March 9-15, 2015

1.  WEEKLY WALK-IN SERVICES IN THE GLC

  • Career Services, Cook Counseling, Statistical Consulting and Writing Assistance are on hiatus this week.  
  • GLC Café: 3:30-5:00 every Thursday, Reading Room

2. SPRING BREAK
Saturday, Mar 7 – Sunday, Mar 15
For what it’s worth. Not that most graduate students will notice the difference. But maybe parking on campus is easier for a week? Take a minute and enjoy it.

3. THESIS/DISSERTATION-WRITING SUPPORT GROUP
Tuesdays bi-weekly, Mar 10, 12:00-1:30pm, GLC Room D
Do you need some support with staying on track with your writing? Share some of your experiences with fellow grad students who are going through the same process and take advantage of a safe place to decompress from the stress of your thesis/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.

4. SPRING BREAK GAME NIGHT
Wednesday, Mar 11, 7:00-9:00pm, meet in GLC Lobby
Around during spring break? Come join fellow grad students for an evening of fun! There will be a variety of games to enjoy. All are welcome, and you can come anytime. Sponsored by InterVarsity Graduate Christian Fellowship.

5. GLC CAFÉ: SURPRISE EDITION
Thursday, Mar 12, 3:30-5:00pm, GLC Reading Room
Enjoy coffee, tea, and cookies in the company of your graduate student and Grad School colleagues. Relax, explore big and small ideas, and build your network of colleagues and friends. Stop by for a spring break surprise!

6. BACK TO BASICS: HOW TO BUILD STRONG RELATIONSHIPS
Saturday, Mar 14, 11:00am, The Inn at Virginia Tech
The Blacksburg Alumnae Chapter of DST Sorority Inc invites you to this program to shed light on what it takes to build and maintain a strong foundation in a marriage before and after you say “I do.” Speakers for this program are Pastor Jefferson Jones of Graceway Ministries in Christiansburg, VA and Mr. Lance Franklin and Mrs. Anita Franklin who have provided many with advice that stems from their personal experience and the word of God. After the program there will time for questions, testimonials, and giveaways. Contact Brielle Wright, the Program Planning & Development Chair at 910-991-5385 or via email at ppd@bacdst13.org with any questions.

7. SUBMISSIONS INVITED FOR GLC ART & PHOTO CONTEST – penultimate posting
The Graduate School invites submissions of art work and photography by graduate students for display in the GLC during Graduate Education Week (Mar 23-27) and beyond. Submissions are limited to three pieces (art and/or photography) per graduate student. Photos may be submitted online at https://secure.graduateschool.vt.edu/imageupload/ to be printed by the Graduate School. Submission deadline: Tuesday, Mar 17, 2015.  Learn more at http://www.graduatelifecenter.vt.edu/contest/.

8. CALLING ALL GRADUATE STUDENT ENTERTAINERS FOR GEW PERFORMANCE – penultimate posting
The Graduate School is seeking students to provide entertainment during the Graduate Education Week Big Cook-out on Friday, March 27. The circus-themed cook-out will run from 4:30-6:30pm on the Graduate School Lawn.  Entertainers needed include face painters, balloon artists, caricature artists, jugglers, or anything that may fit into our theme. To join our slate of performers, please complete this survey: https://survey.vt.edu/survey/entry.jsp?id=1422907809572  Contact Lauren Surface at lkeister@vt.edu if you have questions.

9. ACADEMY FOR GTA EXCELLENCE CALL FOR APPLICATIONS – very last posting
The Academy for GTA Excellence (Academy) invites applications for membership in the Learning Community and advancement into the Academy. The Academy provides opportunities for graduate students to receive advanced education and training in innovative teaching and learning strategies. It also provides a space to recognize excellence in teaching by graduate students. Membership is open to graduate students at all VT campuses. For additional information and application: https://blogs.lt.vt.edu/jwrgrad/academy-for-advanced-teaching-and-transforming-learning-aattl/.  Applications are due Monday, Mar 16. For questions about the Academy, contact VP and Dean Karen P. DePauw (kpdepauw@vt.edu) or Nicole J. Johnson (nicj712@vt.edu).

10. JOIN NEW 30-AND-OVER GRAD GROUP – 2nd posting
Welcome to all VT 30-and-over students who sometimes feel out of place in the traditional social circles of school. This group is intended to be social, fun and non-serious. Coffee date? OK. Hiking in the Blue Ridge? Fantastic! Bowling? I’m up for it! Planned events can be accessed through our GoogleGroups site https://groups.google.com/d/forum/VT-over-30. If you are part of a sub group (parents, athletic enthusiast, belly button lint collecting) let the group know and organize events within this group. The idea is to make everyone welcome and get to know other 30 and overs on VT’s campus.

11. CITIZEN SCHOLAR APPLICATIONS INVITED – 2nd posting
Have you used your research to benefit society in any way? Are you currently working, or have worked on a project in the past year, that has community impact, either locally or globally? If so, consider applying for the Citizen Scholar award.  If not, consider designing a Citizen Scholar project! Program requirements are described on the CSE website, http://graduateschool.vt.edu/gs/tge/cse.  Applications are due Mar 16.  For more information, email Shelby Ward, shelby08@vt.edu.

12. CALL FOR NOMINATIONS FOR LATINO LECTURE SERIES – 2nd posting
This project aims to provide a space for mentoring relationships to organically occur. Please nominate students to the Latino Lecture Series: students who have turned in a paper, done research on, or can discuss topics specifically related to the Latino community can be nominated to present at this symposium. Nomination process: submit students’ first name, last name, email address, major, and a title for the project, paper, or research to miguelam@vt.edu.

13. BGSO ACCEPTING NOMINATIONS FOR FOUR AWARDS – 3rd posting
The first two awards will be presented to an undergraduate and graduate student that has sustained personal engagement with the VT community. The candidates should have active involvement in campus organizations, service to the community, and/or volunteer work. You can nominate and/or self-nominate a candidate at https://survey.vt.edu/survey/entry.jsp?id=1420820436631. The second two awards will be presented to a community and/ or faculty member that has active engagement in the community and/or has demonstrated a lifetime dedication to the betterment of the community. You can nominate and/or self-nominate a candidate at https://survey.vt.edu/survey/entry.jsp?id=1422932997108. Awards will be presented Apr 17, 2015 at the 17th Annual Ebony Affair “Black Excellence: Forging a Prominent Future”; where Dr. Nikki Giovanni will serve as the keynote speaker.

14. GSA TRAVEL FUND PROGRAM’S SPRING APPLICATION CYCLE OPEN MAR 2-22 – 3rd posting
If you’re planning to travel or have traveled to present your research at a scholarly conference between Jan 1 and Jun 30, 2015, consider applying for the Graduate Student Assembly’s Travel Fund Program (TFP). Last year, the TFP provided partial reimbursement of travel and registration expenses to over 200 graduate students. Masters/doctoral students and domestic/international travel are all eligible. Applications accepted for the spring cycle from Monday, Mar 2 8:00am to Sunday, Mar 22 5:00pm. Visit http://blogs.lt.vt.edu/graduatestudentassembly/travel-fund-program/ for details and to apply. Read all the eligibility requirements and the FAQ and check out the GSA’s other programs and opportunities while you’re there! Contact Kasey Richardson, TFP Chair, or Chelsea Corkins, TFP Vice Chair at tfp2014@vt.edu with questions.

15. GLC FELLOW POSITION OPENINGS – 2nd posting
Residence Life and the Graduate School are seeking motivated graduate students who are committed to building graduate community, for GLC Fellow positions for the 2015-16 academic year. An ideal candidate would have previous residence life and/or event planning experience, though it is not a requirement. Applicants must submit a formal cover letter, resume and letter of recommendation, as well as complete the following survey: https://survey.vt.edu/survey/entry.jsp?id=1424447226591 . Information about cover letter requirements is at the survey link; full job description is at www.graduatelifecenter.vt.edu. Apply by Mar 27, 2015. Contact Lauren Surface at lkeister@vt.edu or Jacob Soles at jsoles11@vt.edu  if you have questions.

16. GRAD RESIDENTIAL FELLOW (GRF) OPENINGS IN WEST AJ RESIDENTIAL COLLEGE – 2nd posting
The West AJ Residential College is a community of 850 multi-generational students ranging from first-year to graduate from all academic disciplines. The GRF is a live-in position with responsibilities that include:  strong presence in the "house" and residential college; know each student living in the house; coordinate activities and experiences that facilitate community and serve the goals of the Residential College; serve as a role model; assist Faculty Principal and Associate Faculty Principal; serve as advisor for House Council; use the provided major on-campus meal plan to attend weekly House Dinners at the D2; facilitate the room and selection process; participate in trainings and meetings; other duties as assigned. Must invest min. 10 hrs/wk within house community; must be FT VT grad student in good academic standing, and have strong affinity for working with people within a residential setting. An interest in strengthening the academic/ intellectual undergraduate experience for a diverse array of students is required. GRFs receive a single room and a major on-campus meal plan and are appointed for a 1-year term, but are eligible for re-appointment for another 1-year term, based on performance. Ideally, a GRF serves in the position for 2 consecutive years. To apply, email letter of interest, resume, & contact information for 3 references to: Amanda Eagan, Assistant Student Life Coordinator, aeagan2@vt.edu.

17. LGBTW YOUTH & YOUNG ADULTS WANTED FOR RESEARCH PROJECT – 3rd posting
VT researchers are seeking lesbian, gay, bisexual, and queer youth and young adults age 13-21 to participate in a project exploring the decision to come out to family as gay, lesbian, bisexual or queer.  The questionnaire and in-depth interview take approximately 2-2.5 hours and participants will receive a $20 gift card. The PI is in the process of developing a program to help youth make safe and successful disclosure decisions to family; this research will help inform that project.  Participation is voluntary and all information associated with this IRB-approved study will remain strictly confidential.  If you have questions or would like to discuss eligibility, please contact the project office by email at VTProjectSMYLE@gmail.com or call (540)-231-4235. You can also check out our Facebook page for more information: https://www.facebook.com/VTProjectSMYLE

18. PARENTS OF LGB YOUTH  & YOUNG ADULTS WANTED FOR RESEARCH PROJECT – 3rd posting
VT researchers are seeking parents who have had a child disclose to them in the last five years that they are lesbian, gay or bisexual when the child was 13-21.  The brief questionnaire and in-depth interview take about 1-2 hours and participants will receive a $20 gift card. The principal investigator is in the process of developing a program to help youth make safe and successful disclosure decisions to family; this research will help inform that project. Participation is voluntary and all information associated with this IRB-approved study will remain strictly confidential.  If you have questions or would like to discuss eligibility, please contact the project office by email at VTProjectSMYLE@gmail.com or call (540)-231-4235. You can also check out our Facebook page for more information: https://www.facebook.com/VTProjectSMYLE

UPCOMING EVENTS:

SHORT STATS COURSES FOR GRADS: DESIGNING EXPERIMENTS
Tuesday, Mar 17, 4:00-6:00pm, 1080 Torgersen Hall
The goal of any scientific experiment is to maximize information gain, while minimizing the cost of the experiment. Taught by Justin Loda, this short course will discuss the three fundamental principles of experimental design (randomization, replication, and local control of error) and their relative importance in designing a useful experiment. Participants will also discuss some commonly designed experiments, such as randomized complete block and split-plot designs, as well as some more advanced. Anyone with little to no background in basic statistical techniques who are interested in acquiring an introduction to experimental design are welcome. See http://www.lisa.stat.vt.edu/?q=short_courses for instructions on how to REGISTER and to learn more.

SHORT STATS COURSES FOR GRADS – SPRING 2015 SCHEDULE
LISA (Virginia Tech’s Laboratory for Interdisciplinary Statistical Analysis) provides a series of evening short courses to help graduate students use statistics in their research. The focus of these two-hour courses is on teaching practical statistical techniques for analyzing or collecting data. Registration is required, but all courses are free. Spring 2015 Schedule:

  • Monday & Tuesday, March 23 & 24: Using ggplot2 to produce enhanced graphics in R;*
  • Tuesday, April 7: T-tests & ANOVA;
  • Tuesday, April 14: Solutions for Broken Linear Models;
  • *Two sessions of the same course to accommodate more attendees.
  • Visit the LISA website at http://www.lisa.stat.vt.edu/?q=short_courses for more information about these courses and to register.

 STUDY ABROAD SCHOLARSHIP INFO SESSIONS
Tuesday, Mar 17, 11:00am– 3:00pm, GLC Room B
Interested in an international opportunity, but not sure how to finance it? Celebrate International Week by learning about scholarship opportunities. The Fulbright, Boren, Gilman, and Critical Language Scholarship programs will be among the opportunities discussed. Members of the Global Education Office and the Office of University Scholarships and Financial Aid will be in attendance. Information sessions will be held hourly at 11:00, 12:00, 1:00, and 2:00 and each session will last 30-45 minutes with time for questions. For more information, contact Rebecca Johnson (vtabroad@vt.edu ; 540-231-5888).

JELL-O WITH THE FELLOWS
Tuesday, Mar 17, 4:00-6:00pm, GLC Student Lounge
Learn about the GLC Fellow application process, job requirements, and what life is like as a Fellow. Meet current Fellows, their supervisors, and enjoy some delicious Jell-o treats. Information about the position openings can be found at www.graduatelifecenter.vt.edu. 

AT THE CROSSROADS: ART, SCIENCE, RESEARCH
Tuesday, Mar 17, 7:30 pm, Cube, Moss Arts Center
During her artist residency at Virginia Tech in 2012, Healing Wars creator and director Liz Lerman engaged with faculty, students, and community members, including researchers at the VT Carilion Research Institute (VT CRI). Join a conversation between Lerman and Michael J. Friedlander, PhD, executive director of the VT CRI, on creative research, scientific research, and their intersections. Co-presented by Community Voices and the Center for Arts at VT. Free; registration required through the box office at https://artscenter.vt.edu/Online/healingwars or (540) 231-5300.

WORKSHOP FOR SCIENTISTS AND ARTISTS: MODELING SCIENCE, MODELING IDEAS – register now!
Wednesday Mar 18, 10:00am-12:00pm, Moss Arts Center
With vast improvements in quality and complexity of data in the life sciences, what thinking skills do we need to make sense of what’s there—and to make discoveries? Modeling brings precision and depth to the conceptualizations of biological processes, and embodied learning through "science choreography" catalyzes deconstruction and illumination of the core components and processes in modeling. This hands-on workshop, led by visiting choreographer and MacArthur "Genius Grant" Fellow Liz Lerman, is designed especially for mixed groups of artists (theatre and dance) and scientists. No experience necessary. Contact Sarah at sarahhf@vt.edu to sign up. In your message, please indicate if you identify as a scientist, an artist, or both. Limited space is available; slots will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis.

PARENT SUPPORT GROUP MEETING MONTHLY
Wednesday, Mar 18, 12:00-1:30pm, GLC Room C
The Parent Support Group is an 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 Wednesday, March 18 in the GLC. Lunch will be served and partners and children are welcome! Contact Andrea with questions at aswenson@vt.edu.

NETWORKING SESSION AND PROFESSIONAL PANEL SEEKS PARTICIPANTS– sign up now!
Saturday, Mar 28, McBryde Hall
The Blacksburg Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc is partnering with the TRiO Programs at Virginia Tech to sponsor this event during the College and Career. The group is seeking individuals from various professional and educational backgrounds to participate on the panel and to be present at the networking session.  If you are interested in participating please email your name, major/degree, work title(s), occupation, email contact information and whether you will be joining for lunch to Brielle Wright at bswright@vt.edu. Please sign up by Thursday, Mar 5. You will receive additional information from the TRiO Programs regarding any additional logistical information.