Just Ask Me

Student Claire Humphrey gets pointed in the right direction by Dal staffers Deborah Lusby and Melissa MacKay. (Pearce photo)

Why do I need a DalCard and where do I get it?

WhereÕs the closest Tim HortonÕs?

How do I get to Sexton Campus from here?

Arriving on a university campus after high school canÕt be easy. ItÕs a big place, and to the newbie, everyone else seems to know instinctively where theyÕre going.

But a new initiative from Student Services aims to make the transition to university smoother. Just Ask Me.

More than 1,200 volunteers from all three Dalhousie campuses have signed up for the Ask Me! campaign. TheyÕre sporting Ask Me! buttons which invite students to approach them for help. Student Services has equipped volunteers with Frequently Asked Questions booklets, campus maps and MyGuide bookmarks. The information is also available online through the Student Services website.

ÒThe idea is to make the transition easier," says Melissa MacKay, financial administrator, Office of the Vice President, Student Services. ÒStudents new to campus usually have a lot of questions, but may or may not be comfortable asking. This way, we can identify the people willing to help."

Look for people to start wearing their pins on Wednesday, Aug. 29, when international students begin arriving for orientation. The Ask Me! campaign continues until Sept. 14.

Second-year MasterÕs student Claire Humphrey says the Ask Me! campaign should help make students feel more comfortable approaching people for help.

ÒI think itÕs great to see consistency, especially for place like Dal, where itÕs so big and the campuses are spread out," says Ms. Humphrey, from Campbellton, N.B. ÒIf youÕre not based on the main campus, you can feel isolated."

Faculty and staff can still get involved. Simply e-mail Ms. MacKay at melissa.mackay@dal.ca.