Mature Student First-Year Experience Program

Our series of in-person sessions will help participants identify their strengths, learn about academic supports on campus, build their academic skills, and make connections to other students.  All newly admitted Mature and transfer students are welcome to take part. Below are the current workshops we plan to host over the fall/winter terms. A schedule of sessions and a registration link will be posted on this site by early September. All sessions are free of charge and students may attend as many or as few as they wish.

 

• A mature student’s guide to York’s campus resources York is a big place with lots of supports and resources in place to support mature students on their academic journey. Join us for a quick virtual tour of some of the key resources on campus.  Register Here
  Location: 111 Central Square | Facilitator: Nicholas Legacy

 

• Reading & Note-Taking Many students find keeping up with the readings and lecture notes at university to be a real challenge. Learn more effective reading and note taking techniques to help you stay on top of your course work. No Registration Required. Dates: Oct 6th 11:30-12:30, Oct 12th 3:30-4:30, Oct 25th (Held in Bethune 203)| Location: Sound & Moving Image Library | Facilitator: Learning Skills Services

 

• Critical Thinking Skills Some times the questions are more important than the answers! This session provides an overview of critical thinking strategies that can be applied in a wide array of classroom settings. Register Here  Location: 111 Central Square | Facilitator: Suzanne Kennedy

 

• Exam Prep  Multiple choice, short answer, calculations, or essay style – which form is your personal nemesis? Whatever the format, midterms or finals, if you could use some help in preparing for exams, then this workshop is for you! No Registration Required. Dates: Oct 2nd 10:00-11:00, Oct 11th 11:00-12:00, Oct 17th 3:30-4:30, Oct 30th 11:30-12:30 |  Location: Sound & Moving Image Library | Facilitator: Learning Skills Services

 

• Time Management for academic and personal success Juggling a new role as student into an already busy life can challenge even the best time managers. How do you find time to do it all and stay well in the process? Join us for tips on striking the right balance as you strive for academic and personal success. Register Here  Location: 111 Central Square | Facilitator:  Meha Soni

 

• Citations 101  MLA or APA essay formatting styles have you confused? An upper-year peer mentor will show you the ins and outs of accessing the resources you need to make you an MLA/APA wiz! Register Here  Location: 111 Central Square | Facilitator:  Leanne Wood-Smith

 

• Introductory Computer Skills for mature students  Feeling the willies about Word? Wandering aimlessly on the web? All muddled about Moodle? Join us for a quick overview of some of the key computing tools you’ll need to succeed at York. Register Here  Location: 111 Central Square | Facilitator:  Virgina Villagomez-Soto

 

• Who am I: Career Explorations  This fun and interactive board game will get you started exploring your personality, interests, skills, accomplishments, desires and curiosities. You’ll develop your own personal profile as you gain insights into the most important aspect of career decision making: YOU! Register Here  Location: 103 McLaughlin College | Facilitator: Dianne Twombly (Career Centre)

 

• A mature student’s guide to stress management and healthy life-style  Research shows that juggling roles of worker, parent, partner/spouse, care-giver and student can exact a toll on your well-being. In this interactive workshop we’ll take you through a variety of stress management and wellness strategies to help you be at your best all year long. Register Here  Location: 111 Central Square | Facilitator:  Meha Soni

 

• Mindfulness Meditation  Join us for a weekly 45-minute meditation session led by Scott Pope, Liaison at ACMAPS. Prepare your mind to reduce stress and increase your concentration.  Register Here  Location: 111 Central Square | Facilitator:  Scott Pope

 

• What courses do I need? How Academic Advising supports your success  With hundreds of courses across so many areas of study available to you, how can you make sure not only that you’re choosing the right courses but that you’re making the most of your educational opportunity? Join us for one of our most popular sessions and learn the ins and outs of academic pathway planning. Register Here  Location: 111 Central Square | Facilitator:  Karen Tait

 

• There’s more to University than just what happens in the classroom Being serious about school doesn’t mean you can’t get involved in campus life. In fact, research and students alike tell us that even a couple of hours of participation in a University club, on-campus job, lecture series or community event can help you build your network, ease the stress of school and even contribute positively to your academic performance. Join us to unravel this seeming contradiction and get involved on campus. Register Here  Location: 111 Central Square | Facilitator:  Nicholas Legacy

 

• Getting your needs met: an introduction to self-advocacy Not feeling heard? Too often deferring to what others decide for you? Through self-advocacy you can learn to speak up for yourself and your own needs in ways that respect yourself and others. In this session you’ll identify areas in your own life where self-advocacy is called for and practice strategies for getting your needs met. Register Here  Location: 111 Central Square | Facilitator:  Virgina Villagomez-Soto

 

• Presentation Skills  Does the thought of presenting in front of a group give you the jitters?  If so, you're not alone.  This workshop will provide you with essential tools that will allow you to effectively develop and deliver a presentation. Dates: Oct 10th 3:00-4:00, Oct 19th 3:30-4:30 Location: Sound & Moving Image Library | Facilitator:  Learning Skills Services

 

• Writing Tips Term paper coming due? Essay to write? Academic writing can be a challenge. This workshop will help you plan, organize and fine-tune your writing, from picking a topic, right through to final proofreading.
  Dates: Oct 4th 11:00-12:00, Oct 16th 10:30-11:30 | Location: Sound & Moving Image Library | Facilitator:  Learning Skills Services

 

• Managing conflict in personal and professional settings  We don’t always see eye to eye. In fact, sometimes we find ourselves in conflict with our classmates, our family members or our co-workers. How we manage disagreements has the potential to build relationships and resolve otherwise intractable differences. Join us to learn some key strategies for conflict management. Register Here 
  Location: 111 Central Square | Facilitator:  Mastoureh Alvandkouhy

 

• Information literacy/library skills  Looking for some guidance on finding library resources? Don’t get lost wandering rows and rows of books. Join us for an introduction on navigating York’s wealth of physical and electronic library materials.
  Location: TBD | Facilitator:  TBD

 

• Positive Space Positive Space Training is provided by the Centre for Human Rights at York University. The session aims to create positive safe space on York’s campuses. This workshop wil help you lean to respect differences and different aspects of all gender and sexual identities and create a space for you to be included in York’s ongoing conversations and commitment to inclusion (via SexGen York).
  Location: TBD | Facilitator:  TBD

 

• A mature student’s guide to what’s expected in the classroom  So, you made it to University. But how can you make sure you are doing what’s required of you in your courses? Join us for an informative session on university culture, instructors’ expectations, and how to thrive in the classroom.
  Location: TBD | Facilitator:  TBD

 

• Mature Student finances  Paying for school can be a serious business. Recent changes to OSAP mean that you may be eligible for grants and loans from the Ontario government to offset the cost of tuition and books. Scholarships and bursaries offered by York can also help make ends meet. Join us for an overview of some key deadlines and the variety of ways you can help fund your education.
  Location: TBD | Facilitator:  TBD

 

• Building personal and professional support networks  Don’t do school alone!  More than ever, we live in a networked world reliant on the interconnections we have with others. In this workshop we’ll look at tried and true strategies for building personal and professional support networks. Location: TBD | Facilitator:  TBD

 

• Giving back – the values and benefits of Volunteering  Sharing your time, expertise and energies can be a great way to contribute to the common good. In this session we’ll discuss why volunteering may be right for you and we’ll look at a number of volunteering starting places right here on campus.
  Location: TBD | Facilitator:  TBD

ACMAPS also provides access to select topics available in our in-person sessions the Mature Student First-Year Experience Program content via a series of online modules. The online modules are available on Moodle, an interactive learning platform used throughout York to deliver course content online. It is available 24-7 and lets you set your own pace for learning. It is a great way to supplement your experience in the in-person workshops or to access a particular topic on a just-in-time basis. Access to these modules is available free to currently enrolled York students.

To find out more about the Mature Student First-Year Experience Program Online and how to navigate Moodle, please view the presentation below: Navigating the Mature Student First-Year Experience Program on Moodle

 

Register for the FYE Program