Justine Bergen was glad to lend a hand during the UWindsor Open House on Friday.

The fourth-year biology student stood outside the northwest corner of Essex Hall, directing visitors to the free lunch in Vanier Hall, and from there to presentations on academic programs held in buildings across the campus.

“It’s nice to be able to help them out,” she said. “Some of them go by, looking like they know where they’re going, but others are holding their maps trying to get oriented.”

Stationing student ambassadors in their recognizable Lancer-themed scarves along foot traffic routes was part of a conscious strategy to make prospective students and their families feel welcomed, says liaison officer Katia Benoit.

“We really wanted to give people a sense that they’re important to us,” she says. “Our display in the CAW Student Centre, the banners we have put up through the grounds, and the helpful faces they see all contribute to a sense of Windsor as a warm, friendly place.”

Jesse Sheather of West Elgin Secondary School said he felt welcome. He plans to begin studies at the University in September, majoring in computer science and business. He and his father Jeff Sheather said their first sessions were very informative, as they asked Bergen for directions to the Odette Building.

The event's success is the result of contribuitions from across campus: faculty, staff and students, greatly appreciated by the student recruitment team, Benoit says.

Drama students Andrea Meister and Holly Campbell register visitors at the welcome centre during UWindsor Open House, Friday.