Experience Acadia Day 2011

Sisters Hannah and Jessie Sinclair choose Acadia.

If first impressions are lasting, then Acadia University expects to see many of the more than 200 high school students who visited campus today back again in September.

Students from across Nova Scotia and some from as far away as Bermuda arrived this morning for Experience Acadia Day 2011 to get an inside look at university life. In addition to welcomes, presentations, and mini lecture halls, students were treated to lunch and offered on-the-spot admission and assistance with course registration.

For fun, they assembled in teams and competed in an Acadia-version of The Amazing Race – running around campus to gather clues as they vied for iPod shuffles.

“Making the decision to attend a university can be a difficult process,” says Leigh-Ann Murphy, manager of Student Recruitment. “At Acadia, we like to make it simple and straightforward. Attending an information session lets students and their families not only understand what Acadia can offer, but how they can make a smooth transition and embark on the next step in their education.”

Jessie and Hannah Sinclair live in Coldbrook, NS and attend Northeast Kings Educational Centre (NKEC). The two Grade 12 students are not only sisters, but twins, and both 17-year-olds are registered to attend Acadia in the fall.

While having lunch at Wheelock Hall, Jessie says Experience Acadia Day, “has been really awesome. I came for the open house and I really love how they make you feel not like a number. We went to many open houses at other places, but the one here was so organized and so good.”

“It feels like you’re family here,” Hannah adds. “It feels like you’re part of something and that you’re going to leave with more than just a degree - a lot of memories.”

Kalana Schoonhoven (Acadia Class of ’92) of Cambridge, NS brought her daughter Rebecca to the event. She says she had a very positive experience while a student at Acadia and wants to share that with the next generation. She added that Rebecca is very interested in nutrition and dietetics and the program at Acadia is one of the best.

Rebecca adds, “I’ve loved it so far. It’s small and I feel like I’ll be able to know everyone around me.”

Echoing her mother’s sentiments, she says that she chose to explore Acadia because it has one of the best schools of nutrition and dietetics in Canada.

Rebecca Pacheco came all the way from Bermuda to participate. Two of her aunts attended Acadia and a university tour last year helped to convince her that Acadia was the place for her.  A prospective music student, Pacheco planned originally to be in Wolfville Saturday to audition for Applied Music courses, but when she learned Experience Acadia was the day before, she jumped at the chance to join in.

“It’s like home,” she says of the atmosphere. She finds the campus size agreeable, there’s a sense of familiarity and “they don’t e-mail me with just a number.” She says her name is on all correspondence and she likes that. “I’m safe, it’s really is like I’m at home and I don’t even know where I’m going on campus or in town."

For those who missed Experience Acadia Day 2011, the campus offers personal tours. Just visit http://4u.acadiau.ca for details.

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