Gear Up For Mac: Week In Residence Program
Annually in July
A powerful week-long on-campus experience where incoming first-year students:
- Attend sample lectures
- Conduct hands-on labs and experiments
- Connect with professors, Black student leaders and mentors
- Explore McMaster’s campus, residence and student life
- Build new friendships
- Discover pathways in STEM, business, health, social sciences, humanities and the arts
- And more
Black Student Welcome and Welcome Week
Annually in August/September
Welcome Week with the BSSC includes 16 identity-affirming events designed to help Black students feel grounded, connected and confident before classes begin. Highlights include:
- Community kickoff events
- BSSC lounge drop-ins
- Campus tours
- Academic prep sessions
- Student panels and storytelling
- Connecting with Black student groups and partners
Entering McMaster: Your First-Year Community
Black Student Mentorship Program (BSMP)
Delivered in partnership with African Caribbean Faculty Association of McMaster (ACFRAM), BSMP is a four-tier mentorship model that helps you navigate each stage of university life:
- Tier 1: Black faculty mentor graduate students
- Tier 2: Graduate students mentor upper-year undergraduates
- Tier 3: Upper-year students mentor first-years
- Tier 4: First-year and high school students receive foundational mentoring
First-Year Check-in Appointments
Led by our Black Student Outreach and Transition Coordinator, Efe Chehore, these one-on-one or small-group sessions give you an early touchpoint to share any questions, concerns or goals. You can book an appointment directly through our BSSC booking portal or drop into the Centre during Welcome Week for an initial session. These check-ins are no additional cost and part of the suite of supports built to help you feel grounded and connected from day one.