posted May 22: Mark May@Mac on your calendar
The flowers are blooming. The birds are chirping. Spring has sprung and it's May@Mac!
May 25 is the date of McMaster's second annual May@Mac, an open house for prospective students that runs from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. this Saturday.
Event organizers expect 5,000 to 6,000 high school students will come out to experience the wide variety of events on campus–everything from participating in an auction market, touring a trading floor, taking an engineering challenge, finding out if your ankles and knees are stable–to learning how to overcome budget fears and successfully manage the cost of a university education.
While most universities hold their spring open houses during March break, McMaster has taken a different approach.
Student liaison officer Bonnie Crocker explains that May is the ideal time to showcase the entire university, “McMaster has a lovely campus, and it looks much nicer in the spring. It's also easier to get facilities when classes aren't in session. As well, it's good timing, because this open house falls right between the two rounds of offers of admissions that students receive.”
Two large tents–one in front of Burke Science Building and the other in front of the John Hodgins Engineering Building– will house the McMaster Marketplace where prospective students can pick up a final schedule of events for the day, chat with current students, tour more than 40 displays, and meet with academic, student services and student organization representatives.
Self-guided campus tours allow visitors to stroll around the campus at their leisure, with the option of stopping at various checkpoints where staff are available to answer questions and provide directions. Students will also have the opportunity to tour the residences.
Athletics and recreation staff will give presentations on the university's competitive sports, intramurals, instructional and outdoor programs, as well as the facilities available, including “The Pulse” fitness facility. The department is also sponsoring a “Meet the Coaches” session where students can meet McMaster Marauder coaching staff.
The Student Liaison Office organizes May@Mac and sent open house invitations to each of the 22,000 students who applied to McMaster. The office expects attendees to be mainly Ontario students graduating from high school this year. Since information about May@Mac has been sent to high schools across Canada, organizers are expecting out-of-province students as well.
The final schedule of events will be available at the Welcome Tent (or in the Ivor Wynne Centre if it rains). Family and friends are welcome and parking is free for this event.
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