Fall Orientation 2016

In the true Mac spirit, a fourth annual Green Drinks Ste. Anne Sustainable Barbecue, organized by Chris Wrobel, BSc'79, MSc'09, in cooperation with the Macdonald Campus Graduate Students’ Society (MCGSS), was held on August 25th on the Centennial Centre patio. On the menu were delicious vegetables from the Macdonald Horticultural Centre and Macdonald Student-Run Farm, including corn, grilled vegetables, salad, melons, and more. The organizers made a point of requesting number two grade vegetables with imperfect shapes, nicks, cuts, or twists that may normally have been discarded; once these were cut for salads or grilling, their imperfections were no longer visible and the veggies still made a nutritious and tasty meal. The 80 to 90 participants brought their own dishes, cutlery, and cups; leftovers were composted and plastic cups were recycled, resulting in almost zero waste.

A selection of workshops coordinated by McGill Campus Life and Engagement was held from Aug. 31st through to Sept. 9th, offering to new graduate and postdoctoral students information and guidance on many of the services here at McGill and how to navigate and best use these services during their studies.

Several informative workshops were held at Macdonald Campus, including:  Writing and Communication: How Graphos Supports You from Start to Thesis, Being a student parent at McGill: what you need to know, Supervision Basics (thesis programs), and Self-Care: Strategies for Success. Additional workshops were available on the main McGill downtown campus, which Macdonald students were welcome to attend. The resources available to ensure the success of graduate and postdoctoral students at McGill have been summarized by McGill Campus Life and Engagement and also from a student’s perspective in the McGill GradLife Blog. Certain workshops also continue to be available throughout the term.

While the Orientation period has ended, students are encouraged to continue to seek out social events, extracurricular activities and sports, student groups, societies, and clubs to join, both at the Mac and main McGill campuses. There are many opportunities to enrich your experience while you are at McGill; take the opportunity to meet new people and experience different cultures, and to explore Montreal, Quebec, and Canada.

An Orientation Day for new Macdonald grad students was held on Thursday Sept. 1st with over 125 students participating.

Welcome Presentation

The Orientation opened at 9:00 AM in the Centennial Centre Ballroom with a Welcome presentation by McGill’s Dean of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, Prof. Josephine Nalbantoglu. The Dean extended a warm welcome, inspiring our new students as they begin their journey at McGill. Dean Nalbantoglu went over the “ins and outs” of being a graduate student, identifying key people and resources where students can seek guidance throughout their studies. Prof. Ian Strachan, the Associate Dean (Graduate Education) of our Faculty, also extended welcome wishes and introduced the Macdonald Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, where graduate and postdoctoral students in our Faculty receive assistance with administrative matters during their studies.

Additional presenters each provided a brief introduction to the myriad of services and resources available to graduate and postdoctoral students at Macdonald Campus and McGill University. David Syncox of McGill Teaching and Learning Services introduced students to the Skillsets program that trains graduate students in extremely valuable “transferrable” skills such as written and oral academic communication, whether for writing journal articles or grant applications or presenting at conferences, and more.

Danielle Hodgson from McGill Student Services (Macdonald Campus) provided an overview of the key services available to students including health services and counselling, financial aid, career planning, and international student services.  

MCGSS president Jaaved Singh and MCGSS rep Mahsa Ghasri gladly welcomed their new fellow students to the University and the campus, inviting them to take part in the many activities which will be organized throughout the year. They also encouraged students to bring to their attention any issues they would like to have addressed by the student organization.  The MCGSS is active in monitoring the rights and interests of the Faculty’s graduate students and works within the McGill Post-Graduate Student Society (PGSS).

Representatives from Macdonald Athletics, the Macdonald Campus Library, McGill IT Services (Mac IT Walk-In Office, MS2-025), and McGill Environmental Health and Safety provided additional information on the services and resources they offer to graduate students.

Information Fair

Following the Welcome Presentation, students were invited to have coffee and snacks and meet and chat with many McGill and Macdonald staff and student representatives who readily greeted students at their booths in the open area of the Ballroom. 

The McGill Services and Offices present at the Information Fair were included:

• Macdonald Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies Office
• Macdonald Campus Graduate Students’ Society (MCGSS)
• McGill Post-Graduate Student Society (PGSS)
• McGill Student Services
  • Student Services, Macdonald Campus
  • Career Planning Service (CaPS)
  • Campus Life & Engagement
• Teaching and Learning Services (Graduate Education)
• University Advancement
• Macdonald Campus Library
• IT Services (ICS) - Mac Campus IT Walk-In Support
• Environmental Health and Safety
• Security Services - Macdonald Campus Security

Also present to warmly greet new students and share a STUDENT’S perspective of McGill and the Macdonald Campus, were approximately 20 graduate student Ambassadors representing the Departments of Animal Science, Bioresource Engineering, Dietetics and Human Nutrition, Food Science, Natural Resource Sciences, Parasitology/Biotechnology, and Plant Science. A selection of student posters was on display as well, to illustrate some of the interesting work being done by our graduate student researchers.

A selection of Macdonald and McGill student clubs and groups were also present to greet students to share their group’s goals and objectives (and perhaps recruit new members!), including: Gorilla Composting, the McGill Wildlife Association, the McGill Apicultural Association, CERES, the Mac Peer Helpers Group, and Consent McGill.

Student Aid and Student Accounts Information Sessions

The Orientation then continued with a fact-filled presentation given by Bronwyn Rice of the McGill Scholarships and Student Aid Office (SSAO) and Mary-Jo McCullogh, Director of McGill Student Accounts. Students were first informed by Ms. Rice of the various sources of income and aid for grad students and how to navigate the SSAO web page and Minerva forms. She also gave students tips on budgeting and money management.  Ms. McCullogh gave detailed information on the practical aspects of the payment of student fees, including e-billing, billing dates, payment procedures, fee policies, and the Minerva menus related to fees. Important information for all!

Grad Student Lunch

For lunch, the MCGSS offered a free barbecue to new graduate students, on the front patio of the Centennial Centre. Students enjoyed their lunch outdoors amidst the well-tended greenery of our beautiful campus.

Following the lunch, students were invited to a presentation by International Student Services or could attend one of several tours scheduled at the Macdonald Campus Library.  

International Student Services Presentation

ISS representative Stefi Brazeal was on hand at the ISS presentation to answer questions from international students regarding study and student-related immigration information including: health insurance, social and cultural events, the International Buddy Program, the International Student Leadership program, workshops and webinars on many topics of interest to international students, and more.

Library Tours

Librarian Dana Ingalls hosted grad students at the Mac Campus Library where they were given a tour and an overview of the library’s resources. The Library also holds very useful MyResearch workshops which train graduate students in library search skills and give tips on publishing research.

Campus Tour

The Orientation Day came to a close with a walking tour of the campus given by the MCGSS.

Health Insurance Session and ISS Meet & Greet Lounge

The following morning, on Sept. 2nd, a session hosted by PGSS Health Commissioner Andrew Dixon gave graduate students an overview of the 'ihaveaplan' insurance plan and explained various points on how to submit a health claim and how to navigate the healthcare system, off-campus.

Afterward, International Student Services representative Caroline Guay hosted an informal drop-in “Meet & Greet Lounge” in the Macdonald-Stewart Foyer, for international students to drop by, ask questions, chat with each other, and have a few snack and souvenirs.

Canoe Race

Later that afternoon, the MCGSS and PGSS sponsored a lively canoe race on Lac St-Louis, off the shores of Macdonald campus. The journey apparently proved to be quite a challenge to the approximately 40 participants who, it seems, became thoroughly drenched that sunny afternoon; no doubt, an entertaining activity for all involved!

The McGill Post-Graduate Student Society (PGSS) welcomed new graduate students into the McGill family with an outdoor barbecue at Thomson House in the evening of Wednesday, Sept. 7th. Students were invited to meet fellow newcomers and mingle with current graduate students and enjoy delicious burgers, while learning about grad life in Montreal. Music for the event was provided by DJs from McGill’s CKUT radio station.  Representatives of PGSS committees and other post-graduate student associations were also there to answer questions and to suggest groups, activities, or causes to become involved in while at McGill and in Montreal.

Additional Fall 2016 graduate student orientation activities continued at the downtown McGill campus through to Sept. 13th.

Students are always welcome to come visit the Macdonald Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (MS2-074) and we will help you as best we can. You can also call us at 514-398-7838 or send an e-mail to gradstudies.macdonald [at] mcgill.ca. To find out which team member is responsible for helping students in your program, please see our Grad Office web page. 

If you were unable to attend the Orientation and wish to review the information given at the Welcome sessions, we recommend you consult the GradLife Orientation “info hub” available for all new grad students at  McGill, accessible through “MyCourses” .

You can also consult the following Campus Life & Engagement graduate student publications:

• You & McGill: Graduate and Postdoctoral Guide (electronic version only). This guide contains many useful resources and much important information on being a grad student at McGill.
• A handy New Graduate Student FAQ Sheet is also available.