September Preview: SSSC Initiatives You Don’t Want to Miss
- SSSC Western
- Sep 12
- 6 min read
Your guide to what’s happening in Social Science — events, involvement, and ways to make the most of your September at Western University.
Written by: Dylan Thompson, President
As we start a new year at Western, Social Science’s student council is ready more than ever to create one of the best student experiences the province has ever seen. In anticipation, I thought I would take the time to go through some of the incredible things we have been working on.
Starting with August/September, we started off by hosting our annual Tri-Sci mixer alongside the wonderful faculty of Health Sciences student’s council as well as the Science student’s council. Here we had international students come for free snacks and pizza and learn more about our school, the student councils and all of the support systems that are there for their benefit that they have access to.
As August came to a close, we started the week that Western University gains international recognition for, Orientation Week. During O week, many of our council members donned the soph uniform and took to the campus to make sure that first year students felt welcomed and had plenty of fun engaging activities to do. Some say the sophs had just as much fun as the first years did. Faculty day was a huge success as the social science soph team led by the HST hosted an engaging social science olympics which saw the largest turnout for faculty day in recent years.
As all good things do, Orientation week came to a close. The sophs rested up and the first years began their first classes. However the student experience doesn't end there as we have plenty yet to come.
In September alone we have enough events to make you feel like Orientation week never ended, starting with a welcome back to social science bar night, to ensure that everyone can get some time away from the classroom before the chaos of midterms unfolds. If bar nights aren't your kind of environment, fear not because our Geography Department Representative and our MOS Department Representative have been hard at work on a live game of Monopoly tailored around the Geography department, coming to a concrete beach near you on September 22nd at 5:30 pm.
If you have never been very good at Monopoly, but spike ball is more your style, we have a spike ball tournament happening on the health sci practice field. We also have an anthropology club fair with the Anthropology Department Representative at the helm, to showcase all of the amazing opportunities that students have to get involved in their field right on campus.
Community impact is also an important pillar of our student council. In September SSSC is planning a campus cleanup in collaboration with Western Environmental Business to ensure that our campus lives up to its reputation for being one of the nicest in the province. We also have big plans for truth and reconciliation as we raise money and awareness for indigenous charities and host a craft event with indigenous artists in our community.
With September also comes Fall hiring season as we start the new school year, opportunities to get involved start too. Right now, applications for first year representative and ambassador positions are open. With ambassador positions you have the opportunity to join a program that operates parallel to the council whose responsibility is to generate engagement with the council. First year representatives however sit directly on council and are voting members. They are much more involved and have the opportunity to participate in each of our portfolios, gaining diverse skills and experiences during their time on council, they also tend to stay within council, taking on more responsibilities as they progress through their undergrad. If I'm not doing good enough of a job selling the first year representative program, lets hear from last year’s first year representatives on what their experiences were like.
Experience as First-Year Representatives
Ana
Being a first-year representative in the Social Science Student Council was not something I ever saw myself doing going into university. It wasn’t until I got an email saying I got the position that I truly got excited about the idea of having that role and taking a leadership position within my faculty. But I soon realized that being a first-year representative was more than just a leadership position; it was an opportunity to leave my mark behind, even in the smallest way possible. Being able to organize or help set up an event that students enjoyed became rewarding and something I started to look forward to. This role allows you to do things bigger than yourself and share with people while doing so. And that’s what I loved the most about this role, sharing with others. I met some of my closest friends through council, and looking back, I am so grateful that first-year me finished her homework relatively early one September night and decided to submit that application on a limb. So, if you are looking to make friends, have a secure study space in the office, and free meals every once in a while, you should apply to be a first-year representative in the Social Science Student Council.
Clare
Applying to be a first year rep was the best decision I made as a first year. Through this role, I had the opportunity to get more involved with my faculty, and learn about how the SSSC operates. Through sitting on each SSSC portfolio, I developed invaluable leadership and communication skills. Beyond skills, being a first year rep gave me the chance to build friendships with upper-year students on council who always made the first year reps feel welcome. Their advice and support made the transition into university life much easier. My experience as a first year rep has inspired me to stay involved on council, now as a Department Representative, something I would have never tried for without the support and motivation I received from council. If you’re looking for a way to get more involved with the Social Science Faculty, and meeting the best community along the way, I couldn’t recommend being a first year rep more.
Oliver
Looking back on my first year at Western, joining the Social Science Students’ Council as a First-Year Representative was one of the best decisions I made. It gave me a real start in postsecondary student government, right in Western’s largest faculty. The FYR program is unique because you don’t just sit in on council; you rotate through every portfolio and see first-hand how each part of council works. That experience gave me a broad understanding of how student government functions, built my confidence, and connected me with an incredible community of peers and mentors. The skills and relationships I gained as an FYR set me up for where I am now – serving as a USC Councillor in my second year. If you’re interested in leadership, community, or just want to make the most of your first year, I can’t recommend this program enough. It’s the perfect first step to getting involved and making a real impact at Western.
Thoa
Becoming a First Year Rep. with SSSC was one of the best choices I made in my first year at Western. I not only met new people, but also formed friendships that became some of my closest. Along the way, I picked up many useful skills and received great advice from other upper-year Social Science students, which made navigating my first year so much easier. If I could give one piece of advice to new students, it would be to go for it and apply as a First Year Rep; it’s such a rewarding experience and truly one of the best ways to start your Western journey!
I hope September is a month to remember as the faculty enjoys what this campus has to offer before midterms start, if our open positions sound interesting to you, apply through the link tree in our instagram, applications close on September 21st at 11:59 pm. Keep an eye out for more articles and to submit an Op-ed, send an email to president@ssscwestern.com.
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