New students soon to arrive for semester 2 intake

Orientation activities are about to start afresh for a whole bunch of new and returning students at Southern Cross University for Semester 2.

The orientation program runs from Monday, June 22 to Friday, July 17 and is jam-packed full of fun activities and informative sessions and workshops designed to ensure that new and returning students get to know each other, the towns where they will be living, and the services and support networks provided at each campus at Lismore, Tweed Gold Coast and Coffs Harbour.

The program offers course information sessions, essential academic support sessions and campus and CBD tours, plus free food and social and sporting activities.

A fabulous event open to students on all campuses is the U Film Fest, a national event coordinated by the Australasian Campus Activities Association. This is the first year that Southern Cross University students have been able to participate in this exciting project.

The competition is open to all university students and is about having fun making a film - not necessarily a super-polished, broadcast-quality production, but something simple where you come up with an idea, grab a camera or mobile phone and get busy!

Southern Cross University students can make their ‘U Film’ about anything they want: it can be funny, it can be sad, it can be crazy, it can be whatever they feel like doing. It doesn't matter if it’s an animation or a documentary or some new type of new film style that they have invented.

Entries close on Monday, July 6.

In the final week of the orientation program, ‘Beat the Stress Week’ there will be a premiere screening of selected entries from the U Film Fest competition on Tuesday, July 14, from 6pm, in Y-205, at the Lismore campus. The screening is being held in conjunction with the University’s Mixed Up Reels Film Club and is sponsored by OSCA.

There is an exciting opportunity for University staff, students and the public to attend an inspirational presentation on ‘Hope, Resilience and Tenacity’ by Dr Mieke Witsel from the School of Tourism and Hospitality Management. This will be held in Y-205 from 1pm to 2pm, on Thursday, July 16, at the Lismore campus.

Coffs Harbour campus will feature social activities such as free swing dance lessons, a wine and fondue night, an ice-breaker party, games and karaoke night and a dance party.

At the Tweed Gold Coast campus students will enjoy live entertainment, a wine and cheese evening, free yoga sessions, a table tennis competition, soccer and a welcome barbecue with live music.

All campuses will host an official welcome to students and Tweed and Lismore will also run a welcome to Kuntri ceremony.

There will also be a celebration of Pride Week in conjunction with ACON, an organisation promoting the health and wellbeing of NSW’s gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) community, at the Unibar, Lismore campus, on Friday, June 26, from 6pm. $5 entry includes light refreshments and a screening of ‘The Rocky Horror Picture Show’, with prizes for the best costume.

Pride Week is an international celebration of the rich diversity of GLBT communities.

You can find the full semester 2 orientation program details for all campuses at www.scu.edu.au/orientation

Photo: Getting ready to take part in the U Film Fest are Bachelor of Media Studies students Alana Rauert and Jacob Bray.