October 1 – 7, 2018

Recurring Events:
1. WEEKLY DROP-IN SERVICES
2. WEEKLY RECURRING EVENTS

This Week’s Events
3. CAREERS IN STUDENT AFFAIRS MONTH: AN AFTERNOON WITH DR. PERILLO
4. HOW TO USE iTHENTICATE – TRAINING SESSIONS
5. SOLAR DECATHLON DESIGN CHALLENGE INTRODUCTORY MEETING
6. GLC KORU BASIC SERIES
7. SELF- CARE WORKSHOP
8. HBCU CONNECT DINNER – NEW LOCATION
9. HISPANIC STUDENT CONNECT LUNCH – NEW LOCATION
10. BREAKFAST WITH THE DEAN
11. FREE CHILDCARE REMINDER – KIDS’ NIGHT OUT
12. STRESS MANAGEMENT FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS
12A. AUDIO BASICS WORKSHOP
13. AN EVENING OF INDIAN CLASSICAL MUSIC
14. THE IRANIAN SOCIETY AT VIRGINIA TECH HOSTS MEHREGAN

Administrative Announcements:
15. 2018 STEM SUMMIT- CALL FOR PROPOSALS – DEADLINE EXTENDED TO OCT 4 – 1st posting
16. NUTSHELL GAMES — SIGNUP NOW! – 1st posting
17. GSA TRAVEL FUND PROGRAM – FALL CYCLE APPLICATIONS OPEN OCT 8-22 – 1st posting
18. GSA GRAD RESEARCH DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM – FALL APPS OPEN OCT 15-22 – 1st posting
19. SERVICES FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES CONSULTATIONS AVAILABLE – 1st posting
20. HBCU/MSI RESEARCH SUMMIT- GRAD STUDENT POSTER ABSTRACT SUBMISSION – 3rd posting
21. P.E.O. SCHOLAR AWARD NOMINATIONS SOUGHT – deadline extended
22. FALL 2018 GRAD SCHOOL PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SERIES – 3rd posting

Jobs:
23. SCRIBE/PROCTOR NEEDED – HONORARIUM PROVIDED  – FILLED

Volunteers and research participants sought:
24. VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR GSA FALL BEER & WINE SOCIAL – 1st posting
25. PARTICIPANTS NEEDS FOR LOAD CARRIAGE RESEARCH – 1st posting
26. CASTING CALL FROM THE PARCI LABORATORY – 1st posting
27. VOLUNTEERS NEEDED TO JUDGE AT VA-NC ALLIANCE SYMPOSIUM – 1st posting 19. VT-ASL 28. (AUDITORY SYSTEMS LAB) SEEKS PARTICIPANTS FOR 2 EXPERIMENTS – 2ndposting
29. PAID VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE FOR KIDS AGES 7-14 – revised posting

Upcoming events:
— LIBRARY STUDIOS WORKSHOP SERIES: INTRODUCTION TO TABLEAU DESKTOP
— GSA FALL BEER & WINE SOCIAL
— AMBIENT ORCHESTRA: DAVID BOWIE’S BLACKSTAR
— DURGA PUJO 2018
— DANDIYA NIGHT
— OVERCOMING PROCRASTINATION

Recurring Events
1. WEEKLY DROP-IN SERVICES:
– Career Advising: Will return on Wednesdays starting Sep 19 from 2:00-5:00pm. See the Grad Students Career Ops blog for more info on career opportunities: https://blogs.lt.vt.edu/gradcareeropportunity/
– Cook Counseling: Thursday & Friday, 1:00-5:00pm, Green Room, GLC
– Graduate School hours: MTThF 8:00am-5:00pm, W 9:30am-5:00pm
– Immigration advising hours: MWF 1:00-4:00pm, TTh 9:00am-12:00pm Room 120
– Ask the Academy: GTA Walk-In Advising Wednesdays, GLC Graduate Lounge and Thursdays, GLC Reading Room, 4:00-6:00pm

2. WEEKLY RECURRING EVENTS:
– GRAD MINDFULNESS
Starting Monday, Sep 10, 12:00-12:30pm, Derring 5071
Each meeting will consist of a short (about 5 mins.) guided mindfulness exercise followed by time to practice. It is not necessary to stay for the whole time. Contact Lisa Whalen for more info at lashley@vt.edu. Here is a link https://app.stopbreathethink.org/ to a cool free mindfulness app.
– WRITING STRATEGIES FOR GRADUATE WRITERS
Mondays, 9:30-11:00am and Tuesdays, 4:00-5:30pm, GLC, Room A
Session can last up to 1.5 hours; you are limited to two of these special appointments at the GLC per semester. Ends Dec 2. Make an appointment at https://vt.mywconline.com.
– WELLNESS WEDNESDAY MINDFULNESS/YOGA
Wednesdays, 8:00-9:00am, GLC Health & Wellness Room G
1st, 3rd, and 5th Wednesdays: Yoga Classes
2nd & 4th Wednesdays: Mindfulness Classes (Mindfulness skills 8:00-8:30am, Self Meditation 8:30-9:00am). Email Lindsay Vander Molen, ltvander@vt.edu for more info/accommodations. Ends Dec 5.
– ASK THE ACADEMY: GTA WALK-IN ADVISING
Wednesdays, GLC Graduate Lounge, 4-6pm & Thursdays, GLC Reading Room, 4-6pm
You can also send questions to http://vtgrate.org/ask-a-fellow/.
– FLAMENCO AND CLASSICAL SPANISH DANCE
Wednesdays, Squires 116, 7:00-8:00pm
– GLC CAFÉ – WEDNESDAY & THURSDAY THIS WEEK
2nd and 4th Wednesday and every Thursday, 3:30-5:00pm, GLC Reading Room
Every Thursday, enjoy free coffee, tea, and cookies in the company of fellow grad students and Grad School staff; network, socialize, relax! Bring your own mug if you can.
– FREE CHILDCARE – KIDS’ NIGHT OUT
Thursdays, 6:30-8:30pm, VT Women’s Center, 206 Washington St., B’burg
Kids aged 2+ (must be potty trained) enjoy fun activities with volunteer sitters. For additional information, and to sign up, visit the doodle poll at https://doodle.com/poll/tesu4t855wqpeexh. Please note that spots are limited. Contact Jessie Meltsner at jmelts@vt.edu for more info.
– LUTHERAN TRADITIONAL DIVINE SERVICE
Sundays, 3:30pm, War Memorial Chapel
For more information, contact Nathaniel at nhall28@vt.edu.

This Week’s Events
3. CAREERS IN STUDENT AFFAIRS MONTH: AN AFTERNOON WITH DR. PERILLO
Monday, Oct 1, 2018, 3:30-5pm, 198 McComas Hall
Join Vice President of Student Affairs, Dr. Patty Perillo, in community and conversation about careers in student affairs. Light refreshments will be provided. Sponsored by the Higher Education Advisory Council, Assessment and Professional Development & Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs. Register at https://baseline.campuslabs.com/vpiasu/csam18.

4. HOW TO USE iTHENTICATE – TRAINING SESSIONS
Multiple dates, times, meeting rooms; registration required
The Graduate School is offering training sessions to graduate students on how to use iThenticate, a newly available software system to review the originality of documents, ensure accurate attribution to other authors, and eliminate occurrences of potential plagiarism. Multiple sessions are offered; please register for only one if you are interested at https://app.nli.tlos.vt.edu/; search by date or for “iThenticate” in the title box.
Tuesday, October 2  3:00-4:00pm GLC Room B
Wednesday, October 3  10:00-11:00am GLC Room C
Friday, October 5 3:00-4:00pm Zoom (540-231-8316)

5. SOLAR DECATHLON DESIGN CHALLENGE INTRODUCTORY MEETING
Wednesday, Oct 3, 11:30am-12:30pm, Bishop Favrao Hall, Room 423
The Solar Decathlon Design Challenge is coming up this Spring and looking for students and faculty to help develop a net-positive, regenerative Tree Haus inspired by the way trees collect and distribute resources in the forest. Independent study credit will be available for the Spring 2019 semester and subteam leaders will have a chance to travel to Golden, Colorado next April to present at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). If you are interested, please attend this meeting for more information.

6. GLC KORU BASIC SERIES 
Wednesday, Oct 3, 4:00-5:15pm, GLC Wellness Room (G)
Koru Mindfulness is a 4 session course that will teach you the skill of mindfulness. It will also help you build the habit of using it in your life on a regular basis. 2nd of a 4-session series ending October 17th. Go to https://dashboard.korumindfulness.org/web/index.php?r=course%2Fsignup&id=1322 for required registration.

7. SELF- CARE WORKSHOP
Wednesday, Oct 3, 3:00pm, GLC Room C
Interested in learning why you deserve time for yourself while in Graduate School?  Want to know why it is so important?  Attend this workshop to learn why self-care is so important to academic and professional success. Please complete the following survey if interested in attending: https://virginiatech.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_eQZFSNLs7jibcyx.

8. HBCU CONNECT DINNER – NEW LOCATION
Wednesday, Oct 3, 5:30 -7:30 pm, Squires Student Center, Black Cultural Center
Grad students are invited to attend this year’s HBCU Alumni Graduate Student Connect Dinner with keynote speaker Dr. Brandy Faulkner, a Visiting Assistant Professor in the Department of Political Science. Student group leaders, faculty mentors, and members of the community are also invited to attend. The event is free. Please register at http://bit.ly/HBCUConnectDinner. For accommodations related to disabilities, please contact Shania at sbooker1@vt.edu at least 72 hours in advance of the event.

9. HISPANIC STUDENT CONNECT LUNCH – NEW LOCATION
Thursday, Oct 4, 12:00-1:00 pm, Graduate Life Center, Multipurpose Room
Grad students are invited to attend this year’s Hispanic/Latino Graduate Student Connect Lunch with keynote speaker Dr. Mercedes Ramirez Fernandez, the Associate Vice Provost for Strategic Affairs and Diversity. Student group leaders, faculty mentors, and members of the community are also invited to attend. The event is free. Please register at http://bit.ly/HispanicConnectLunch.For accommodations related to disabilities, please contact Shania at sbooker1@vt.edu at least 72 hours in advance of the event.

10. FREE CHILDCARE REMINDER – KIDS’ NIGHT OUT
Thursdays, 6:30-8:30pm, VT Women’s Center, 206 Washington St., B’burg
Kids aged 2+ (must be potty trained) enjoy fun activities with volunteer sitters. For additional information, and to sign up, visit the doodle poll at https://doodle.com/poll/tmx5r34uezbug4vk. Please note that spots are limited. Contact Jessie Meltsner at jmelts@vt.edu for more info.

11. BREAKFAST WITH THE DEAN
Friday, Oct 5, 9:00-10:00am, Graduate Life Center (GLC) Room B
How’s your semester going so far? What are your thoughts about the graduate life experience here at Virginia Tech? Get some face-to-face time with Dr. Karen DePauw, Dean of the Graduate School, and share your thoughts with her and other students in the graduate community. Breakfast will be provided, and event is free to all graduate students. Brought to you by the Graduate Student Assembly. Contact Lehi Dowell at ldowell@vt.edu with any questions. If you plan on attending, register at https://survey.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0pPOsbCuDbtfnnf

12. STRESS MANAGEMENT FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS
Friday, Oct 5, 2:00pm, GLC Room C
Graduate work tends to bring out stress and anxiety in students and at times can feel overwhelming.  If you want to learn how to manage and cope with stress, come to this stress management workshop designed specifically for international students. Please complete the following survey if you are interested in attending: https://virginiatech.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3rNwMZrQQsv2CUJ.

12A. AUDIO BASICS WORKSHOP
Friday, Oct 5, 3:00-4:00pm, Fusion Studio.
An introduction to recording, producing, and editing audio with available technology in the Library Studios Network.

13. AN EVENING OF INDIAN CLASSICAL MUSIC
Friday, Oct 5, 8:30-10:00 pm, Colonial Hall, Squires Student Center
Grad student Satyajit Upasani and Kala, a VT student organization focused on the awareness and appreciation of Indian Classical Music, extend an invitation to attend a night filled with the sounds of the Sitar and Tabla! Two well-respected musicians will be visiting from India to deliver a classical instrumental performance. They will also be available to chat with the audience after the program! Artist Links: Anjan Saha, Amit Chatterjee. For more info, go to Facebook Event: https://www.facebook.com/events/173441080213525/ or Gobbler Connect: https://gobblerconnect.vt.edu/news/133616. Questions? Contact Satyajit Upasani at sau13@vt.edu.

14. THE IRANIAN SOCIETY AT VIRGINIA TECH HOSTS MEHREGAN
Saturday, Oct 6, 6:30-11:00pm, Squires Student Center, Old Dominion Ballroom
Grad student Mana Jalali extends an invitation along with the The Iranian Society at Virginia Tech to join the Mehregan ceremony. There will be Persian dance and music performances, a dance competition, and dinner. Admission, including dinner, is $14 for students and dependents, $20 for faculty and their dependents, $20 for Non-VT affiliates. General admission without dinner is $5. For more info, email Mana at manaj2@vt.edu .

Administrative Announcements:
15. 2018 STEM SUMMIT- CALL FOR PROPOSALS – DEADLINE EXTENDED TO OCT 4
VT grad faculty member Bryanne Peterson has shared information on the upcoming 2018 STEM Summit. Proposals requests are related to this year’s theme of Bridging Classroom and Community. How does your organization or classroom reach across to others interested in supporting strong educational ties? Examples of topics may include internship programs for students and teachers, unique collaboration methods, innovative field trip strategies, creating local and online STEM communities, and more. Submit at bit.do/stemsummit2018 before Oct 4. The committee will review all proposals and responses will be sent to all applicants no later than Oct 12. The Summit will be held on Nov 13. For more information on attending, go to http://icat.vt.edu/event/2018-stem-summit/.

16. NUTSHELL GAMES — SIGNUP NOW! – 1st posting
All graduate students are invited to compete in the Nutshell Games, 90-second presentations of graduate student research, on Saturday, Oct 27, 4:30pm at the Moss Arts Center. All contestants will receive professional videorecordings of their presentations. Three winners will each receive a $500 cash prize. Contestants also may register for a workshop to help prepare for the games.   You can register here for both https://communicatingscience.wufoo.com/forms/w1jxtuos0kh9phs/.

17. GSA TRAVEL FUND PROGRAM – FALL CYCLE APPLICATIONS OPEN OCT 8-22 – 1st posting
“Have you attended or plan to attend a conference between July 1 and October 31? Then gear up Hokies for the Travel Fund! The GSA Travel Fund Program (TFP) will partially support the monetary costs associated with conference attendance including travel, lodging, meals, and registration. New this year: three cycles for faster reimbursement and streamlined application estimates. As such, the Fall Cycle applications (covering conferences from July 1-Oct 31) will be open October 8th-22nd. Further detail, updates, and the eventual application can be found at https://blogs.lt.vt.edu/graduatestudentassembly/what-we-can-offer-you/funding-opportunities/travel-fund-program/. Exact dates for our Winter Cycle (Nov 1-Feb 28) and Spring Cycle (March 1-June 30) in future announcements! More Questions? Contact the GSA TFP Chair at gsatravelfund@gmail.com

18. GSA GRAD RESEARCH DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM – FALL APPS OPEN OCT 15-22 – 1st posting
The GSA Graduate Research Development Program (GRDP) provides research grant funds to support graduate research. PhD students may be awarded up to $1,000 and Master’s students up to $750 to support their projects. New this year: footnote options to further communicate research to all reviewers. The application will open on October 15, and will close on October 22 at 11:59pm, though information regarding exact documentation including proposal details and budget requirements will be live this week. To learn more, visit the GRDP page for the GSA website at https://blogs.lt.vt.edu/graduatestudentassembly/what-we-can-offer-you/funding-opportunities/graduate-research-development-program/. Questions? Contact the GRDP Chair at gsaGRDP@gmail.com.

19. SERVICES FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES CONSULTATIONS AVAILABLE – 1st posting
Experiencing academic access barriers? Have a temporary injury, illness or concussion? Struggling in courses? Have a disability? Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) consults with graduate students who have a diagnosed condition that lasts more than a week and majorly interferes with your academics, including temporary injuries and illnesses. SSD offers free and confidential consultations. If unsure that SSD services and accommodations are applicable, consider calling SSD at 540-231-3788 or emailing ssd@vt.edu to schedule a consultation appointment. SSD looks forward to working with you.

20. HBCU/MSI RESEARCH SUMMIT- GRAD STUDENT POSTER ABSTRACT SUBMISSION – 3rd posting
The 2018 HBCU/MSI Research Summit is scheduled for Oct 14-15 at the Inn at Virginia Tech. If interested, submit your abstract (300 words max) at: http://bit.ly/SummitPosterAbstract by Oct 1, 11:59 pm (EST). Those invited to participate in the poster session, which will be held on Oct 14 from 4:00-6:00 pm, will be contacted by Oct 7. For more information about HBCU/MSI Summit visit: https://graduateschool.vt.edu/about/diversity/hbcu_research_summit.html. If you have questions, please contact Dr. Shernita Lee at shernita@vt.edu.

21. P.E.O. SCHOLAR AWARD NOMINATIONS SOUGHT – deadline extended
The P.E.O. (Philanthropic Education Organization) is offering the Scholar Award of $15,000 to eligible women who are currently working on their PhD.  Local application components must be submitted by Oct 5, including a 1-2-page letter of application highlighting current work and career goals and resume, emailed to P.E.O. Scholar Awards Chairperson, Rebecca Caldwell, rebec.caldwell@gmail.com. Nominees should be on track to complete doctoral level degree between Apr 2020 and Aug 2021. If the potential candidate is working on a joint program, such as a PhD/DVM, she must be scheduled to complete the entire program (both degrees) between Apr 2020 and Aug 2021. For more information go to http://vapeo.org/joomla/index.php, click on P.E.O. International Project, then Scholar Award under Projects.  Contact Rebecca Caldwell at rebec.caldwell@gmail.com or 540-230-9371 with questions.

22. FALL 2018 GRAD SCHOOL PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SERIES – 3rd posting
For more information and for a complete list of professional development events this fall, check out the Graduate School website: https://graduateschool.vt.edu/student-life/professional-development/professional-development-series.html.

Jobs:
23. SCRIBE/PROCTOR NEEDED – HONORARIUM PROVIDED –FILLED
A student with a disability is in need of a scribe/proctor for the GRE paper test to be administered at Virginia Tech SSD Office, 310 Lavery Hall, Blacksburg. Time commitment is about 4 hours per day, for 3 days, starting at 12:45pm on October 10, 11 and 12, 2018 (Wednesday, Thursday, Friday). An Honorarium of $246.00 is provided by Educational Testing Service (ETS). Prefer a VT graduate student with personal experience taking the GRE within the last 5 years. In English, must have neat, legible handwriting and ability to write effectively and efficiently dictated information for the individual for completion of all sections of GRE test. For Quantitative Reasoning section, knowledge of mathematical symbols, operations and formulas related to arithmetic, algebra, geometry and data analysis (basic descriptive statistics, elementary probability) usually learned in high school or an Introductory Statistics course required.  Go to https://www.ets.org/gre/revised_general/prepare/quantitative_reasoning/ for more info. Contact Rhonda Mitcham at allen@vt.edu with questions or if you are interested.

Volunteers and research participants sought:
24. VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR GSA FALL BEER & WINE SOCIAL – 1st posting
The Graduate Student Assembly is gearing up for an exciting Fall Beer & Wine Social in Lane Stadium and is in search of volunteers for this event. All volunteers will receive FREE ADMISSION to the social and the GSA’s eternal gratitude. To sign-up as a volunteer, visit https://survey.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_5zPjTerpTlbB229

25. PARTICIPANTS NEEDS FOR LOAD CARRIAGE RESEARCH – 1st posting
Volunteers needed for study of effects of exoskeleton use on worker performance, health, and safety in manual material handling task (load carriage). Must be age 18-45 with no current or recent history of musculoskeletal disorders/injuries and physically active, engaging in regular moderate to high intensity workout (2-3 per week). Three experimental sessions (~2.5 hrs long for 1st, ~2 hrs long for the rest) are required to complete the study. Includes walking on the treadmill, both with and without several different exoskeletons. Several task parameters will be modified involving load carriage (with vs. without carrying a box weighing 20 lb) and walking speed. Compensation: $10/hour. If interested, please email or text/call Jangho Park at jhparkvt@vt.edu or call 703-463-6638.

26. CASTING CALL FROM THE PARCI LABORATORY – 1st posting
The Physical Activity Research & Community Implementation (PARCI) Laboratory is seeking a diverse cast of pregnant females to appear in videos promoting physical activity and healthy lifestyles. Must be 18-39 years of age. No acting, filming, or modeling experience required.  All ethnicities, backgrounds, races, and body types welcome! To be considered, fill out the survey at https://tinyurl.com/ActiveCasting or send your availability to abbyms@vt.edu. Deadline Thursday, Oct 18. Questions? Call 540-231-9960 or abbyms@vt.edu. Shoot location will be McComas Hall on Tuesday, Oct 23 at 1:00-4:00pm; Thursday, Oct 25 at 12:00-4:00pm; Saturday, Oct 27, at 2:00-6:00pm.

27. VOLUNTEERS NEEDED TO JUDGE AT VA-NC ALLIANCE SYMPOSIUM – 1st posting
VA-NC Alliance for Minority Participation is hosting its symposium at VT on Monday, Oct 15 from 8:00am-1:00pm at Squires Student Center. Individuals needed from 9:30 am-12:30 pm to judge over 30 posters and 10 oral presentations. Judges must be doctoral students with expertise in engineering, science, geology, mathematics, computer science chemistry, and bioinformatics. Sign up at https://virginiatech.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_2nsOuMYSn4HAfnn . Questions? Please contact Dr. Jody Thompson Marshall at jodyt@vt.edu

28. VT-ASL (AUDITORY SYSTEMS LAB) SEEKS PARTICIPANTS FOR 2 EXPERIMENTS – 2nd posting
(1)  4 participants (2 male and 2 female) for an earplug test: New participants will go through a approx.. 1 hour screen/qualifying session to test your hearing level, similar to audiogram testing done at doctor’s office. If qualified and willing to continue, participants will be asked to schedule up to 2 one hour test sessions. During each hour, hearing (low sound level) will be measured with and without earplugs. Task will be sitting in a quiet room and listening to the lowest sound level detectable.
(2) 10 participants (5 female and 5 male) for an auditory localization experiment: For this experiment, you will be asked to sit in a center of a speaker array and guess the location of sounding speaker.  The sound level will not be high.  The whole experiment will take 10-12 hours and you will be scheduling about 1 hour per day.
Compensation $10/hr for either/both experiments.  Actual experiment time can be scheduled to suit needs. If interested or have further questions, e-mail vt.auditory@gmail.com.

29. PAID VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE FOR KIDS AGES 7-14 – revised posting
The Clinical Psychology program at Virginia Tech has developed an assessment training opportunity for doctoral students. Graduate students enrolled in the Psychological Assessment course will be conducting psychological assessments of children/adolescents, ages 7-14, and their parents. Volunteers will be reimbursed $30 for their participation. These assessments are only for training purposes, not for clinical use, but you will receive a summary of findings. Participants must be available for 2-3, 3-hour sessions from Oct 10th through Nov 7th, scheduled on an individual basis. Please contact Lauren Delk at ladelk@vt.edu for more information.

Upcoming events:
LIBRARY STUDIOS WORKSHOP SERIES: INTRODUCTION TO TABLEAU DESKTOP
Thursday, Oct 11, 2:00-3:00pm, Newman 207A.
This workshop covers basic skills with Tableau Desktop, a data visualization tool, and is intended for beginners–no previous experience necessary! Participants will learn not only how to communicate research effectively, but also how to make their findings shine.

GSA FALL BEER & WINE SOCIAL
Fri, Oct 12, 5:00-9:00pm, Lane Stadium South End Zone Club
The Graduate Student Assembly is gearing up for an exciting Fall Beer & Wine Social in Lane Stadium. Tickets will be $18 ahead of time, $20 at the door, and will come with a number of tastings and drinks. There is also a non-alcohol-drinking entry option, which is $8 at the door.  This is the best value in town including drinks, appetizers, and an incredible DJ!  Come relax and enjoy the company of other graduate students! Questions? Contact Lehi Dowell, GSA Director of Events at ldowell@vt.edu. Buy tickets online at https://campuslife.vt.edu/Events/Ticket_Office/Events_and_Tickets.html. For more information visit the GSA Facebook event page at https://www.facebook.com/pg/VTGraduateStudentAssembly/events/?ref=page_internal

AMBIENT ORCHESTRA: DAVID BOWIE’S BLACKSTAR
Friday, Oct 12th, 7:00pm, Moss Arts Center
Come join the GLC Fellows and your fellow graduate students to watch Ambient Orchestra, a rendition of David Bowie’s famous album Blackstar. All graduate students are welcome. The first 20 people to sign up get free tickets. Fill out the survey at https://virginiatech.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_824kpyLmHasX5C5 to sign up and learn more details. Contact Aditya Kashyap at aditya92@vt.edu for more information.

DURGA PUJO 2018
Saturday, Oct 13, various times (below), Squires Student Center
Graduate student Shuchismita Biswas extends an invitation to Join the Virginia Tech Bengali Students’ Association in the celebration of East India’s largest festival Durga Pujo. The celebration in Blacksburg will be a day of celebrating cultural diversity with ceremonial prayer to the mother goddess, followed by a four-course Bengali dinner and a cultural show. Limited tickets for the dinner are available ($19- general adults, $13- students, free for children under 10) at www.bengali.org.vt.edu. Admission to the cultural show and prayer ceremony is free of cost. Dinner menu: Fish fry, Veg Pakora, Naan, Aloo Dum, Pulao Rice, Chicken Kosha, Paneer Korma, Rice Pudding. Schedule includes: Prayer ceremony at 11.30 am, Jamestown Room; Dinner at 4:00-6:00pm, Yorktown Room; Cultural Show at 6.30-8.30pm, Haymarket Theater.

DANDIYA NIGHT
Sunday, Oct 14, 6:30-8:30pm, Virginia Tech Duck Pond
The Indian Students Association (ISA) and The Society of Indian Americans (SIA) are holding their own Dandiya Night. The event is open to all age groups and admission is free. Dandiyas (colorful sticks) will be provided to whoever wishes to join in the dancing! The dances are easy to follow and learn. For more information and to RSVP, go to https://gobblerconnect.vt.edu/event/2821911.

OVERCOMING PROCRASTINATION
Wednesday, Oct 17, GLC Room C, 12:00pm
Graduate school can feel overwhelming at times without the added stress of waiting until the last minute to complete assignments. This workshop is designed to give you strategies and skills to overcome the urge to procrastinate. To sign up, go to https://virginiatech.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_5p4K95wCLOYKgvz.