What is PIDSSA?
- June 16, 2010
Welcome to the University of Ottawa!
The PIDSSA was orginally founded in 1992 to represent students in the department of Political Science. 17 years later, the PIDSSA has been expanded to include students in four amazing undergraduate programs for full-time and part-time students in :
- Political Science;
- International Development and Globalization;
- International Studies and Modern Languages;
- and Public Administration.
The PIDSSA's mandate is to represent its members before different bodies and to provide them with a forum to discuss ways in which to improve their educational experience, as well as other topics that are of interest to them. The PIDSSA is also responsible for organizing numerous social, academic, and philanthropic activities to help enlarge our community and to instil a sense of pride and participation among its members. With these mandates, both the academic and social life at the University of Ottawa are now opportunities to get involved, and to have fun with other students in these programs.
The PIDSSA often engages in strategic partnerships for particular events with other student associations for programs such as Conflict Studies and Human Rights, Women's Studies, Criminology, Economics, and Sociology & Anthropology. These relationships help us to ensure strong and vibrant programming for our membership on an ongoing basis.
For more information about the PIDSSA and to contact us, please visit our website at http://www.pidssa.ca or our office located in room 2155 of the Desmarais Building.
For all of you 101ers, this may very well be the best year of your lives! Enjoy 101 week and be prepared to meet some of the best friends you will ever have here at the University of Ottawa. Yes, as I experienced, it can be a very anxiety nerve racking filled experience, but just remember that everyone is in the same boat and feeling very similar emotions. Take everything in, explore the university, explore the city and create an environment for yourself that is conducive for your learning and your social well being. I am excited and thrilled for all of you first years, good luck and enjoy your time with everyone you meet and the programs of study all of you choose! Do not hesitate to approach us with questions concerning programs, or getting involved. We are all students and every single student on this executive will be more than happy to take the time to help you out. University is an experience that can only be made into something absolutely extraordinary when you decide to make it so. It truly starts here, your studies, your career, your relationships, your life. Take it and make it yours!
On behalf of the 2010-2011 PIDSSA executive, we are ready to help every member try and realize their university dreams by providing the events, the representation, the resources and the information, so that all of you may have an amazing year of study. Everything we provide is for you. Our Montreal & Washington trip, our Wine & Cheeses, ICDW events, Model Parliament, our various pub nights and the consistent bevy of academic events are all at your disposal. Integrate yourself in the PIDSSA community and your university experience will be amazing!
All the best,
Patrick Ciaschi
