November 26 – December 2, 2012

1. WEEKLY SERVICES IN THE GLC  – UPDATED 11/12/12!

  • Career advising (walk in, no appointment needed): Wednesdays 2:00-5:00pm, GLC Lobby
  • Cook Counseling (walk in, no appointment needed): Thursdays and Fridays 1:00-5:00pm, Green Room
  • GLC Café: 3:30-5:00 every Thursdays, Reading Room
  • Statistical consulting by LISA: Weekdays, 1:00-3:00pm, GLC Videoconference Room; find out each consultant’s software expertise here: http://www.lisa.stat.vt.edu/?q=walk_in
  • Writing Center support for grads: Thursdays 3:00-5:00pm, GLC Videoconference Room (additional hours are available in the Library)

2. GRADUATE STUDENT BOOK CLUB
Monday, Nov 26, 9:00 PM, GLC Room C
Seth Grahame-Smith’s first book, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, was a surprise hit.  Then Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter came along and got its own movie adaptation.  Want to get serious on this comic novel?  Join the GLC fellows and other graduate students for light refreshments and discuss the book for this monthly book-club series. Sponsored by the GLC Fellows.  If you have any questions, please contact Mark Smiley.

3. VIRTUAL GLC (vGLC) CAFÉ

Wednesdays, starting Nov 28, 2:00-3:00 pm, Lobby of vGLC
Join the Graduate School Staff weekly for online chats in the vGLC. This week’s topic: End of Semester/Graduation Checklist. Get into the vGLC lobby at http://virtual.glc.vt.edu. The vGLC extends VT’s graduate-education community from campus to computer. Using avatars they have created, visitors to the vGLC can currently visit with Graduate-School staff about general academic questions; find Grad-School forms and policy information; consult with the Graduate Student Ombudsperson; attend virtual seminars and workshops; socialize with other vGLC visitors; and explore the vGLC space, which mirrors the real-world Graduate Life Center on the Blacksburg campus. Download the software . If you have questions or suggestions, please email Jodi Cromer (jodilynn@vt.edu) or Marija Telbis-Forster (mtelbisf@vt.edu).

4. GLC CAFÉ
Thursday, Sep 6, 3:30-5:00pm, GLC Reading Room
The GLC Café is offered throughout the semester with free coffee, tea and cookies in the company of your graduate-student and Grad-School colleagues. Bring your own mug if you can. 

5. KIDS’ NIGHT OUT – FREE CHILDCARE ON THU NIGHTS
Thursdays, 6:00pm, VT Women’s Center 206 Washington Street    
A free weekly drop-in evening child care program for kids. Need a break? Have to study or attend a lecture? Want to catch up on work? If you are a VT student with children, bring your kids aged 2-12. No need to pre-register. Childcare provided by the women of Chi Delta Alpha sorority. KNO will be held every Thursday throughout the semester with the exception of home football games and when classes are not in session. For more information, contact Jessie Meltsner at jmelts@vt.edu.

6. EFFECTIVE READING WORKSHOP – *NEW DATE*
Thursday, Nov 29, 5:00-8:00pm, GLC Room C
Educational researchers estimate that, at best, we retain only about 10 percent of the information that we read.  Want to improve on that estimate in your academic reading?  The key to becoming a more effective reader is to learn how academic information in published papers is structured and then to discipline one’s self to hunt for information actively rather than passively wait for the information to appear on the page.  This workshop will describe how YOU can read more actively and purposely in order to locate needed information, increase comprehension, and boast retention for later use. Questions?  Contact Tara at tara@vt.edu. Please sign up online if you plan to attend.

7. GSA DELEGATE MEETING (LAST ONE IN FALL)
Thursday, Nov 29, 5:30–7:00pm, GLC Multipurpose Room
The GSA delegate body is comprised of graduate students who serve as representatives for their respective academic departments and are liaisons to graduate students regarding graduate student issues/concerns, activities, etc offered by the GSA. If you are interested in learning more about the delegate body and how GSA functions, please attend this meeting, and register to help organizers better estimate for food and drinks. For more information please contact Shaimaa Abdallah, GSA President.

8. COMMUNITY VOICES PRESENTS PAM MCMICHAEL
Thursday, Nov 29, 7:00pm, Lyric Theatre
Pam McMichael, Director of the Highlander Research and Education Center, will present, "Did Horton Hear a Who? An Exploration of the Small and Mighty Voices of the Highlander Center: Making Change for 80 Years." Through stories spanning eight decades, McMichael’s presentation will address the power to make change through the extraordinary acts of everyday people connected to the Highlander Center. She reflects on the deep listening necessary to find, hear and amplify those community voices, and the challenges and opportunities for deep listening in our fast paced technology-filled world. The Highlander Center works with people fighting for justice, equality and sustainability, and supports their efforts to take collective action to shape their own destiny. Contact graduate student Kate Preston for more information, kapresto@vt.edu.

9. BOV GRAD LUNCH WITH PRESIDENT STEGER, PROVOST MCNAMEE, & GRAD DEAN DEPAUW
Friday, Nov 30, 12:00-1:30pm, The Inn at Virginia Tech
Attend the last graduate luncheon of the semester with president Steger, provost McNamee, and  vice president and dean for graduate education, Dr. Karen DePauw at the Inn at Virginia Tech. Spaces are limited, so if you are interested in attending, please register. Graduate students selected to attend will be contacted by Nov 28. Contact Robyn Jones, graduate representative to the BOV at bovgradrep@vt.edu with any questions.

10. CALL FOR NOMINATIONS FOR XCALIBER AWARD – DEADLINE DEC 1
The XCaliber award recognizes faculty, graduate teaching assistants, and teams (faculty/ staff/ students) who have made notable contributions to integrating innovative technology in teaching and learning in a course or in a significant technology-enriched project. All graduate students and faculty are eligible for the award. If you know of someone who has done outstanding technology-enriched teaching and learning in 2012, or if you know of a group of individuals who have contributed to a significant technology-enriched project, please complete the online nomination form by Dec 1, 2012. All students are encouraged to nominate outstanding contributions. Self-nominations are also welcome. More information and online nomination form>>.

11. CALL FOR PAPERS FOR INTL JOURNAL ON INFO TECH & MGT – 3rd posting
You are invited to submit a paper on game mechanics and dynamics for gamification, gamification methodology, processes, strategies, and tools, innovation using gamification, human cognition and performance related to gamification, gamified learning and training, legal and ethical issues of gamification. Submit manuscript by Dec 31, 2012; final version due Apr 30, 2013. Learn more >>submit a paper >>. Questions: Contact Kibong Song at gibbs@vt.edu

12. DIVERSITY SCHOLAR NOMINATIONS ARE OPEN – 3rd posting
Diversity scholars are graduate students who specialize in and advocate for the awareness, knowledge, and skills associated with diversity and inclusion in the Graduate School and greater community. A diversity scholar’s goal is to create dialogue, provide advocacy, and implement change for a more diverse and inclusive experience for all graduate students, faculty, staff, and administrators. Nominations are open now. The deadline is Dec 6, 2012. Learn more or contact Dannette Beane at dannette@vt.edu with questions.

13. CALL FOR PRESENTATIONS FOR KIDS’ TECH UNIVERSITY – 3rd posting
Kids’ Tech University (KTU; http://kidstechuniversity.vbi.vt.edu), invites 
undergrad and grad students to turning their research into a hands-on exhibit.
If you are interested in honing your presentation skills to create a research centric hands-on event hosted on the VT campus, you may apply for a grant award ($50-100) to support your project, to be used towards supplies that KTU leaders will purchase; no money will be exchanged or given directly to award recipients.
Dates for hands-on events include: Jan 26, Feb 23, or Mar 23, 2013 (tentatively 1:30-4:00pm). All interested students must fill out the registration form. You will be asked to meet with Dr. Kristy Collins to discuss your project.

14. CHILD PARTICIPANTS SOUGHT FOR DARK-/NIGHT-FEARS STUDY – 1st posting
Does your child refuse to enter dark rooms? Do you have to leave a light on in the hallway or in your child’s room? Is bedtime a struggle each night? A new research project is looking at the effectiveness of two novel treatments for dark fears and being alone at night in children ages 5 to 7. The study is being conducted at the Child Study Center at 460 Turner St. N.W., Suite 207, Blacksburg. For more information, contact Sarah Terrell or call 540-231-8276. Compensation is $50.

15. COMMENCEMENT VOLUNTEERS SOUGHT – 2nd posting
The university commencement committee is seeking graduate student volunteers to serve as ushers at the Spring ceremonies on Dec 21. The University Graduate Commencement will be held at 3:00 pm in Cassell Coliseum and the University Ceremony will be at 11:00 am. Ushers should arrive at least one hour prior to the ceremony. If you are interested in serving the university community in this manner, please contact Thomas W. Broyles, tbroyles@vt.edu, or by phone at 540-239-4365.

16. UPCOMING EVENTS:

AEL PRESENTS LAST LECTURE SERIES: DR. E.S. GELLER
Monday, Dec 3, 5:30pm, GLC Room G
Alpha Epsilon Lambda, the academic excellence and leadership honor society, invites you to its last lecture speaking event, presenting Dr. E. S. Geller and his lecture – Life Lessons from Psychological Science: Bringing the best out of yourself and others. For any questions, please contact Tammy Parece at tammyep@vt.edu

SAFE ZONE TRAINING: SUICIDE WATCH AND PREVENTION
Friday, Dec 7, 1:00-3:00pm, GLC Room D
Concerned about a student or a friend?  Learn how to recognize issues and support students, friends, and colleagues.  Sponsored by The Raft Crisis Hotline, a free service offering suicide intervention, empathy and support to residents of the NRV. Raft is a program of New River Valley Community Services and has been serving the local community for over forty years. A majority of the hotline’s volunteers have been VT students and an official partnership was formed through the former Raft Hotline Manager, Brittany Mabry, and VT’s LGBTQ Coordinator, Catherine Cotrupi, to offer Suicide Watch and Prevention training to VT Safe Zones.  This session is led by Raft Crisis Hotline Manager, Rebecca Bryce. Please sign up here. Questions?  Contact Tara at tara@vt.edu