Day: August 30, 2010

1. WEEKLY SERVICES IN THE GLC

• Career services walk-in advising: Wednesdays, 1:30-5:00pm, GLC Study Room
• Writing support: Mondays (4-7pm) and Wednesdays (4-6pm), GLC Videoconference Room

 2. COFFEE AND CONVERSATION
Monday, Aug 30, 5:00-6:00pm, GLC Student Lounge
Though primarily targeted to new graduate students, this event provides an opportunity for all graduate students to gather and enjoy some refreshments and good conversation and get their questions answered by Graduate School staff and student leaders.

3. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH & SAFETY POLICIES AT VT
Tuesday, Aug 31, 12:00-1:00pm, GLC Room B
Learn more about the university’s policies and expectations on environmental, health and safety compliance, and the technical support that is available to you to meet these requirements.

4. RESPONDING TO STUDENT DISCLOSURE OF RELATIONSHIP VIOLENCE AND STALKING
Tuesday, Aug 31, 5:00-6:00pm, GLC Room F
This workshop gives GTAs and other graduate students who work with other students the information needed to appropriately respond to student disclosures of sexual assault, relationship violence and stalking. Offered by the VT Women’s Center.

5. 30-MIN CHRISTIAN WORSHIP: LUNCHTIME AT THE CHAPEL – 2nd posting
Wednesdays, 12:10-12:40 pm, War Memorial Chapel
Graduate students are invited to join together for half an hour of Christian worship, including singing, prayer, and a brief Bible message, at 12:10 pm on Wednesdays at War Memorial Chapel.  University employees are also welcome to come.  "Take a break  in the middle of the week to worship God and meet other Christian graduate students."  Sponsored by registered graduate student organization R. P. Missions.

6. START SMART: INT’L GRADUATE STUDENT LUNCH DISCUSSION ON U.S. CLASSROOM CULTURE
Wednesday, Sep 1, 12:00-1:00pm, GLC Room C
This event is part of a six-week informal lunch series designed to introduce international students to people and issues that will make transitioning to Virginia Tech and the U.S. a little easier. Hosted by Cranwell International Center and Global Ambassadors. Bring your own lunch!

7. HOKIES4HIRE & ON-CAMPUS INTERVIEWING
Wednesday, Sep 1, 5:30-6:30pm, GLC Room F
Hundreds of employers visit campus each year or search the resume database to recruit students for FT or PT jobs, coops and internships. Learn how to use the Hokies4Hire system in your job search. Review the schedule for additional career related seminars for the semester.

8. COFFEE AND CONVERSATION
Thursday, Sep 2, 5:00-6:00pm, GLC Student Lounge
Though primarily targeted to new graduate students, this event provides an opportunity for all graduate students to gather and enjoy some refreshments and good conversation and get their questions answered by Graduate School staff and student leaders.

9. DROP-IN EVENING CHILDCARE
Thursdays, starting Sep 2, 6:00-8:30pm, VT Women’s Ctr, 206 Washington St.
Drop-in evening childcare is available for the children (aged 2-12, toilet trained) of any VT students. Crafts, toys, games, new friends, fun – and a snack. No need to pre-register. For additional information contact Jessie Meltsner.

10. GSA WELCOME BACK HAPPY HOUR
Friday, Sep 3, 5:00-7:00pm, GLC Lounge
The GSA will host its annual Welcome Back Happy Hour: $5.00 per person (cash) at the door for 2 beers and snacks ($2 for snacks only). All graduate students, post-docs, and faculty members are invited to come and enjoy a great start to the semester! Must be 21 or over to attend; valid I.D. required for entry. Please direct any questions to Amanda Cronin Rumore.

11. APPALACHIA FIELD TRIP
Saturday, Sep 25, 9:00am-4:30pm, leave from Squires/GLC parking lot
The field trip includes a short hike to Hanging Rock Raptor Observatory, a visit to Hallow Hill Buffalo Farm, lunch at the Swinging Bridge Café in Paint Bank, VA and visits to an old caboose, a grist mill, a country store, and a fish hatchery. The cost is $27 that includes bus transportation and all tours. Lunch additional (plan to spend $10-15; limited vegetarian options). Register here.

12. GRA OPENING: WEB APPLICATION DEVELOPER
The VT eCorridors program and the Center for Geospatial Information Technology seek a Graduate Research Assistant for a 20 hr/wk appointment to develop, enhance and maintain multiple database-driven, dynamic websites associated with the Commonwealth of Virginia’s statewide broadband mapping initiative funded by the National Telecommunications and Information Association (NTIA); develop web forms; integrate sites with backend databases; update sites and load bulk data and more. Ideal candidate will have proficiency in PHP, MySQL or other relational databases, JavaScript, HTML/CSS, and a general understanding of web design principles. An academic research interest in telecommunications and/or the applications of same in urban and regional planning or economic development would be beneficial. Interested students, or their faculty advisors, should contact Jean Plymale at the eCorridors program, 540.231.2270. Open until filled.

13. GRAD SCHOOL PLANNERS STILL AVAILABLE
Graduate School Handbook and Planners are still available in the GLC, while supplies last. Pick up your free copy in the Information and Registration area (120 GLC) or in the Reading Room. We’ve heard your comments and extended the planners by a week and updated some other features as well to make it more user-friendly. These free planners are brought to you by the Graduate School.

14. NEW GRADUATE ASSISTANTS – WIN A $250 GIFT CERTIFICATE!
New graduate assistants starting in the 2010 Fall semester: Would you like to help a fellow VT student with her research while getting a chance to win a $250 gift certificate? If so, please take a short survey from the Department of Management. With this study researchers hope to better understand the socialization process that new graduate assistants experience as they start their assignments. Only you can help with this! Access the survey. If you have any questions, please contact Gretchen Schaupp.

15. PARTICIPANTS NEEDED FOR DISTANCE DETECTION STUDY-1st posting
An ISE graduate student seeks participants for a two-part experiment: (1)the participant’s hearing level and condition is checked in the Auditory Systems Lab in Whittemore, taking about 30 minutes; (2) part two conducted in an open field at Bissett Park in Radford city (transportation available): the participant will be instructed to estimate the distance at which a backup alarm signal will be detectable and it will take around 2 hours to complete this part. Participants will be compensated $8/h. If you are interested please contact Khaled Alali by email or 540-257-3199.

16. HNFE RESEARCH STUDY SEEKS PARTICIPANTS FOR EVALUATION OF BRIEF DIETARY QUESTIONNAIRE
Researchers in Human Nutrition, Foods and Exercise are conducting a study to determine the sensitivity to change of a brief dietary intake questionnaire. You may be eligible to participate if you are 21 or older, and are in good health. The study involves 14 weekly visits to the Virginia Tech Campus. Each visit will be less than 30 minutes (excluding the initial visit which will last about 1 hour). Participants will be compensated a total of $45. For more information, please contact Valisa in the Laboratory for Eating Behaviors and Weight Management at 231-7983 or  by email.

17. ELIGIBILITY FOR IN-STATE CLASSIFICATION
Please review your student status in HokieSPA and your e-bill from the Bursar’s Office (Student Accounts) to determine if you are properly classified as an in-state or out-of-state student. If you believe that you are eligible for in-state classification for tuition purposes and are not listed as an in-state student, please review our policies and procedures to learn more and apply for in-state classification if you qualify.

18. STATISTICAL COLLABORATION SERVICES
The Laboratory for Interdisciplinary Statistical Analysis (LISA) provides VT faculty, staff, and student researchers with quality statistical support for free. The statistical collaborators of LISA are trained to help design experiments, analyze and plot data, run statistical software, interpret results, and communicate statistical concepts in ways non-statisticians understand.  Learn more about LISA and its services for graduate students.

19. GSA EVENTS ON GOOGLE CALENDAR AND FACEBOOK
The GSA is excited to bring you a semester full of fun! Please visit the Google Calendar on the GSA Website for dates of upcoming events, including trips, Welcome Back Happy Hour, Dialogue with the Dean and the Fall Wine Social! You can also join the GSA Facebook group page (search: VT Graduate Student Assembly) to get up-to-date info for events. Details of each event will be sent out in the weekly GSA and Graduate School announcements and posted to the Facebook page. Please direct any questions to the VP of Programs, Amanda Cronin Rumore.

20. GRADUATE SCHOOL FEATURED GRADUATE STUDENT
Nominate yourself, a friend, or fellow graduate student to be recognized on the Graduate School website as a Featured Graduate Student! This program is designed to showcase the diversity of perspectives graduate students bring to our community and to present a more personal side of graduate student life. View the Graduate School‘s current Featured Graduate Student and nominate a graduate student  or yourself here.

21. INVITATION TO PHI BETA DELTA HONOR SOCIETY
Graduate students are invited to apply to become a member of Phi Beta Delta, the first honor society dedicated to recognizing scholarly achievement in international education. Phi Beta Delta’s goals are: * to recognize the scholarly achievement of international students and scholars, U.S. students who have studied abroad; * to advance the development of academic-based international programming; * to provide a network on each campus for faculty, staff, and international students involved in international endeavors; and * to extend the network of members in chapters worldwide. More information.  Applications can be downloaded from the website or obtained by emailing Betty Watts.  Application deadline: Sep 7, 2010. 

22. UPCOMING EVENTS:

GSA VT-BOISE STATE GAME SOCIAL
Monday, Sep. 6,  7:30pm, GLC Student Lounge
Didn’t get tickets the Boise State game? Join the GSA and your fellow graduate students in the GLC to watch your VT Hokies take on the Boise State Broncos in the opening game of the 2010 season. Light refreshments and snacks will be supplied, as well as some traditional tailgating games of cornhole and tailgate golf to fill the time during TV breaks and half time.  Questions? Please contact Jay Pembridge, GSA Events Chair.

GRADUATE SCHOLARS SOCIETY INTEREST MEETING
Thursday, Sep 9, 12:00-1:00pm, GLC Room C
Should there be a mosque near Ground Zero?  Do you favor gun rights or gun control?  Does the international community have a responsibility to prevent tragedies such as the Rwandan genocide?  If you enjoy debating issues such as these, consider joining the Graduate Scholar Society (GSS).  The GSS is composed of small discussion groups based on relevant and current topics in society. Lunch will be provided.  For more information, contact Eric Hodges, or visit the GSS website.

FANTASY FOOTBALL
Thursday, Sep 9, 6:00pm, GLC Room G
Are you ready for some football?  The GLC Fellows are creating a fantasy football league for the 2010-2011 NFL season. There will be a live “draft” and then participants will gather to watch the opening game starting at 8:00pm.  If you don’t know anything about football but would like to participate, there will be an information session on how fantasy football works and how football works in general. It’s fun! Pizza will be provided.  For more information, contact Eric Hodges.

LABORATORY SAFETY
Thursday & Friday, Sep 9 & 10, 12:00-1:00pm, GLC Room B
Learn about hazards that may be present in a laboratory research environment and the actions that must be taken to comply with university policy and state and federal law.

TOWN OF BLACKSBURG TOUR
September 10, 2:45pm, Meet in the GLC Lobby
Join your fellow graduate students on a tour of Blacksburg and explore the original town limits and some of the oldest structures in Blacksburg. Sign up here.