McGill sets the stage for Open House as changing economy piques interest

Annual event showcases “a day in the life” of McGill students on January 25

Where am I going? What will I do? How can I prepare myself for this challenging world? These will be among the questions uppermost in the minds of more than 4,500 future students, from Montreal , Quebec , the rest of Canada and around the world as they visit McGill University ’s Open House on Sunday, Jan. 25, 2009.

The annual tour of the campus and events associated with Open House take on new significance at a time when interest in post-secondary education is on the rise, in part because of economic challenges brought on by the threat of global recession and rapidly changing job markets. And this year there continues to be a dramatic international dimension to Open House as well, with McGill’s Enrolment Services department reporting an international visitor list includes people from Azerbaidjan , Italy , India , China , Nigeria , Turkey , Belarus , Belgium , Russia , France , the Philippines , Venezuela , Taiwan and Iran . That’s not counting visitors from south of the border and from various regions in Quebec .

McGill will roll out the red carpet and welcome future students and their families to its annual Open House on Sunday, Jan. 25 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The campus-wide event provides an unparalleled opportunity to experience student life at McGill.

“Open House is the perfect occasion for prospective students to see first-hand all that McGill has to offer,” said Kathleen Massey , University Registrar and Executive Director Enrolment Services. “McGill students, staff and faculty will be on hand to answer questions about life in residence, participating in varsity sports and other clubs, academic programs and many other aspects of the McGill experience. Campus tours and informative presentations will be offered throughout the event.”

Open House 2009 will feature a wide range of exhibitions and activities for the students and their families to enjoy including:

• Smart S.T.A.R.T panel: (Students Talking About Real Topics) – McGill students from various disciplines share their university experiences.
• Information sessions: Find out about admission requirements, selecting programs (minor, major, honours) for all levels of study.
• Campus Tours : Visit landmark buildings, student residences, and tour our state-of-the-art Athletic facilities; visit the Redpath Museum and see exhibits on mummies and dinosaurs. Tours run all day in English and French.
• Student and faculty exhibits on display: Join a guided tour of Archaeology labs; witness chemistry demonstrations and learn about alternative energy vehicles built by teams of engineering students.

Free shuttle service will be provided for prospective students from the Quebec regions of Sainte-Foy,Trois-Rivières, Hull, Lennoxville, Sherbrooke, Granby and Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu (pre-registration required; see below).

On the Web:

McGill University : www.mcgill.ca

Open House s chedule: https://www.mcgill.ca/openhouse/

Shuttle registration: https://www.mcgill.ca/openhouse/bus/