Dear ULethbridge Community,
The start of the new academic year is always exciting, and the commencement of the fall 2022 term is especially meaningful. This is the first time since 2019 that the University of Lethbridge community has been together for the start of the academic year. If you are new to ULethbridge, a very special welcome to you.
It’s been incredibly exciting to see our campuses begin to come alive again. Over the last few weeks, we’ve seen nearly 60 first-year students on campus to take part in the Early Start Experience program offered through the School of Liberal Education and more than 30 residence assistants receive training to welcome nearly 1,000 students to campus residence during move-in weekend. And just yesterday, more than 1,000 students attended New Student Orientation to learn more about the incredible opportunities available to them at ULethbridge, meet new classmates, and connect with professors and staff members who will guide them throughout their ULethbridge journey.
From ensuring our grounds and facilities are looking their best to preparing for courses, programming, services, events and the operations that happen behinds the scenes, the start of the new term is a tremendous undertaking that involves every member of our University community. To each and every staff and faculty member, thank you for your efforts in ensuring a memorable start for ULethbridge students and helping them have a successful semester.
As the fall term gets underway, I invite everyone to take advantage of the many opportunities to connect with colleagues and friends. These include the ULethbridge Art Gallery’s Welcome Bash, Horns Recreation programming and classes, and one of the newest additions to our Lethbridge campus, the ULethbridge Disc Golf Course, to name just a few. Welcome booths will be set up on the Calgary Campus from Sept. 6 to 13, and on the Lethbridge Campus, the Welcome Back BBQ will take place at noon in the Science Commons Atrium on September 14. Everyone is invited to cheer on the Pronghorns at the Horns Triple Header on Sept. 17 and to the official opening of the Iikaisskini (Low Horn) Gathering Centre on Sept. 22.
With our campus community back together again for an in-person, full-campus experience, safety remains a top priority. The Return to Campus committee will continue monitoring the ongoing COVID-19 situation and respond as necessary.
Our return to campus this fall is serendipitous in that it’s also the 50th anniversary of the grand opening of University Hall, which was officially opened in September 1972. Thanks to our collective efforts and the support of our community, we will welcome more than 8,000 students from nearly 100 countries around the world to our campuses in Lethbridge and Calgary, and we now have more than 50,000 alumni making important contributions in communities locally, provincially, nationally and globally.
As we move ahead in the coming months, we will continue to enhance academic programs, teaching, research and creative achievement; create new and exciting opportunities for students, including extraordinary work-integrated learning and research experiences; and connect with communities around the world. The work we do today plays an important role in what the University and our region becomes tomorrow.
Wishing everyone a safe and wonderful semester.
Sincerely,
Mike Mahon, PhD
President & Vice-Chancellor