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USC to welcome record 3,200 new students
The University of the Sunshine Coast will officially welcome a record 3,200 new students on Tuesday 16 February, the main day of Orientation Week.
USC’s intake of students has jumped by almost 20 percent on Semester 1, 2009, and the University’s total student population is expected to reach 7,500.
The welcome speech in the USC Sports Stadium from 9am on Tuesday will be the last delivered by founding Vice-Chancellor Professor Paul Thomas AM, who will retire from his position later this year after 16 years guiding USC.
The one-hour Welcome Ceremony will include a traditional Indigenous welcome and presentations by current students.
A range of academic and social activities will inform and entertain students from Tuesday to Friday, with a crowd favourite on Wednesday from 12.30pm as runners contest the 800m Great Court Race (weather permitting).
There will be information sessions about USC’s three faculties and library, information technology, and guided tours of the campus and sports facilities.
Free student barbecue lunches will be accompanied by live entertainment at noon from Tuesday to Thursday at the USC Art Gallery piazza.
Tuesday will be the biggest day of O-Week with a community market at the piazza including market stalls, information booths, and cultural activities.
Fun “Boot Camp” obstacle course races will be held in the Brasserie Courtyard from noon-1pm, while a World Cup Soccer Challenge from 2pm will give students the chance to play for their home countries.
In addition to the Great Court Race on Wednesday, students will be able to find information about the variety of clubs and teams on campus at the USC Sports and Societies Day outside Building D.
Then on Thursday, the lunch time fun will include a “Gourmet Survivor” challenge, which will test how well students can stomach unconventional cooking.
On Friday, students will have the opportunity to go on bus tours of the Coast’s beaches, hinterland, residential and business centres or travel to the USC Research Centre on Fraser Island.