Purpose of Newsletter

Student Growth and Development

Ongoing Training and Development

Student Leadership

Special Events and Info

Don Spotlight

Birthdays

Challenge

Don Diaries...

ISSUE 2

Purpose

The Residence Life Management Team is sending this newsletter out to

Dons on a bi-weekly basis.

Our hopes are to:

Provide Dons with information outside of Big and Small Team Meetings.

To keep Residence Life staff connected.

To give Dons a hard copy of important information.

We really hope you enjoy reading these!

Don’t ever hesitate to send feedback to reslife@uwaterloo.ca.

SGD: Maximize Potential

Upcoming Maximize Potential Sessions

Embrace 2.0– Wednesday, January 29th @10:15pm UWP WES

Student Skills 102– Thursday, January 30th @ 8:15pm V1GH

Embrace 2.0– Sunday, February 2nd @ 8:15pm REV NQL

Ongoing Training and

Development

Informing High School Students about College and University Culture, Services and Programs

“If only I knew then what I know now”

How often have you found yourself thinking that you would have done something different if you only knew then what you know now? Given that hindsight is 20/20 and there is much to be gained by “paying it forward,” we invite you to share your insights as current students with those enter-ing the postsecondary system. Your thoughts and tips will help equip high school students with a more informed understanding of college and

university culture, services and programs.

Through our research, students have shared that they often learn of services and programs that support student success through random discov-ery, learning from their peers, and faculty referral during moments of crisis or need. We have also learned that most students wish to know what opportunities exist on campus and who to contact early in their studies and certainly before a moment of panic strikes. Students enter college and

university with the intention of building their knowledge base and resumé for the future but often lack the blueprint of how to do so.

The Supporting Student Success research project is developing a youth outreach website entitled,Blueprints for Student Success, to assist with transitions from high school to college and university. Our website will provide a blueprint or framework of the service areas in place at postsec-ondary campuses to support student success; what these service areas typically do; questions students can ask upon visiting each area; and inventive initiatives and programs they may wish to get engaged in! We are also preparing a frequently asked questions (FAQ) section highlight-ing important inquiries students typically have upon admission and enrolment, student experience videos and weekly news articles and feature

pieces.

Your Task:

Help develop the Student FAQ section of our website! Please complete a brief five-question surveyand provide us with your insights.

http://fluidsurveys.com/s/StudentFAQ_BlueprintsforStudentSuccess/

If your browser is unable to go directly to the link embedded above, please copy and paste the following address in a new browser window:

http://fluidsurveys.com/s/StudentFAQ_BlueprintsforStudentSuccess/

The responses you provide will be featured and helping students to navigate the transition from high school to postsecondary as early as Spring

2014!

Student Leadership

STUDENT LEADERSHIP AWARDS!

Each year, Waterloo Residence Life Student Leadership Awards are offered by the Depart-

ment of Housing and Residences to residents. These awards are valued at $500 each, and are

offered to residents who have been actively involved in extracurricular and/or volunteer activi-

ties in residence, and who are leaders in their residence community.

These awards are presented in honour of past Residence Life Co-ordinators who have made

significant impacts to the Residence Life Program through their leadership contributions. The

student must have lived in a Waterloo residence community during the current academic year,

and be in good academic standing in their program/faculty to be eligible for an award.

Nominations will be sent out and will be open for a month, starting on Monday February 3rd

!

Residents can be nominated by other residents, Dons, and Peer Leaders.

Both nominees and nominators will be invited to attend the Student Leadership Awards Ban-

quet that will take place in March!

SUPERHEROES OF TOMORROW!

Special Events and Info

2014-2015 Community Coordinator Position

Applications are open until this upcoming Sun Feb 2nd at 11:59 pm.

Waterloo Residences is currently seeking candidates for our Community Coordinator (CC) paraprofessional program for the 2014-2015 academic year. Becoming a Community Coordi-nator is an excellent platform for recent or upcoming graduates interested in seeking oppor-tunities in Residence Life and/or Student Affairs. For more information about the position, please visit the application link for a job description. Applications will be accepted until Sun Feb 2nd and interviews carried out through the end of February. All applicants will be con-tacted the first week of March. If you have any questions or would like more information

about the role, please do not hesitate to reach out to Franco Solimano (UWCP RLC) at fsoli-man@uwaterloo.ca or to another member of the RLMT. Thank you for your interest in this

opportunity at Waterloo Residences and for helping spread this message!

Applications now open at: http://apps.housing.uwaterloo.ca/hiring/Coordinator/CoordinatorApp.aspx

Special Events and Info

DON SPOTLIGHT

Village 1 South/West

Although this community almost sounds like a child of Kanye West, trust me, they are much, much cooler. Holding down the V1 South Quad is Anike, Nicketta, Diljyot, Caitlin, Chris, Taylor, Corinne and Darien. And in the North side we have Brian, Zehra, Emma, Bri and Amanda. And we can’t forget their bad to the bone supervisor, Sasha Keith!

Happy Birthday to… !

February

Mike Taylor 2nd

Cathline Alexander 5th

Sand Moshi 19th

Anand Ganeshalingam 22nd

Karlena Waugh 23rd

Ananya Chattoraj 20th

Thank you for

reading!

Issue 2 Challenge:

What is your cool talent?!

Email your responses to

Sudhershi at

reslife@uwaterloo.ca.

Shout Outs?

Send them to reslife@uwaterloo.ca to be

featured on the next Don Diaries.

To stay active during the cold months!

- Brian Cunha

To stay organized and do more hot yoga.

- Karlena

To continue going to the gym for at least 4 hours a week.

- Kelcie

Learn to cook.

- Harsh

To drink more

water.

- Cathline

2014

Resolutions

from MLK!