Spring 2010

The 2010 Winter Olympic Games have officially closed. Canada set a world record earning 14 gold medals-the most a country has ever won in the Winter Olympics. Sam Edney, a Quest student and Winter Olympian finished 7th in Luge, the top Canadian finish ever in this event. On March 7th our Quest students returned to campus with exciting adventures to share from their trips around the globe. The campus is full of energy as students welcome one another back to Quest; and are already in full swing preparing activities for the remainder of the Spring Term.

Student Life Highlights

  • With Quest's residences occupied with workforce for the 2010 Winter Games, students scattered to the four corners of the globe in search of adventure and experiential learning opportunities. Through a partnership between Quest and Ethical Expeditions, 18 students ended up in the Indonesian province of East Kalimantan on the island of Borneo. These students learned firsthand about both the extensive resource extraction and about many conservation projects at work in the region. A typical day consisted of: interviews, sun, bear feeding, class readings, scuba diving, boating, jungle wandering, blogging, class discussions and video editing. To learn more about the Borneo trip visit: www.ethicalexpeditions.ning.com.

  • In January of 2010, seven students traveled to New York to participate in a studio art class. This introductory course to oil painting focused on building fundamental skills in drawing, values, and colour. As one of the culminating assignments of the class, students chose a painting from the Metropolitan Museum and spent two days in the museum reproducing it. Most of the course time was spent at the instructor's studio on Long Island, but on days off students travelled into New York City to experience what it had to offer!

  • Although many trips took students far away from British Columbia, one group of 18 students explored the mighty towering mountains of Rogers Pass and the delicate ice water falls of Banff National Park. This group sought out some of the best ski touring and ice climbing terrain offered in the west. Students acquired back country skills and were pushed outside of their comfort zones in search of personal growth. Students learned to respect and appreciate the power of nature at its mightiest and to value working for the betterment and safety of the group in challenging situations.

  • While other students were learning around the globe, some students stayed right in the Sea-to-Sky Corridor volunteering with the 2010 Olympic Games or working for the Olympic Broadcasting Network. Students working and volunteering for the Games had the experience of meeting people from around the world-learning about their cultures and sharing their own!

  • Quest will be holding its second annual outdoor music festival on Saturday, April 25th from noon to 9pm. The Dancing Bear Festival is organized by students and community members and showcases local and regional talent from the Sea-to-Sky Corridor and the Lower Mainland. Overlooking the Tantalus Range, the festival features: food and merchandise booths, a children's play area, beer garden, community organizations and a diverse selection of music. Tickets go on sale March 23rd at: www.dancingbearmusicfestival.com.

Videos, Blogs and More!

  • Never had the opportunity to visit Squamish? Curious about what the "Outdoor Recreation Capital of Canada" has to offer? Check out a video series by Tourism Squamish depicting life around town.

  • Introducing... www.LifeatQuest.ca a social networking site where you can direct anyone interested in learning more about initiatives at Quest. This month, our site will take you from the Rainforests of Borneo, to the Peaks of Rogers Pass, the Olympic Broadcasting Centre to a studio in New York City and beyond! We want to tell the world about the amazing opportunities our students have for learning-and depict the unconventional methods of knowledge acquisition.

  • To see more of our breathtaking campus and what our students are busy with, visit us online!

Academics

  • Quest will be offering the Summer Scholars program again this year, co-taught by our President Dr. David Helfand and Toran Savjord, Vice-President of Operations and Development. The course is entitled: "The Great Invasions: From Glaciers to First Nations". We welcome students aged 16-20 years of age who have completed Grade 10 to apply online before June 15th.

  • Quest staff, faculty and students often hear adults asking why they can't come to learn at Quest. This summer they can! By popular demand, Quest will be offering an Adult Summer Program where each "student" will be encouraged to "Renew Your Quest". Our inaugural year will feature three courses: "Ethics: Philosophical Perspectives on Life (and Death)"; "Debunking the Myths of the Mind: Psychology for the Real World"; and "Myth and Memory: What is History". Applications are available online; the deadline to sign up is April 9th.

  • The 2010 Academic Calendar [PDF, 2.2 MB] is now available online.  Help us spread the word about Quest!

Quest Admissions and Scholarships

The Admissions Team is very excited to let you know that we will continue accepting Applications for Admission, and processing Scholarship and Financial Aid Applications, through a rolling admissions process. With only 130 seats in our Fall Term 2010 class, we encourage students to submit their applications early. If you are interested in applying to Quest, or if you know of anyone that might be interested in applying, please complete our FREE online application form. Please email with any questions you may have.

Some important dates you will need to keep in mind for the coming year:

  • Recipients of our David. W. Strangway Awards for Excellence, full-tuition scholarships for eligible to students who are high academic achievers, have a record characterized by outstanding leadership, and who demonstrate a commitment to community service as well as global citizenship, will be notified by April 1st

  • Our Deposit Deadline for Fall Term 2010 is May 1st

  • Orientation for new students begins August 29th

Visiting Quest

  • Sunday, April 25th is our next Preview Event. Register online to learn about our Bachelor of Arts and Science program, learn about the benefits of the block plan, meet staff, faculty and students, and experience our lively academic community.

  • If you are unable to join us for a Preview Event, please consider scheduling a visit Monday through Friday to speak with a member of our admissions team, attend a class and tour our campus.

  • Take advantage of our Travel Grant. We offer this as an incentive because we believe in experiential learning - including learning about your future university!

From the Quest Admissions Team