A new program starting in the fall will give students a chance to find themselves and explore their interests.

The global studies gap year, which has been in the works for over two years, is full of projects directed towards helping students find out who they are and what they like, through activities like a fall wilderness trip, a canoe tour, a winter camping trip, and a three week expedition to Kenya.

Students will also complete six in-class courses, which include classes in communications, public speaking, multimedia course, and multiculturalism.

Jackie Oncescu, a recreation and leisure professor, will be taking over the GAP year program, and couldn’t be more excited to be part of such a unique program. She hopes to have 30 students for the fall, so that the smaller class will help foster the best learning experience possible.

“They’re really going to get a lot of hands-on learning. Learning about the benefits of non-profit organizations and what they do for the community, learning about global development, learning about technology in the multimedia class and being in the outdoors, and learning about outdoor leadership and being challenged as leaders and working in a group dynamic,” Oncescu said. “They’re going to get a diverse learning experience in eight months.”

The new gap program will help students better appreciate college life and the options that post-secondary school can hold for them, and change the community while doing it.

“It’s going to be awesome. Those 30 students who get to do it, I honestly think it will change their lives,” said Oncescu.

Catherine Sidorenko, the chair of community studies, thinks the program is a great way to gain variety from college life.

“It has a little bit of everything that’s so much more fun than being in a program that you’re not sure about,” said Sidorenko.

This program is set up in a unique way, so that students take the same one or two courses every day for almost a month, leaving them with less of a work load. This also helps with class unity, and forming better bonds between students.

“It’s really the total experience; hopefully they become not just classmates but they become great friends,” said Sidorenko.

Carly Roy, a first-year child and youth worker student, thinks the program will help out questioning students.

“When I was in grade 12, I had a tough time deciding on a program, but I didn’t want to stick around high school any longer. I think a lot of people feel that way so they just jump into something and end up wasting their time and money.”

For more information on the program and all other program details, visit www.algonquincollege.com/globalstudies.