Incoming AUP Students Discover Paris in Spring Orientation 2019

A new year often signals a new beginning and life at AUP is no different. This year, as every year, we welcomed global explorers from across the world for Spring Orientation. Over 150 students started out on their AUP journeys, up 20% on previous years, with a particular increase in the number of transfer students joining incoming freshmen, visiting students and graduate students.  

Though smaller scale than Fall Orientation, we nevertheless welcomed inquiring minds from 19 countries, speaking 24 languages, that represent the deeply diverse nature of our student body. They took part in a week-long series of events organized to help smooth the transition to studying at the University and to life in the French capital.

Information sessions throughout the week helped students get to grips with wide-ranging topics both academic and social, from the library’s “Know Your Tools” talk to the student- and staff-led consent workshop “Defining Our Social Culture.” An invaluable session on life in Paris covered skills like accessing French health care and banking services, while a workshop on personal security made sure students were well prepared for keeping safe whether at home in Paris or traveling abroad. 

New arrivals then had the opportunity to discover the city and get to know their peers through guided tours with their student advisors. Braving the January chill, participants learned to navigate Paris’s metro system while exploring well-known locations such as Place de la République and the Canal St Martin. The day was topped off with a scenic boat ride down the Seine in an iconic Parisian bateau mouche. 

On Friday, the Welcome Fair provided a taste of what to expect from university life, from perusing information on our cultural program excursions and study trips to scoping out the varied clubs and publications managed by our student body. The Fair also showcased activism on campus and was attended by representatives of the Student Government Association while providing information on student causes like AUP for Consent, Diversity and Culture Club and AUP Artistic Freedom. We were proud to see the passion of our student community so clearly on display to its newest members. 

These opportunities are brought together in the new student-facing AUP Engage platform, also prominent at the Welcome Fair. Gathering together student-led activities with extra-curricular and co-curricular initiatives like the Global Professional Skills Program (GPS), AUP Engage acts as a one-stop shop for all on-campus activity, providing the perfect launchpad for students starting out at AUP.