Boston Tree Lighting Event 2016

EduNova, in partnership with five university members, held a Professional Development Session for New England guidance counsellors in advance of the Boston Tree Lighting.

The PD session included presentations from the Nova Scotia participants, round table discussions on topics relevant to the student experience in Nova Scotia, and one-on-one meetings between the counsellors and university representatives. The PD session also served as a unique forum to solicit feedback from the counsellors on Nova Scotia’s approach to attracting American students.

Premier McNeil welcomed the guidance counsellors and articulated the advantages of studying in Nova Scotia at our province’s post-secondary institutions. He emphasized that with 10 universities and a 13 campus community college, Nova Scotia offers a wide range of quality programs and a personalized approach to learning in a safe and welcoming environment. The counsellors also heard from Dr. Marlon Lewis, who came to Dalhousie from the U.S. and built a remarkable career in the field of Oceanography.

Following the PD session, the guidance counsellors joined a networking event where they met dozens of Nova Scotians with connections to Boston and concluded their evening at the Tree Lighting celebration.

Several of the guidance counsellors who attended the Tree Lighting have sent students to Nova Scotian universities in the past, including one counsellor whose daughter attended Dalhousie University following the 2015 Tree Lighting events. As a result of the 2016 Boston Tree Lighting initiative, two counsellors will be attending the EduNova 2017 Guidance Counsellor Familiarization Tour, and four counsellors have indicated they will participate in the tour in 2018.

This project was funded through the United States Innovation Fund, supported by the Nova Scotia Department of Labour and Advanced Education in partnership EduNova and all Nova Scotia universities. The goal of the project was to raise awareness of Nova Scotia’s high quality education options and increase student enrollments from the United States.