1. WEEKLY WALK-IN SERVICES IN THE GLC – updated 1/5
- No walk-in GLC services during winter break. Services will resume after Jan 20, 2015
- GLC Café: 3:30-5:00 every Thursday, Reading Room – returns Jan 8, 2015
2. DISSERTATION WRITING SUPPORT GROUP
Tuesdays bi-weekly, Jan 13, 12:00-1:30pm, GLC Room D
Do you need some support with staying on track with your writing? Could you use some advice on managing your relationship with your advisor/committee? Would you share some of your experiences with fellow grad students who are going through the same process? Do you need a safe place to decompress from the stress of your dissertation? Join this dissertation support group and see how it may support your progress. Bring your own lunch! Contact Monika Gibson at gibsonm@vt.edu for more information.
3. GLC CAFÉ: FEATURING CUBICLE-FARM TIRAMISU
Thursday, Jan 15, 3:30-5:00pm, GLC Reading Room
The first event of the year in the GLC: enjoy coffee, tea, and cookies in the company of your graduate student and Grad School colleagues. If you don’t know what a cubicle-farm tiramisu is, stop by to find out! The GLC is still closed to the public, so enter through the Grad School entrance (facing Squires) or use your Hokie Passport to swipe in at the Otey Street or Bookstore side entrances.
4. HOW DO I SUPPORT? RESPONDING TO STUDENT DISCLOSURES OF GENDER-BASED SEXUAL VIOLENCE
Friday, Jan 16, 2:00-3:30pm, GLC Room F
This event is an opportunity to discuss how one can respond in supportive ways when a student (or colleague or friend) discloses experiences of gender-based sexual violence. The goal is to offer an opportunity to engage in dialogue on this topic about how to balance compliance with Title IX responsibilities and the desire to respond in the most supportive manner possible to disclosures of sexual or relationship violence. Members of the Women’s Center Counseling and Advocacy Team will facilitate a conversation on ways to provide support even if you are required to report a sexual assault. This event is open to all members of the VT community.
5. NEW STUDENT ORIENTATION
Friday, Jan 16, 2:00-3:30pm, GLC Multipurpose Room
Our welcome event for new graduate students is packed with information to help you get started in your studies. Graduate School staff and grad student presenters will share information with participants.
6. NEW STUDENT CAFÉ
Friday, Jan 16, 3:30-5:00pm, GLC Lobby
Enjoy free coffee, tea and cookies with fellow graduate students and Grad School staff.
7. PARENT COOPERATIVE PLAYGROUP OPEN HOUSE
Saturday, Jan 17, 2:00-5:00pm, Luther Memorial Lutheran Center
The Graduate School provides a new affordable child-care alternative for graduate student parents. Stop by during the open house to learn more about the details of this initiative, or visit http://childcare.graduateschool.vt.edu. For more information email to childcare@vt.edu.
8. SPACES STILL AVAILABLE IN NEW LITTLE HOKIE™ HANGOUT
The Graduate School’s new parent cooperative playgroup will hold a final Open House this Saturday at Luther Memorial Lutheran Center from 2:00-5:00pm. For more information visit http://childcare.graduateschool.vt.edu or email childcare@vt.edu.
9. NEW INTERDISCIPLINARY COURSE FOR SPRING 2015: WATER FOR HEALTH SEMINAR
GRAD 4514 Water for Health Seminar (1 cr; CRN 20121) is offered Spring 2015, as part of the Water INTERface IGEP and is open to any graduate students with interests in health, nutrition, environment, and water. Taught by Susan Duncan (FST) and Water INTERface faculty, the course will explore emerging nterdisciplinary issues related to the chemistry, biology, and engineering of drinking water; nutritional and aesthetic values of water and its role in controlling disease and promoting good health; methods of processing poor quality water to drinking water standards; subsequent changes in chemical, biological, nutritional, and palatability characteristics; implications for food preparation, processing, and safety and other consumer uses of water, and more.
10. SPRING ENROLLMENT IN AETNA HEALTH INSURANCE – 3rd posting
Spring open enrollment period for the university-sponsored plan by Aetna is Dec 19-Jan 31. Visit the Student Medical Insurance Office website at http://www.co.vt.edu/Risk/studenthealthinsr/ for instructions on enrollment, plan details and more. If you have questions, please contact SMI at 231-6226.
11. GSA RESEARCH SYMPOSIUM ABSTRACT SUBMISSION RE-OPEN JAN 26-Feb 6
The 31st Annual Graduate Student Assembly (GSA) Research Symposium will take place on Mar 25, 2015 in the Graduate Life Center. Graduate and advanced undergraduate students are invited to submit an abstract for this event between 12:01am Jan 26 and 11:59pm Feb 6. Visit the Research Symposium website at http://blogs.lt.vt.edu/graduatestudentassembly/graduate-research-symposium/ for details and to submit an abstract. Read all information and see resources available for tailoring your abstract to this event in order to communicate your research to a broad audience (Resources for Communicating Research). If you submitted in the fall and did not receive a confirmation email that your abstract was accepted or rejected, please contact us. Contact the Research Symposium Chairs (Alex Hyler and Joyce Zhu) at atgsa.syposium.2015@gmail.com with any questions.
12. REGISTRATION OPEN FOR PAYROLL DEDUCTION OF COMP FEES FOR GRAD ASSISTANTS – 3rd posting
The registration system for paying comprehensive fees through payroll deduction for spring 2015 is now open. Graduate students on an assistantship must either pay their comprehensive fees or enroll for payroll deductions by the payment deadline set by the Bursar’s Office. To enroll in payroll deductions, login to Hokie SPA, choose University Account Information menu, and click on Graduate Students on Assistantship, enroll in Payroll Deduction. You must enroll in payroll deduction each semester in which you wish to take advantage of this opportunity.
13. CALL FOR APPLICATIONS FOR GRADUATE STUDENT REP TO BOARD OF VISITORS – 3rd posting
Applications for Graduate Student Representative to the VT Board of Visitors are accepted until Feb 13, 2015. All currently enrolled graduate students in good standing are encouraged to consider this great leadership and service opportunity to represent graduate students’ voices, needs and interest on the VT Board of Visitors. Learn more at http://www.dsa.vt.edu/BOV/apply.php.
14. NOMINATIONS FOR GRADUATE STUDENT AWARDS NOW OPEN – deadline Feb 6
A number of prestigious awards are granted to graduate students each year, carrying a monetary prize ($200-$1000 each) and award certificate. Discuss the possibility of your nomination by your advisor/department for any of the following awards that will be given out during the Graduate School’s annual awards banquet on March 26, 2015:
- Outstanding Dissertation in (1) math, sciences and engineering, and (1) in social sciences, business and humanities
- Preston Society Master’s Thesis Award
- Graduate Student Teaching Excellence (1) for GTA instructor of record (1) GTA instructor assistant
- Graduate Student Service Excellence
- Graduate Student of the Year (up to three awards given)
- Outstanding master’s and doctoral student in each college and in interdisciplinary programs.
More information about criteria, forms, and process for nomination are at: http://graduateschool.vt.edu/academics/awards/2014_2015.
15. GSA SEEKS TRAVEL FUND PROGRAM VICE CHAIR – 3rd posting
The Graduate Student Assembly is seeking a vice chair for the Travel Fund Program for the spring 2015 semester who will co-manage the program with the current chair. The TFP is a small grants program which partially reimburses eligible graduate students’ travel when presenting their research at conferences. The vice chair will receive a small stipend and excellent experience for their CV! The ideal candidate will be strongly interested in serving as the program chair in the 2015-2016 academic year. Previous program management/GSA involvement preferred, but not required. More information about the program: http://blogs.lt.vt.edu/graduatestudentassembly/travel-fund-program/. If you are interested, e-mail a short letter of interest and your vita to kasey@vt.edu by Fri, Jan 23 2015 5pm.
16. PARTICIPANTS SOUGHT STUDY ON CONSUMER SOCIALIZATION METHODS THAT PARENTS USE – 3rd posting
Participants are needed for a study on the ways in which parents socialize their child(ren) into consumer roles. Parents will discuss the ways in which they teach and train their children about spending and saving money, shopping, and the value of money. The study consists of a single interview that will take approximately one hour or less. To be eligible, participants must be a currently-married mother of a child aged 11-15 with whom they reside for at least half of each month. Participants will receive a $20 gift card in appreciation of their participation. If interested, contact George Batten at gpb2c@vt.edu for further details.
UPCOMING EVENTS:
MLK-DAY DIALOGUE IN THE GLC
Monday, Jan 19, 10:00am-2:00pm, Graduate Life Center
The Graduate Life Center will celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr. Day by opening its doors for dialogue about the needs of graduate students. From 10am-1pm coffee and tea will be available in the GLC lobby for informal discussion facilitated by Inclusion Coordinator Dannette Beane. From 11-12:30pm student leaders will facilitate discussion around what underrepresented students need and action plans to increase the diversity and inclusion efforts for graduate students. Rooms and topics TBA. From 12:30-1pm lunch will be available in the MPR. Please RSVP at https://virginiatech.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_e3OrEfQXntQYqwt. At 1pm, Dean DePauw will facilitate a discussion around the needs discussed during the morning sessions and share the Graduate School’s new initiatives. Students are also encouraged to stop in the GLC all month to write suggestions and comments on paper provided in the hallway by ABP about how to make the space and the graduate-school experience more inclusive.
PARENT SUPPORT GROUP MEETING MONTHLY
Wednesday, Jan 21, 12:00-1:30pm, GLC Room F
The Parent Support Group is a new opportunity for graduate students and their partners who have or are expecting children, designed to provide a place to connect and build community. The group will be meeting this Wednesday in the GLC. Lunch will be served and spouses and children are welcome! Please email childcare@vt.edu with any questions.
POVERTY, BIOLOGY AND HEALTH: WILL THE CIRCLE BE UNBROKEN?
Thursday, Jan 22, 3:30pm, Fralin Auditorium
The speakers, Drs. Craig and Sharon Ramey, are internationally known for researching the effects of impoverished environments and poverty on early childhood brain development and cognition. They will present their recent findings on the intergenerational and lifelong effects of impoverished environments, and the extent to which systematic, theory-driven interventions (tested via randomized controlled trials and multi-site observational studies) produce improved health outcomes linked to morbidity and mortality. As their work is highly interdisciplinary and integrates the fields of biology, psychology, sociology and human development, these talks will be of interest to graduate students from a broad range of departments.
THE CIVIL RIGHTS OF HEALTH, EDUCATION AND BIOLOGY: MLK’S ENDURING LEGACY
Friday, Jan 23, 12:20pm, VBI Auditorium
The internationally recognized speakers, Drs. Craig and Sharon Ramey, will address why eliminating health and educational disparities is a compelling and crucial goal for the future of our nation. It will review compelling historical scientific findings about the impact of race and poverty on the life course, biologically and behaviorally. The focus will be on a new 2014 national agenda that links education and health as the most compelling ways to overcome entrenched inequities and health disparities that endure as a legacy of racism and classism. As their work is highly interdisciplinary and integrates the fields of biology, psychology, sociology and human development, these talks will be of interest to students from a broad range of departments.