Education | Winter 2024

EDUCATION GUIDE

SUPPLEMENT TO THE FREE PRESS • SATURDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2024

UNIVERSITÉ DE SAINT-BONIFACE

USB's warm atmosphere makes students feel right at home

W hen Sam Haworth walks into class at Université de it feels like he’s home. “It’s going to sound very cliché, but it truly feels like a place where I belong,” says the fifth-year student. “I’ve built some great, great friendships with peo- ple here. I feel like I’m always surround- ed by familiar friendly faces as I walk down the hallway.” Saint-Boniface (USB), That speaks to the great atmosphere at the school, he adds. “I think that’s just the way the franco- phone community is. It’s super accept- ing and super close. I took some classes at other universities before. What I felt was missing there was a sense of belong- ing, whereas at USB, I always feel like I am part of this community.”

Haworth, 22, is in his fifth year of stud- ies at USB. He is currently enrolled in the Bache- lor of Arts, Honours, in Psychology pro- gram, one of two new psychology pro- grams the school began offering this fall. It is designed for learners who plan to pursue psychology at the graduate lev- el. The other psych program, Advanced Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, was cre- ated for students interested in pursuing a career in education, social work, coun- selling or related disciplines. Previously, USB students had to take classes at the University of Manitoba, the affiliated institution, to obtain some of the psychology credits they required. Now, they don’t have to leave the St. Boniface campus. “It was such a relief for me to be able to stay at Université de Saint-Boniface. I’ve built a lot of great relationships with my profs here. I know a lot of other stu- dents felt the same. We wanted to keep doing our studies in French so none of us really wanted to move to another in- stitution.” Psychology wasn’t exactly Haworth’s first choice when he began his studies at USB. He was enrolled in a three-year degree program and believed he would major in science, but that all changed after he began taking some psych courses. “I found out science wasn’t really for me. Simultaneously, I realized that psych was something I much preferred and wanted to pursue,” he recalls. “With the program I’m in now, I’ve found a dis- cipline that I really like doing and that opens a number of opportunities for me in the future.”

SUPPLIED PHOTO Sam Haworth, pictured in class at Université de Saint-Boniface, values the campus's supportive atmosphere and close-knit community.

You can build relationships

A big part of what Haworth loves about studying at USB is the school’s low stu- dent-teacher ratio. “You can build relationships with profs a lot easier than I imagine you could do just about anywhere else,” he says. “It’s not like where you have bigger class siz- es, and you might be almost intimidated by your professor. Here I just feel a lot more of a friendly vibe.” As for students who have yet to decide about their academic future, especially those currently enrolled in French im- mersion studies, Haworth has some ad- vice: consider USB when you are explor- ing your options.

“Some people come out of (immer- sion) schools and say ‘I’m tired of French. I’m so happy I don’t have to speak French anymore’,” he says. “But a lot of the same people, four or five years later, realize they don’t remember how to speak French. They’ve lost their abili- ty. That’s a tough realization.” Haworth says there’s no doubt he made the right choice in attending USB. “I’ve never regretted coming to USB, and I have not once ever regretted con- tinuing French. I think it’s one of the greatest decisions I’ve ever made.”

with profs a lot easier than I imagine you could do just about anywhere else .

— Sam Haworth, USB Student

I chose to study at USB to build confidence in my French-speaking skills. DEVYN Bachelor of Science student at USB

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