On Thursday, July 24, BE YU welcomed Black students to the All About York session, a vibrant event empowering new and returning students.

In August, new students were welcomed to the Project ADVANCE program, designed to support students with disabilities as they transition to university. The academic peer mentors successfully ran workshops, shared their experiences and created a supportive environment where students felt seen.

Orientation Week took place from August 25 to 29, with support from SCLD and organization from the College Councils. Events featured a variety of activities run by orientation leaders to support the transition of approximately 2,000 incoming students to the York University community.

The Mature Student Orientation session welcomed newly admitted mature students with an introduction to ACMAPS services and resilience strategies. It featured Diana Brecher’s 5-factor model and tools for personal growth. New students discovered campus resources to support well-being and success. 

The annual Open Doors York event took place on Tuesday, September 2. 40+ internal and external campus partners joined to welcome new students, showing them all that York has to offer. Events included outdoor activities, prizes, campus tours and an exciting campus resource fair. 

SAS participated in Open Doors York, with the theme of ableism and allyship. Students played “spot the ableism,” then shared ideas for how to be strong allies on the Ally Wall while learning about SAS supports and services.

Transfer Student Orientation brought new transfer students together to explore challenges, understand strategies for success and learn about essential campus resources. The session equipped students with the necessary tools to thrive academically and personally at York University. 

BE YU’s fifth annual Welcome Event, themed Rooted in Excellence, featured a keynote by alum Glory Ohikhena and a panel led by Damor McQueen with Awwal Abass, Mouna Aden and James Ehiagwina sharing insights on Black student success and community at York.

First- and upper-year students were welcomed on August 24 and September 2 to their home away from home – York's residences! On the same days, parents and families were welcomed to Family Orientation to learn about York's campus resources for their students. 

SAVY usage during the first week of September increased by 30% over last year, answering 1,315 student questions during the week compared to 1,065 in 2024. In terms of the top themes, almost 40% of all questions were related to tuition, payments, class schedules and OSAP.

The SRC received an update from Facilities Services this summer, including fresh flooring and paint to brighten the space. A Welcome Back event was held in August for student organizations, along with tabling at Open Doors York to invite students into the space. 

200+ Ask Me ambassadors are wearing badges and helping new students at all three GTA campuses until the end of September. The re-ignited campaign fosters a welcoming environment and strengthens our sense of community by making it easier for everyone to navigate our campuses with confidence. 

The Markham Student Council is a student organization that prioritizes amplifying student voices and fostering a sense of community.