An open welcome

The Dalplex gym was wall-to-wall people Friday morning as hundreds of high school students and their parents came to Dal's Halifax campuses for Open House 2013.

They came from as far away as Alberta, New York and Newfoundland. And they came in record numbers: more than 1,300 students and nearly 300 parents. With the support of a large, enthusiastic crew of Dal volunteers, the visitors were treated to a whirlwind day of tours, classroom visits, the academic program expo and more.

Students Sagar Jha and Maggie Jane Parker were the morning's MCs, and President Florizone welcomed the students to Dal.

"We've got a really unique-in-Canada student body," he said. "Not only do we attract some of the best students from Nova Scotia, but we now attract more students from out-of-province than any other major research university in the country. I think that's a testament to the quality of the education here, the dynamism of the student life, and just what it's like to be part of this two centuries of academic excellence here on campus and also at our Truro campus."

As was the case last year, Dal offered on-site admissions that took the "waiting" out of the waiting game: simply by presenting their transcripts, their list of current Grade 12 classes and their registration fee, students could be admitted to Dal right on the spot. Nearly 400 students applied on Friday — again, a record number.

The day's roaring successes were a credit to everyone involved, said Open House 2013 co-chair Fiona Black.

"This year's increased numbers, the enthusiasm of attendees, and the significant increase in on-site applications are a testament to the superb work of hundreds of staff, faculty and student volunteers," said Dr. Black, associate vice-president academic.

The open welcome will continue next month as the Agricultural Campus hosts its version of Open House, called "Discovery Day," on Friday, November 15.

Dal's Danny Abriel was at Open House to capture some of the excitement in snapshots, but he was hardly the only photographer on site: attendees and Dal volunteers alike were encouraged to capture the afternoon's sights and upload them to Instagram with the hashtag "#DalhousieU." Check our Storify below for some of the highlights.