Welcoming Newcomers Program: Supporting Students Affected by Conflict

The David Turpin and Suromitra Sanatani Award for Refugees and Displaced Persons provides financial support to students attending the University of Alberta. The 2021/22 school year will see the sixth group of students arriving from conflict-affected countries.

Read Newcomer to Volunteer: Ella Elazkany, President's Award recipient story

Read Aref Sayegh, President's Award recipient's story on how volunteers helped him settle into UAlberta

Call for Volunteers

The President's Award for Refugees and Displaced Persons is providing financial support to five new students for the upcoming academic year. These students are coming to us through WUSC, directly from asylum countries in the Middle East and Africa. We want to ensure these students feel welcome and have our support as they settle into life on campus and our city.

 

Show your support for newcomer students

We recruit volunteers each spring -- students, staff, faculty, alum or community members. We build small teams of diverse volunteers to support each student.

 

Volunteer responsibilities

• Welcome students at the airport (August 2021)
• Help students settle into campus and community life
• Provide social support

Volunteers must commit their time for one year with the expectation of being in touch with a student a minimum of two times a month. Volunteers are also expected to attend a student dinner or an activity two times per term.

Volunteers must be available to attend two training sessions at 5:00 - 9:00 pm, on June 15 and 22, 2021.

Please note, these responsibilities will be adapted based on the situation with COVID-19.

* We are no longer accepting applications for fall 2021. Please check back in spring 2022 to support next year's cohort.