King's programs ensure students are well supported and well connected

As we prepare for the arrival of new and returning students for the Fall Term, King’s Student Affairs strives to enable a first-year and first-time experience where all students can engage, feel supported and become part of our community.

To do so, the Student Affairs team will utilize a holistic approach which involves looking beyond just academics to focus on the whole person. “(Students) come here with lives beyond King’s. We take that into account as we design services. We want to empower students’ strengths so they can have fulfilling experience,” says Joe Henry, Dean of Students.

King’s has continued to enhance the many programs designed to support students in making an easy transition to life on campus at King’s, including Campus Connection, International Bridging Week and OWeek, as well as services including the Be, Become and Belong Series and The King’s Promise Program.

“This is a place for everyone. We don’t have a ‘cookie-cutter, one size fits all size approach.’ You are never a number to us; you are an individual that matters. That’s how we design our programs and services. Our students are well supported and well connected,” says Henry.

To that end, several initiatives will take place this fall. The BIPOC Support Group will return for a third year and the Mature Student Transition Assistance Program continues to be enhanced. There will also be a 2SLGBTQIA+ Support Group which is new this year and will begin in October, with support from the Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Decolonization (EDID) office.

The feedback from students is that they are using and appreciating the services. In the case of Accessibility, Counselling and Student Development (ACSD), 1168 students utilized ACSD’s services in 2022, of which 33% identified as Indigenous, Black or Persons of Colour. During the most recent satisfaction survey, 93% of students rated Personal Counselling as good or excellent and 80% felt welcomed and supported on campus.

However, the services and programs provided by the King’s teams will not remain static. “Every year, it evolves. We do different things and put new programs in place. We’re listening to our students and their feedback,” says Henry. King’s partnership with Western also allows students to access additional programs and services there.

Henry says the services and programs offered by King’s and Western help break down barriers. “I hope students see something that will appeal to them and meets their needs. At the same time, it will foster their connection to the community and the campus.”

“We want students to know they will contribute to their own well-being and academic success as well as a positive campus by getting connected to our services. That’s why our services are here, because we want our students to succeed,” says Henry.