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Fall 2009 New Student Orientation
4 September 2009
Excitement and energy filled the air as hundreds of new students accepted for the Fall 2009 semester converged outside the Portia Smith Student Services Centre on The College's main campus and were orientated to their new environment of higher learning on Wednesday, August 19th.
The College accepted more than 1,800 new students and more than 1,300 of them enrolled for classes, representing a 20 percent increase over Fall 2008. Roughly 70 percent of new students are under the age of 20, with a female to male enrolment ratio of around 3:1.
"I think people are beginning to recognize the quality The College offers," said College President Ms. Janyne M. Hodder. "We are attracting some very good students who recognize that it is great to go to a university at home because you get to go to a university with future leaders and create a network of friends."
It is believed that the increase in new students accepted for enrolment at The College is the result of the prevailing economic environment and the suspension of the government's Guaranteed Educational Loan scheme.
Nursing major Rawlynshka Stubbs, a Grand Bahama native, is confident about her decision to move to New Providence in order to pursue her post secondary education at The College.
"In order for me to study Midwifery, I had to come to Nassau. This is now my home away from home. Nassau is not so far away that I can't visit home often," said Rawlynshka.
Orientation is a very important exercise for new students as they are acquainted with The College's administrators and leaders, told about expectations and given advice to help with their transition to post-secondary education.
As The College continues to respond to national needs, it has rolled out two new baccalaureate degree programmes: one in Small Island Sustainability [SIS] reflecting a pressing national challenge and the other in Spanish as the institution further expands its foreign languages curriculum.
Freshman and Engineering major, Michael Worrell, wants to use his profession to help The Bahamas become self-sustaining.
"I believe a degree in Engineering will allow Bahamians to produce their own technological advances and the production of better products instead of having to rely on anything worthwhile coming from somewhere else," said Michael.
The recently elected President of the College of The Bahamas Union of Students Jamaal Knowles played an instrumental role during New Student Orientation encouraging students to become active participants in The College and the wider community through volunteerism.
"I want students to see the possibilities, seek every possibility that The College of the Bahamas has to offer," he said. "If a student is interested in personal development and making The College a better place, I would encourage them to go to [the department of] Campus Life. They will direct them to the organizations that exist on campus."
The theme for the 2009 Orientation was Freshmen On A Mission [FOAM] and students were taken through various drills, icebreakers and campus tours ahead of Advisement and Registration.
Classes began on Monday August 24th.
Office of Communication
Tel: 302-4304
Email:communication@cob.edu.bs
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