Undergraduate Students
Student Services and Recruitment Chiara Longhi BA, MA Director, Student Services 604.822.9187 chiara.longhi@ubc.ca
Ana Curcin BA, MA Officer, International Recruitment 604.827.5195 ana.curcin@ubc.ca
THE UBC FORESTRY STUDENT Services team provides support to prospective, new and continuing undergraduate students. Our priorities include attracting strong students to our degree programs, enhancing the student experience, and raising the profile of the Faculty of Forestry at UBC and beyond.
ACHIEVEMENTS IN 2012 – 13 Student Services
Student Services staff provide many different types of assistance, including admissions and registration support, orientations and tours, personal and program advising, referrals to other UBC services and more. To improve our services to our students we have adopted OAMS (Online Advising Management System) which allows us to see all of our interactions with students stored in one place accessible by not only all of Student Services staff but also by all of the Program Directors and our Associate Dean of Undergraduate Studies. This new practice has allowed us to all be on the same page and avoid miscommunication between us as well as with students.
Recruitment Activities
Ana Curcin and Chiara Longhi are the staff members dedicated to recruiting and advising both international and domestic students, as well as visiting and exchange students, supported by the rest of the Student Services team as required. Our Facultywide international recruitment priority again this year has been to increase student enrolment and retention, from China and the US in particular. The 2+2 transfer agreements with several Chinese universities are resulting in increased numbers of international students from China entering our programs. Xinxin Zhu, has been working directly with Dr Guangyu Wang, Director of Asian Strategies, to support these students in their transition to UBC as well she coordinates the study group to China. Currently, Chinese students represent the largest proportion of our international students.
Outstanding Students
Olivia Sanchez, a Natural Resources Conservation student (Major in Global Perspectives) , was chosen to receive this year’s Canadian Institute of Forestry Gold Medal, recognizing her as the most outstanding student of this year’s graduating class. Aside from her strong academics, Olivia has been an active student member and an outstanding ambassador for the Faculty of Forestry. Examples of her UBC involvement include being part of the International Forestry Students Association and coordinator of the Tandem UBC Language Exchange. In addition, Olivia has never turned down an opportunity to speak with current and prospective UBC students about her experience in this Faculty.
6 UBC Faculty of Forestry
Denise Wong BBA Assistant, Undergraduate Programs 604.822.1834 denise.wong@ubc.ca
Xinxin Zhu BSc, MF Assistant, Asian Strategies 604.822.3570 zinzin.zhu@ubc.ca
Forestry Mentoring Program
This year’s program was the largest yet with 20 triads participating. Most of the mentors were Forestry alumni and co-op employers including industry and government professionals, natural resources and forestry consultants, entrepreneurs and retirees. The program encourages students to build professional networks, and improve their time management, leadership and communications skills. Mentors further develop their leadership and coaching skills, while strengthening their connections to UBC and the Faculty of Forestry.
Student Events
This year’s Forestry Undergraduate Society (FUS) executive and representatives were: Barbara Wong, Margarete Dettlaff, Owen Johnston, Vince Luu, Hannah Tench, Dominique Dirocco, Ashley Aperocho, Joyce Ip, Carolyn King, Elizabeth Gleasure, Anthony Melnick, Maddie Crowell, Duncan Walters and Parker Grimes. Student Services worked with the FUS to organize and support the following student events: • “Imagine” – the university-wide orientation session on the first day of classes; • Forestry Week – our week to showcase our Faculty to the campus; • Trip to Quebec City – for the Canadian Institute of Forestry (CIF) conference and the nationwide Forestry Student Quiz Bowl competition; • Dean’s Welcome Back BBQ – a well-attended annual function; • CIF Chili Cookoff – this year won by 2 of our dual citizens from the beautiful island of Hawaii; • International Food Extravaganza – a sampling of studentprepared dishes from the world over; • CIF Silver Ring Ceremony – our graduation celebration held each spring and once again joined by students graduating from the BCIT forestry program. This year, graduates of the new Master of Sustainable Forest Management program were also awarded silver rings; and • “Coconut” – the legendary year-end event, held again this year at the UBC Farm.
PLANS FOR 2013 – 14 • Send a Forestry Quiz Bowl team to Corner Brook, Newfoundland for the 105th CIF Conference and AGM, where they will compete against college and university forestry teams from across Canada and, hopefully, bring back the Quiz Bowl trophy to UBC! • Find ways to improve and streamline Student Services activities to maximize recruitment and the overall student academic experience. • Continue to enhance the reputation of the Faculty of Forestry and increase awareness of our undergraduate programs, both on campus and beyond.