The transition to university is perhaps the most important stage of any student’s academic career. The information students receive and the people they meet in those first few weeks set the tone for the next four years and contribute to their ability to succeed while at university.

At York, the innovative program YU START assists with this transition and ensures that all incoming students are able to put their best foot forward when starting out here. The program launched in 2012 with support from York’s Academic Innovation Fund and has become an essential part of the first-year experience at York.

8,000 students in 8 Faculties and 90 programs register for YU START in May, where they are guided through engaging online modules that help them to enroll in courses, provide resources and materials to support their transition, and connect them with fellow first-year students and senior students in their program. When incoming students arrive in September to participate in Orientation Week, they are already familiar with the University and their classmates.

“Students tell us that they appreciate having a structured, intentional and supported approach to their transition to university.  The content is relevant and they especially like the various activities and videos we have in the platform.”
– Ross McMillan, Director, Student Engagement & First-Year Experience

YU START is an excellent example of community engagement and inter-departmental collaboration. The core team at YU START receives support from Faculties, Colleges, Transportation Services, York Security, as well as Residence Life and Housing. Additionally, the University Information Technology Services department, the Learning Technology Services department, and the Division of Students all join forces to improve the quality of the program every year.

YU START launched a new session on May 2, 2016 to welcome York's incoming Class of 2020. I very much look forward to meeting our newest York students when they join us on campus in September.

YU Start Team

• Ross McMillan – Director, Student Engagement & First-Year Experience
• Greg Langstaff – YU START Coordinator
• Pri Saini –Student Success Program Administrator
• Rose Orlando – Project Manager
• Rob Finlayson – Manager, Learning Technologies
• Brendan Schulz – Executive Director, Student Success Centre