• Why Self-ID?
• Why Laurier?
• Academic Programs
• Visit Laurier
• Visit Laurier Near You
• Aboriginal Student Services
• FIRST YEAR Retention Program: SEEDS
• Aboriginal Post Secondary Information Program
• Laurier's Admission Policy (Undergrad Self-Declared Aboriginal)
• Campus Life
• Student Services
• Residence Info

What is Self-ID and why is it important to Self-ID as an Aboriginal student?

What is Self-ID?

Through the Ontario University Application Centre (OUAC) Self-ID is when a student declares that they have Aboriginal background, heritage or ancestry. The term Aboriginal is inclusive to: First Nations (status and non-status), Metis and Inuit. 

Why is it important to Self-ID as an Aboriginal student?

First, it gives the Office of Aboriginal Initiatives a 'heads-up' that you have applied to Laurier so they can contact you about the services available to you as an Aboriginal student.

Second, it makes you eligible for the Aboriginal Admission Policy which gives you an advantage in the admissions process. 

Further information can be found here:  http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/aboriginal/selfID.html

So you're thinking about choosing Laurier to complete your post secondary education goals! There are many reasons to choose each institution and here are a few to choose Laurier:

1) Reputation: Laurier has also earned a reputation for excellence as it consistently performs strongly in national university rankings. In last year's Macleans university ranking, Laurier was ranked the number one undergraduate university in Ontario and top five in Canada!

2) Location: Our campuses are located in the heart of Southern Ontario in the cities of Waterloo and Brantford. Toronto, with all it has to offer, is only an hour away; the United States is two hours south; and the beaches of Lake Huron and Lake Erie are close enough for day trips. Within a 2.5 hour drive of both campuses there are 18 First Nations communities.

3) Size: With over 13, 000 students at the Waterloo campus, Laurier's Waterloo campus is large enough to provide various clubs, programs, and career opportunities; yet small enough to maintain the tight-knit community feel, outstanding student experience and to ensure access to faculty and resources available on campus. Our small class sizes allow more opportunities for extra help, increased discussion and student involvement. At Laurier you will also have the opportunity to attend tutorials and lab sections of approximately 20 students. Laurier's Brantford campus has 2,700 students which makes for a smaller, more intimate campus environment.

4) CO-OP and Career Opportunities: Laurier is a leader in providing students opportunities to integrate their academic studies with practical experience. Students have the unique opportunity to participate in Co-op, which allows you to gain marketable skills; raise your potential employment rate; gain networking opportunities and best of all, earn a salary to help pay for your education! Laurier students learn from the best by being involved with leading organizations like American Express, IBM Canada, and Research in Motion (the creators of the Blackberry). For more information, click here.

5) Student Experience: Laurier is a leader is providing an excellent outside the classroom experience. Whether it be recreation & athletics, campus clubs, student government or volunteering, Laurier has created an atmosphere that encourages all types of experitential learning outside of the classroom.

Laurier has seven academic faculties - Arts, Science, Business & Economics, Music, Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies, Social Work, and Education - and campuses in Waterloo, Brantford, Kitchener and Toronto, Ontario.

• Waterloo Campus
   
• Brantford Campus
   
• Graduate Studies
  

Laurier's Aboriginal Students Recruitment and Retention Officer participates in the Aboriginal Post Secondary Information Program (APSIP) and does community visits as well. If you would like to request Kandice come to your community please send her an email or call her: kbaptiste@wlu.ca or 519-884-1970 ext. 4312

Click here for more information and the schedule for the APSIP Tour.

Greetings ~ Ahniin ~  Sgeno ~ Shekon ~ Shekoli ~ Tansi ~ Kwey ~ Boozhoo~

The Office of Aboriginal Initiatives offers a wide range of supportive, holistic, cultural and academic programming. We are committed to fostering a positive student experience for all Aboriginal students: First Nations, Status, Non-Status, Inuit, and Métis persons. We also provide education, awareness, resources and training regarding Aboriginal culture to all students, faculty and staff. Our services assist Aboriginal students from the application process through to graduation:

• Access to smudging
• Community outreach
• Scholarship and Bursary assistance
• Computer and wifi access
• Quiet study room
• Admissions assistance
• Visiting Elders program
• SEEDS program
• Resources for faculty and staff
• Academic and personal counseling
• Advocacy and referrals
• Regular gatherings and feasts
• Resource library

For more information on services for students at Laurier's WATERLOO CAMPUS, click here
For more information on services for  students at Laurier's BRANTFORD CAMPUS, click here

This program is being offered for the first time at both the Brantford and Waterloo campuses! It's called the 'Seeds' Program and is designed as a scholarship inventive program in order to help first year students succeed at Laurier! What it is: if you complete tasks such as: Learning Circles, Study Halls, Elders in Residence, etc. plus check-ins with the Aboriginal Student Support Coordinator then you receive a $500 scholarship released to your One-Card in order to help with Laurier expenses!
Click here

APSIP: <click here>

Please see: http://www.wlu.ca/documents/44900/Aboriginal_admissions_Senate_Jan_18_11.pdf

Brantford Campus Student Affairs: https://www.lbstudentaffairs.ca/home.htm

Waterloo Campus Student Affairs: http://waterloo.mylaurier.ca/portal.htm

Residence Styles
Students live in one of two styles of residence; dormitory or apartment style. There are pros and cons to each style, but regardless of where you live, there will be a community of students experiencing first year at university just like you.

Dormitory style: Students are either in a single or double room, with a shared bathroom. In dormitory style, a meal plan is mandatory.  This style offers a great opportunity to get to know your entire community! Examples of dormitory buildings: Waterloo College Hall, Clara Conrad, Little House, MacDonald House, Euler/Leopold, King St. to name a few.

Apartment Style: Students can be in a single or double room in a self contained suite with a kitchen, living area and bathrooms. Meal plans are optional in this type of residence, as students have the ability to cook meals in the suites. This style offers a great blend between privacy and socializing with your neighbours. Examples of apartment style residences: University Place, Bricker Residence, Laurier Place to name a few.

The Don: A Residence Life Don is an upper year student who lives on each floor. Their responsibility is to help facilitiate a smooth transition from high school to university for each student. The Don helps to promote personal growth and friendships by facilitating programing for their communities, creating mentoring relationships with their students, and promoting responsible behaviour. The Don acts as a social and academic role model for students and helps promote a community environment.

Living Learning Communities: Our LLCs are designed to extend opportunities for learning and growth beyond the classroom to a select group of students who share common residential and personal interests.
Laurier’s LLCs are situated on campus in our residence buildings. Living in an LLC is very similar to living in a traditional style residence community. The main difference is that the LLC Residence Life Dons tailor their programming initiatives to the theme of their community. As well, the students living in an LLC are given the opportunity to facilitate a more community-based approach to programming initiatives and activities with their fellow students.

The Geography and Environmental Studies Learning Community - The Geography and Environmental Studies Learning Community (GES) was created for students majoring in Geography, Environmental Studies or Geology. The GES community provides students with an interest in our natural world with a chance to live and interact with like-minded peers daily. The community provides opportunities for students to engage in integrated social experiences to build friendships, facilitate academic success, and exposure to contemporary issues and opportunities in Geography and Environmental Studies.

Leadership and Service Community - The Leadership & Service Learning Community is a close-knit residence environment designed for motivated, energetic students with a passion for personal development and community involvement. Living in this community provides students with a special opportunity to guide and shape their own first-year residence experience and develop their leadership skills while becoming involved in the Laurier and Kitchener-Waterloo communities. Students will develop a strong network of passionate leaders on campus and in the Waterloo Region through community-based service learning projects and weekly workshops focusing on leadership development in residence.

Scholar’s Hall Learning Community - is devoted to enhancing the living and learning environment of incoming first year students committed to academic success. New to Residence Life at WLU for the 2010-2011 academic year, Scholar’s Hall will afford students the opportunity to thrive in a high-achieving, intellectual atmosphere.
Scholar’s Hall is committed to empowering its students to achieve their greatest potential by focusing on scholastic achievement, leadership development, community engagement and exposure to advanced research. Programming will purposefully deepen learning outside of the classroom through a range of activities such as organized study groups, faculty mentorship, academic support and success sessions, and the application of in class content through field work and off campus activities. Our aim is to promote student engagement in first year, an investment in undergraduate education, and to encourage the intellectual curiosity of our incoming class.

Women in Business Learning Community - The Women in Business Learning Community exists to celebrate the accomplishments of women worldwide and connect students to prominent female leaders of industry. Women will live together, learn together, and explore their futures together in a community that promotes professional success and personal growth.Women who are seeking self-development and achievement in the Faculty of Business and Economics will find this community to be an empowering environment that focuses on critical thinking, intellectual curiosity, problem-solving and leadership skills. Students will meet regularly with faculty from Business and Economics, interact with business leaders from across Ontario, and travel off campus to explore opportunities for future advancement. Members of the Women in Business Learning Community build personal and professional networks that last a lifetime, and actively participate in improving the world around them.

Healthy Living Community - The Healthy Living Learning Community (HLC) is a community that emphasizes the importance of balancing a healthy lifestyle while making the transition into the Laurier community in a way that is meaningful to each student. Students will benefit from a wide variety of activities focussing on all aspects of health and wellness, allowing them to stay healthier during their first year at Laurier. Through on-campus partnerships, students of the HLC will be able to take an active role in enhancing their wellness through a variety of exciting and engaging programs facilitated by a Residence Life Don with a strong background in the field. 

School of Business and Economics Academic Community - The SBE Learning Community provides a unique benefit for Laurier’s top Business students. With a residence environment designed for highly competitive individuals, living in this community allows a select group of students to take their education to the next level. The SBE Learning Community encourages students to work collaboratively in attempting to understand and apply course material in context of the business world. Members of this community will find that living with other BBA majors provides excellent networking opportunities, and their attendance at weekly programming geared toward academic success increases their opportunity for success at the University level. Greater academic success will be encouraged through increased faculty and staff interaction, business related speakers and events, mentoring opportunities and an introduction to the academic support resources available on campus.

Global Engagement Community - (Only available for upper year students, and international students) A place where cultural diversity is apparent, discussed and most of all celebrated. The philosophy behind the creation of the community is to promote understanding of the increasingly distinct cultures that are represented on Wilfrid Laurier University’s campus. International students and domestic students alike will comprise this living and learning opportunity and they will spend the academic year learning about diversity, world issues and each other. It is an opportunity for the students who make up the community to explore new cultures and build an understanding of the complex issues that are facing the world today.