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Start your winter semester with confidence

Start your winter semester with confidence

Whether you are new to UFV or simply continuing your studies, orientation is a sure way to get ready for the start of the semester.

Tl'etl'axel: student orientation

UFV/Tl'etl'axel: student orientation/Orientation ambassadors

Orientation ambassadors

Are you looking to gain volunteer experience while making a difference on campus? Join the Orientation Ambassador program!

Make new friends, learn new skills, and give back by supporting new students beginning their studies at UFV.

Volunteer for orientation

Share your knowledge and advice with new students by supporting orientation activities in a volunteer position that meets your personal interests and strengths.

There are several different Ambassador volunteer roles available to help welcome new students to our UFV community. You’re encouraged to volunteer for multiple roles to support orientation programming as they are announced by the orientation staff.

Click on a title to find out more about each role:

Time commitment: 2-hour panel, plus training

The “How to University Student Panel” is an opportunity for you to share your experience as a UFV student and to answer pressing questions from incoming students. This panel will be designed to ensure time for connection with incoming students and will be an excellent opportunity for growth in speaking to a large group of people. Your responsibility in this role will be to be respectful of the incoming student experience, to speak with the understanding that you are representing UFV and its students, and to engage students in a meaningful and personalized way. You will be part of a panel of current students who will all have the chance to share their experiences and engage the incoming students. 

Completing self-paced online training via Blackboard, and attending a half-day in person training session on campus is mandatory for this role.

Time commitment: Up to 5 hours, plus training

UFV’s Day ONE: Welcome to campus event offers incoming students a chance to meet the President, Faculty Deans, Support Staff, and fellow students, and a chance to see the campus and socialize with the UFV Community. There will also be a services fair to showcase the support resources and engagement opportunities available to UFV students. Your role during the Day ONE event will be to assist in the setup of the Services Fair and will include tasks such as setting up chairs, tables, and similar equipment.

Completing self-paced online training via Blackboard, and attending a half-day in person training session on campus is mandatory for this role.

Time commitment: Up to 4 hours, plus training

UFV’s Day ONE: Welcome to campus event offers incoming students a chance to meet the President, Faculty Deans, Support Staff, and fellow students, and a chance to see the campus and socialize with the UFV Community. There will also be a services fair to showcase the support resources and engagement opportunities available to UFV students.  Your role during the Day ONE event will be to greet students and help them find their seats for the invocation ceremony, answer their questions and encourage them to participate in engagement activities before the ceremony begins, and to lead them from the North Gym to their assigned room of their Faculty Welcome session

Completing self-paced online training via Blackboard, and attending a half-day in person training session on campus is mandatory for this role.

Time commitment: min. 3 hours (self-sign up), plus training 

Ask Me Stations are booths set up throughout the campus that allow students to stop and ask questions as they move from classes. These stations will receive inquiries, such as where a classroom is, who to see about a particular concern or inquiry, and so much more. We will provide you with common questions that can be expected from incoming students. You may also have to act on the fly and use your critical thinking skills to assist students in real time. Your commitment to UFV and your understanding of UFV’s services is important in this role. Ample training will be provided for this particular area.

Completing self-paced online training via blackboard, and attending a half-day in person training session on-campus is mandatory for this role.

Time commitment: 5 hours (3x tours over various dates), plus training

Tour Guides will offer incoming students a comprehensive and exciting wayfinding experience. These tours will consist of showing students around campus, allowing folks to ask questions, creating opportunities for engagement, such as facilitating icebreakers upon waiting for the group the assemble, and ensuring that the language being used is in alignment with UFV institutional. Voice projection and volume must be considered with this role as we are attempting to maintain the attention of many folks at once and accommodate accessibility requirements. Scripts are available for this role and students will be asked to use these scripts (while adding your own flair to it) to ensure they offer students the most from this on-campus experience. Tours will take place at the Abbotsford and Chilliwack campuses, so please indicate if you can do tours for both or only one campus.

Completing self-paced online training via Blackboard, and attending a half-day in person training session on campus is mandatory for this role.

Recommended skills and experience

  • Must have completed at least 8 semesters at UFV by the start of the term
  • History of campus and/or community involvement
  • Knowledge of UFV services & involvement opportunities
  • Ability to work independently and as a team
  • Responsible, reliable, able to manage own schedule and commitments
  • Friendly and approachable
  • Strong presentation, engagement, and facilitation skills (for Campus tours)
  • Knowledge of social media platforms (for Facebook community building)
  • Strong interpersonal and communication skills
  • Willingness to engage in self-reflection and to receive feedback for job performance & professional development
  • Comfortable working with diverse student populations with a strong commitment to diversity and inclusion

Training information

As an orientation ambassador, you'll need to complete online and in-person training before you can start your shifts.

  • Self-paced online content available: TBD
  • In-person training (mandatory) on: TBD

Wondering what's in it for you?

Volunteering offers plenty of development opportunities and benefits. Here is what you can expect to gain as an orientation ambassador: 

  • Receive training and mentoring to build skills related to your role
  • Develop and enhance communication and interpersonal skills
  • Develop and enhance understanding of diversity, inclusion, and equity
  • Making a difference in the lives of new UFV students while giving back to the UFV community
  • Connect with your peers, and make new friends
  • A letter of acknowledgement upon successful completion of the program
  • A super cool t-shirt

How to apply

To apply for a position, please complete the online Orientation Ambassador Interest form.

Note: You can fill out the form at any time of the year. When we are ready to recruit and train new volunteer ambassadors for the upcoming semester, you'll get an email from a member of the orientation team with information on how to participate. 

Apply now

 

Please note: you may not receive an immediate reply from the Orientation staff after submitting this form. Volunteers on this list will be contacted a few months before the start of each semester to support Fall, Winter, and Summer semester orientation for new students.

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