STORY BY SAMANTHA MAICH
The SCAET building was packed with prospective students and parents during Sheridan’s Open House on Saturday, which featured displays and representatives from each program offered at Trafalgar.
Andrew Lee, head of Sheridan Security, estimated there were about 1,000 people on campus during the Open House, and compared it to a regular day in September.
Lee said both ends of the parking lot were open with security guards and signs directing traffic, and parking was free that day. Security also informed guests about Sheridan’s SafeWalk program.
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Konrad Krzewinski, student ambassador for Internet Communications and Technology, said he mainly teaches guests what to expect in their program from the viewpoint of a student.
Krzewinski said the most difficult part of his program is learning to think like a technical engineer. He said there is a lot of math, but Sheridan also provides more hands-on knowledge than other colleges, which allowed him to get a job within the first month after finishing the program.
Krzewinski also gave tours specific to his program when requested. This mainly consisted of showing guests “the fishbowl down the stairs”, or the computer lab in SCAET with the creator of Pretty Good Privacy, a form of cryptography, on the door.
The Sheridan STARS, students who work for the college by providing information to prospective students on campus and at college fairs, offered frequent campus tours during the Open House. They also give regular tours throughout the year.
“It’s amazing,” said Khansa Akram, a Sheridan STARS rep, while giving guests maps and directing them toward their program’s area. Akram said the directions placed on the floors were really helping and “people seem to know where they’re going.”
Kathleen Maguire, a prospective student, was visiting to look around campus and find out more about her program. She was first interested in fashion, but Sheridan didn’t have the type of fashion she was looking for.
She heard about the changing displays in B-Wing from her sister, an Art Fundamentals student, and became interested in Visual Merchandising Arts. She likes the idea of looking at something and styling it how she wants. “I hope it’s what I expect,” said Maguire.
Maguire’s other choice is Seneca College, but as a Mississauga resident who doesn’t want to stay in residence, Sheridan is her first choice.
“I just like cartoons,” said Eve Tsalavoutas, explaining why she wants to be an Animation student. She said she wants to take part in the creative process, and her art teacher recommended Sheridan because of its reputation in Animation.
Arielle Joseph is another prospective Animation student who came to the Open House to learn how to start her portfolio to get into the program. She and her father, Rick Joseph, were also looking into admission information.
“It’s first in Animation, and I like Sheridan,” said her dad. He is aware that most animation students from Sheridan get jobs quickly, and that will factor into their choice of college.
Ally Paul, a residence coordinator, said the main questions from guests are “when do applications start”, “how many students do you have,” and registration inquires. Paul gave out brochures with residence information inside when asked or redirected guests.
The residence staff matched prospective students with people in their programs for tours around the first residence. They showed the suites and other shared spaces, but Paul said some students are leaving home for the first time and the biggest payoff was from talking to the guide about the experience.
Jenny Croben and Stephen Best, parents of a prospective student interested in Musical Theatre, took full use of the Open House. They saw the facility, spoke to the Drama and Dance instructors, attended a seminar about admissions, and planned to come back with their son another day for an individual tour.
They also said that all of the students they spoke to about the program were very positive. The only thing they were missing was a discussion with a vocal instructor, but hoped to find one at an information desk on their way back through SCATE.
Jessica Trotter, Student Admissions Rep with STARS, said they were holding seminars about admissions in room S235 describing how and where to apply for programs, including how to apply as an immigrant. Guests were invited to ask questions during the seminar.
