours, whereas others just use credits (or units!). At MSVU a full unit typically runs from September to April and a half unit just runs from September to December or January to April. When schools use credit hours usually 3 credit hours equals a half unit, and 6 credit hours equals a full unit.

Bachelor/Undergraduate: Yes these are the same thing and the first degree you get at a university. The concept behind the word undergraduate is that you are a student who has not yet graduated from university - therefore you're an UNDERgraduate. Most undergraduate degrees take three to four years of full time study to achieve. Once you graduate from your undergraduate status and go back to school then you can become a . . .

Master's/Graduate: These are both the same thing again and can only be done if you have already completed an undergraduate degree. Some Master's include a thesis which is an intensive research project in a very specific discipline - others have a non-thesis option. It generally takes one to five years to complete your Master's (if you do the thesis you're probably on the longer end of the time).

PhD/Doctorate: Again - pretty much the same thing and you need to have finished your Master's (usually with the thesis option) to go to this next level of education. PhD is short for Doctor of Philosophy but you can do your PhD in more than Philosophy! This can take anywhere from three to six - to sometimes even longer - to complete. Any of your professors who are called "Doctor" have achieved this very high level of education and are extremely knowledgeable about their area of expertise and usually love to talk about their passion, so if you share a passion with them feel free to pick their brains!

And of course there is Spring Break, Study Break and Reading Week (same thing except our week - as are most Canadian schools - is in February); and Residence, Rez, Dormitories, On-campus housing - yep, all the same. Here's a link from our academic calendar that can give you a few more terms to get familiar with: http://www.msvu.ca/calendar/GeneralInformation/GlossaryofTerms.asp

Basically just assume that the new word you're hearing you've probably heard somewhere else, but just with a different name. So - now that I've got you thinking - go ahead and challenge me - see if you can come up with a university-ese word that I haven't come across yet!

4 Steps to Take By Aug. 31

So the summer is upon us - time for some students to kick back, soak up the sun, chill with friends and relax; or for others to work a summer job (sometimes two) to start saving up some cash to make those tuition payments. Whatever you're doing this summer 2008 you're sure to be starting to plan out your year at MSVU. Here are a few handy tips of some final things to take care of before the fall arrives.

1. Plan Moving Day. Sort out living/travel arrangements - if you're living on campus, confirm your residence room with a deposit and start figuring out what you need to bring to decorate your space; if you're living off-campus get your move-in date set (try to avoid the Labour Day weekend if at all possible, it's the busiest moving day in the city!!); if you're living at home - figure out what busses you'll need to get to MSVU or when to get your parking pass.

2. Prepare for the First Week. Get signed up for a frosh kit (http://www.mountstudents.ca/) so you can skip the line-up on the first day; and plan to attend the orientation days that Student Affairs offers (www.msvu.ca/student_affairs/orientation2008/index08.asp ) to make sure you have everything in place for your first year at MSVU.

3. Socialize. Join facebook and become a Fan of MSVU and join the MSVU Class of 2012 group for incoming students - you can find out who will be in your class, who will be living in your residence, and all sorts of useful tips about MSVU before you even get to campus.

4. Register for classes. If you haven't done this yet - do it now!! The longer you wait, the fewer classes that will be available - and, trust me, the longer line-ups there will be if you plan to do it in person!! Get help choosing classes by emailing advising@msvu.ca or calling 457-6400, they can tell you everything you need to know.

Those of us still working away on campus over the summer love it this time of year as it's possibly the prettiest time of year with flowers and plants blooming all over the place, but it never feels quite right without the students. The students are the heart of MSVU and it's just not quite the same without you so we are probably looking forward to September just as much as you are!