June 2009 Newsletter

Our 2nd Academic Year has come to an end, and the campus is feeling a little quiet now that most of our students are on summer break. It's funny to think that just a few weeks ago, our small, tight-knit community was all together here on our hilltop campus in Squamish, BC. Now the students have dispersed all over the globe, working at home for the summer, traveling, volunteering, or just relaxing after an action-packed year. Others, however, can't seem to get enough of Quest and have decided to stick around for some of our fun and exciting summer courses.

Our Spring 2009 Term was an eventful one, and we are excited to give you an update about some of the things that have been happening on and around campus:


Student Life Highlights

  • On April 26th, the Quest students put on the 1st Annual "Dancing Bear Festival," an on-campus music festival to celebrate the end of the year. It was open to the public, and staged on our lawn with the Tantalus range as a fabulous backdrop. Including "The Paperboys" from Vancouver, this all-day affair featured many different bands playing all different genres of music. The students did an incredible job of organizing this event, and we are all looking forward to next year's festival already!
  • Several of our students recently produced a Quest CD of original music, and held a CD release party at the Brackendale Art Gallery.
  • Some students put on a production of the "Vagina Monologues" in March to raise awareness about women's issues and about violence against women. The two sold-out shows were a huge success. The play raised over $1000 for the Howe Sound Women's Centre.
  • A mural-making workshop took place earlier this year, and our students created a giant whimsical piece that is now a permanent display in our Multi-Purpose Room.
  • The Adventure Club visited Tofino on Vancouver Island's oceanfront for some cold-water surfing! Read more about their trips in Adrienne's blog.
  • Many students attended Whistler's annual Telus World Ski & Snowboard Festival (TWSSF) at the end of April. This 10-day festival features skiing and snowboarding competitions, free concerts, and arts.
  • Roz Groenewoud, one of our current 1st year students, put on an amazing performance at the TWSSF and placed 1st at the Big Air Competition! Check out Roz's website to read about her recent achievements.

Videos, Photos, Blogs and More!

If you are interested in seeing more, be sure to check out the following links:


Academics

  • Our 2009/2010 Quest Academic Calendar is now available. Download our Full Course Catalogue.
  • All of our 2nd-Year students have been busy this past term developing their "Questions" for their Concentration Years at Quest. Read some of the students' fascinating Question Plans.
  • With the Concentration Program requiring 1-4 Blocks of Experiential Learning, our 2nd-year students have also been busy planning their internships, work experiences, and study abroad programs. Read more about our current exchange opportunities.
  • The student population will be nearly doubling this coming Fall, and we have an exceptional group of new professors joining the Quest faculty this fall. Read some of our new faculty profiles.
  • Mai Yasue, one of our Social Science tutors at Quest, was featured in an article for the UBC College for Interdisciplinary Studies (CFIS). Read the article here.

Quest Admissions & Scholarships

Spots are filling up quickly, but we still have space available for our Fall 2009 class. If you are interested in applying to Quest, or if you know of anyone that might be interested in applying, we are now accepting applications. Please complete our free online application form and read more about our Admissions requirements. Feel free to email with any questions you may have.

We also have a number of Scholarships and Financial Aid packages available for Fall 2009. Students interested in learning more about these opportunities can read more here.

For students interested in applying to Quest for Fall 2010, here are some important dates you will need to keep in mind for the coming year:

  • Early Action Program deadline is December 1st (Admissions will continue on a rolling basis)
  • Full tuition Scholarship Application deadline is March 15th, 2010

Visiting Quest

We invite you to visit our spectacular campus! We welcome individual visits whenever convenient for you and your family. If you would like to meet with an Admission Counselor, we encourage you to visit Monday-Friday between the hours of 9-5. Travel grants are available for Grade 12 students and range anywhere from $250-$1000, depending on your starting point. Travel grants are available into the summer and will apply to your first term's tuition at Quest.

You can find our online visit registration form on our plan a visit page.

Be sure to stay tuned for our upcoming Preview Days this Fall 2009!


Quest Summer Scholars Program

We are excited to let you know about our Summer Scholars Program offered from July 26-31 for students of ages 16-20. This course is called, "The Great Invasions: From Glaciers to First Nations." Morning seminars, led by Prof. David J. Helfand, Acting President of Quest and Chair of the Department of Astronomy at Columbia University in New York, will cover topics in astronomy, geology, radioactive dating, and genomics in order to explore the forces that shaped the people of North America. Afternoons will be led by Toran Savjord, Quest's Director of Recreation and Athletics. Outdoor adventures will include geological field trips, water navigation, a glacier trek, natural history interpretive hikes, and night time astronomical observing.

Enrollment is limited to 20 students, and the cost is $750 CAD, including room and board. You can read more by clicking here.

WOW, the 2009 Spring Term has certainly been an eventful one here at Quest!

The Admissions Team has also been busy these past few months, reviewing applications, and admitting students for Fall 2009. We are ecstatic about the wonderful new cohort of "Questers" that will be joining the already outstanding student body we have here on campus. Who knows what such a phenomenal group of students is going to be capable of! We are excited to find out, and we will be sure to let you know in our next Fall newsletter.

Wishing you a wonderful and restful summer ahead, we look forward to hearing from you!

From the Quest Admissions Team