April 26-May 2, 2021

**************************************      

Welcome to the Graduate School’s listserv for sharing events, services, administrative announcements and job opportunities for graduate students. Messages are posted on Mondays. Postings must be relevant to graduate students; include the name and contact of the requesting organization or person; not exceed 150 words; not include attachments. Submissions will be edited to fit listserv style and formatting requirements. Submit postings by 5:00pm Friday before the Monday on which the posting is to appear by emailing it to grads@vt.edu with “GLC Weekly posting” in the subject line. The GLC Weekly postings are also available at https://webapps.graduateschool.vt.edu/glcweekly/      

If you are an individual with a disability and desire an accommodation, please refer to the contact in the posting during regular business hours at least 10 business days prior to the event.      

****************************************      

This Week’s Events:      

Ongoing Services – updated 2/1/21 

1. CAREER POWER HOUR – A PANEL FEATURING APIDA ALUMNI  
2. OIA CONVERSATION ON RACE: THE PROMISE AND CHALLENGE OF THE ASIAN AMERICAN EXPERIENCE
3. PODCAST INTERVIEW WITH NENGJIE JIANG
4. BUDGETING AND DEBT MANAGEMENT FOR FEDERAL STUDENT LOANS
5. ITSA PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PANEL: HIRING IN INDUSTRY
6. GLC CAFÉ 
7. COMPASSION TURNED INWARD: ANTIDOTE FOR STRESS AND ANXIETY
8. BLAMING TEACHERS: PROFESSIONALIZATION POLICIES AND THE FAILURE OF EDUCATION REFORM IN THE UNITED STATES
9. “SYSTEMS APPROACH TO DISASTER RESILIENCE” – SEMINAR BY ZAHRAA SAIYED
10. ENGINEERING DYNAMICS INTO CELL AND GENETIC MEDICINE
11. CARNATIC MUSIC CONCERT TO CELEBRATE RAM NAVAMI
12. GSA SPRING SOCIAL AT THE FARM! (LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE)

Administrative Announcements:   

13. GRADUATE STUDENTS INVITED TO JOIN LDRS 4984 COURSE – 1st posting
14. ASIAN CULTURAL ENGAGEMENT CENTER (ACEC) VIRTUAL ACHIEVEMENT CEREMONY AND CORD DISTRIBUTION– SIGN-UP NOW – 1st posting
15. PHOTO OP ON GRAD SCHOOL LAWN REGISTRATION OPEN- 2nd posting
16. GSA TRAVEL FUND PROGRAM – SPRING CYCLE ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS – 2nd posting

Jobs:  
17. GRADUATE ASSISTANT POSITION IN VT TRIO PROGRAMS FOR 2021-2022 – 1st posting
18. GLC FELLOW POSITION OPENING- 1st posting
19. FULL TIME GA OPENING WITH FISCAL TRAINING TEAM – 2nd posting
20. 2021-2022 GRADUATE ASSISTANT POSITION – OFFICE OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY – 2nd posting
21. GA POSITION – CENTER FOR EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING AND LEARNING – 2nd posting
22. SCHIFFERT HEALTH CENTER GRADUATE ASSISTANT POSITION STARTING AUGUST 2021 – 2nd posting

Volunteers and research participants sought:      
23. PARTICIPANTS NEEDED FOR EXPERIMENTS IN ECONOMICS TO STUDY HUMAN BEHAVIOR STUDY – 2nd posting
24. PARTICIPANTS NEEDED FOR AUGMENTED REALITY USER STUDY -3rd posting

Upcoming Events:    
25. VIRGINIA ASIAN ADVISORY BOARD: REAL TALK – May 3
26. FAMILY YOGA – May 5
27. FIWGSA PANDA EXPRESS FUNDRAISER FOR HUMBLE HIKES – May 6
28. DIVERSITY SCHOLARS SPOTLIGHT WEBINAR – May 7

0. Ongoing Services – updated 2/1/21      
· GRADUATE SCHOOL: In person drop-off or pick-up of documents and materials M-F 1:00-3:00pm, 120 GLC. Request one-on-one assistantship or academic advising by using our online request form to set-up  a Zoom session.    
· CAREER ADVISING: schedule virtual career advising appointment via https://career.vt.edu/job-search/Handshake.html       
· COOK COUNSELING: Drop-in Zoom hours, Tuesdays 10am-12pm and Thursdays and Fridays 3pm-5pm, Zoom links found here. To make an appointment, visit: https://vt-ucc.titaniumhwc.com/ScheduleGraduateFirstCookConnect 
· WRITING CENTER SERVICES: Schedule an appointment at https://vt.mywconline.com/        
· GRADUATE OMBUDSPERSON: contact for appointment at gradstudentombud@vt.edu, 540-231-9573       

1. CAREER POWER HOUR – A PANEL FEATURING APIDA ALUMNI
Tuesday, April 27, 7pm, Zoom: https://rb.gy/mpaxfh
The purpose of this career panel is to showcase APIDA alumni in various career fields and to connect them with current students. Topics include, but are not limited to, experiences working as an APIDA, changing career tracks, pursuing graduate school, and general career development advice.

2. OIA CONVERSATION ON RACE: THE PROMISE AND CHALLENGE OF THE ASIAN AMERICAN EXPERIENCE
Wednesday, April 28, 1:30-3pm, Zoom
Co-sponsored by the Asian Cultural Engagement Center, this webinar will explore the experiences and perspectives of members of the Asian Pacific Islander Desi American (APIDA) community. It will provide an overview on the history and racialization of Asian Americans in the U.S., explain what APIDA stands for and represents, and offer a space for Asian Americans to share their voices and experiences. For more details, please visit https://www.outreach.vt.edu/conversations/webinar.html

3. PODCAST INTERVIEW WITH NENGJIE JIANG
Thursday, April 29, 9-10:15am
Please join the Community Change Collaborative members in a podcast interview with Documentarian Nengjie Jiang. In his work, Nengjie, a 35-year-old independent Chinese documentary director, producer and photographer, pays close attention to the silenced minority groups of the fast-developing, modern Chinese society.  Registration link. This is event is sponsored by the Virginia Tech Institute for Policy and Governance. For questions contact Neda Moayerian (mneda14@vt.edu).

4. BUDGETING AND DEBT MANAGEMENT FOR FEDERAL STUDENT LOANS
Thursday, April 29,12pm, Zoom
Join the Graduate School and Kevin Sutton for financial information and tips. Register at http://bit.ly/GSbudget. Spaces are limited. Questions? Email ordi@vt.edu.

5. ITSA PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PANEL: HIRING IN INDUSTRY
Thursday, April 29, 1-2pm, Online via Zoom
In March, we examined moving into academia. This month, we are bringing you a Professional Development Panel about “Hiring in Industry.” The pace of work differs between industry and academia, so does the job-seeking process. We are honored to have alumnijoin us and share their well-developed skills and experiences for job hunting in the industry. Our guest speakers are: Dr. Brian Moseley (Learning Technology and Development Manager, Duke Energy), Dr. Carmalita Keith (Senior Instructional Designer, Booz Allen  Hamilton), Emanuel Arnold (Instructional Designer, Power School), and   Mary Richards (Instructional Design Consultant, Freddie Mac). Register ahead and bring your questions via https://rb.gy/lqdsjc. Passcode: ITSAPlease contact Tian Meng at mtian19@vt.edu if you have any questions. Please see attached flyer for full details. 

6. GLC CAFÉ
Thursday, April 29, 4-5:00pm, Zoom https://virginiatech.zoom.us/j/97678968202
Pour yourself a cup of tea or coffee and join fellow grads and Grad School staff for some casual conversation and the occasional game via Zoom. If you have questions or concerns about this event, email Monika Gibson at gibsonm@vt.edu.   

7. COMPASSION TURNED INWARD: ANTIDOTE FOR STRESS AND ANXIETY
Thursday, April 29, 5:30-6:30pm, Zoom
Are you stressed and anxious? We will learn how to 1) Forgive and accept what we consider to be imperfections and failings; 2) Be a healing presence for ourselves when we are suffering; 3) Develop a loving relationship with ourselves. This workshop is hosted by Synergy: Interfaith Collective at Virginia Tech. Please RSVP at tinyurl.com/compassioninward 

8. BLAMING TEACHERS: PROFESSIONALIZATION POLICIES AND THE FAILURE OF EDUCATION REFORM IN THE UNITED STATES
Thursday, April 29, 6:30pm, Online via Zoom.
Historically, Americans have concurred that teachers were essential to the success of the public schools and nation. However, they have also concurred that public school teachers were to blame for the failures of the schools and identified professionalization as a panacea.Join Dr. Marcus Weaver-Hightower and the VT School of Education in welcoming Diana D’Amico Pawlewicz, the author of Blaming Teachers. In this Zoom presentation, D’Amico Pawlewicz will connect historical professionalization to today’s politics of education, where teachers are often ignored on key issues, from curricular decisions to pandemic reopening plans. A Q&A session will follow. bit.ly/3uHQZyq 

9. “SYSTEMS APPROACH TO DISASTER RESILIENCE” – SEMINAR BY ZAHRAA SAIYED
Friday, April 30, 12-1pm, Zoom
How does your background and training help you address some of the world’s most complex problems of disaster risk management and reduction? Where do your interests lie and how can you expand your understanding of disasters while working collaboratively with others on these ‘wicked’ problems? Zahraa Saiyed of Scyma Consulting will explore these and other questions during this exciting seminar hosted by the VT Earthquake Engineering Research Institute student chapter. Register here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1wCwsPv5Zf_7DpkFkwbkYerzc1RbcvyyoNN-ovDwIN-A/viewform?edit_requested=true and direct questions to Kaleigh Yost at kmyost@vt.edu

10. ENGINEERING DYNAMICS INTO CELL AND GENETIC MEDICINE
Friday, April 30, 4-5:15pm, Zoom https://virginiatech.zoom.us/s/88425110561
The Computational Tissue Engineering Seminar series will host a talk by Dr. Biju Parekkadan, Associate Professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Rutgers University and Co-founder and Director of Sentien Biotechnologies, Inc. This seminar will address research challenges spanning the “lifecycle” of a cell therapy product from the design of a new cell therapy composition, its biomanufacture, and in vivo dynamics/efficacy. Emphasis will be placed on (1) understanding the pharmacology of these advanced medicines and creating new products that deploy drug delivery principles, (2) discovering new genetic elements, and (3) creating new bioprocess engineering tools for scalable cell manufacturing. The experience of translating these projects to industrial partners or as a new start-up company will also be shared. Please contact Zerin Khan at zerin@vt.edu for any questions. 

11. CARNATIC MUSIC CONCERT TO CELEBRATE RAM NAVAMI
Saturday, May 1, 5-6 pm, Zoom
Hindu YUVA at VT invites you for a virtual concert of Carnatic devotional Songs by Sooryagayathri to celebrate Ram Navami.  Ram Navami is a Hindu festival celebrating the birthday of Lord Rama. Ram is venerated by Hindus for his values and principles. Sooryagayathri is a 13-year-old young girl with a golden voice who has captured the hearts of music lovers across the globe. She is an abundantly blessed singer whose Bhava (emotion) filled, soulful singing has been compared to that of the doyen of music- M.S. Subbulakshmi herself. She is formally trained in Carnatic music. She got the achievement of the M.S Subbulakshmi fellowship in music at the young age of 10 from Mumbai Shanmukhananda Sabha and Trivandram Kalanidhi Sangeeth Rathna award.
Interest form: https://forms.gle/xhPrU9EvMmb73HJk6 Contact anishg@vt.eduarpitem@vt.edu with questions.

12. GSA SPRING SOCIAL AT THE FARM! (LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE)
Sunday, May 2, 2-5pm, Glade Road Growing / Rising Silo Brewery.
Join the GSA at the Rising Silo Brewery for an End of Year Celebration and Recognition Ceremony. This is a ticketed event, and BOTH RSVP and confirmation are required. We will provide tickets for one free drink per graduate student, and there will be door prizes provided by local businesses. Food and additional drinks will be available for purchase. Attendance is limited to 200 guests — VT Graduate and Professional Students only. Masks are required. Bring your own picnic blankets or lawn chairs to spread out! Find full details at gsa.vt.edu.    

13. GRADUATE STUDENTS INVITED TO JOIN LDRS 4984 COURSE – 1st posting
Graduate students are invited to join LDRS 4984 Essential Skills for Nonprofit Leaders, CRN 64850, during Summer 2, July 7 to Aug 13. This course will survey the skills, abilities, and knowledge that a leader needs to successfully operate a nonprofit organization.  Topics to be covered include leading a governing board, fundraising, financial operations, managing human resources, communications, and the place of nonprofits in American society. If you are considering professional or volunteer nonprofit work at any time in the future, this is the course for you!  Graduate students are most welcome! Let me know if you are interested–send an email to Dr. Jerald Walz, jhwalz@vt.edu.  Enroll today!

14. ASIAN CULTURAL ENGAGEMENT CENTER (ACEC) VIRTUAL ACHIEVEMENT CEREMONY AND CORD DISTRIBUTION– SIGN-UP NOW – 1st posting
The Asian Cultural Engagement Center (ACEC) will be hosting a live Virtual Achievement Ceremony on May 6, 2021, at 6pm est. We are giving out cords and certificates for graduating students to either pick up at the ACEC on May 3rd until May 14th or to be mailed to your address after May 15th. To participate in the video montage and/or to receive your cord and certificate, please make sure to fill out the form by April 30 at 11:59pm est. Link to the form: https://forms.gle/Xeva44niFXLqhJ4w6  Link for May 6 Zoom Ceremony: https://virginiatech.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZcqduirrjwuEtY0wChsCo41vLHxCQGcn_Ts

15. PHOTO OP ON GRAD SCHOOL LAWN REGISTRATION OPEN- 2nd posting
May 6-7 and May 10-14, times vary
To celebrate graduating graduate students, the Graduate School is hosting photo opportunities on the Graduate School Lawn for students and their guests. A diploma cover and a small gift will be provided to participants. Registration is required; see details at https://graduateschool.vt.edu/academics/what-you-need-to-graduate/commencement/Spring2021PhotoOp.html.

16. GSA TRAVEL FUND PROGRAM – SPRING CYCLE ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS – 2nd posting
Have you presented or plan to present at a conference between April 1st and June 30th, 2021? The VT GSA Travel Fund Program (TFP) will partially support the monetary costs associated with presenting at virtual conferences, including registration and abstract fees. The Spring cycle application will be open beginning April 25th.  The deadline for application is May 7th, 2020 at 11:59pm. For further details, updates, and the application, please see our website at https://gsa.vt.edu/programs/tfp.html  For questions, support, or insights, please email GSA-TFP-G@VT.EDU.

17. GRADUATE ASSISTANT POSITION IN VT TRIO PROGRAMS FOR 2021-2022 – 1st posting
Virginia Tech TRIO Programs is hiring a Graduate Assistant for the 2021-2022 academic year to assist the Upward Bound programs and Talent Search. These federally-funded educational opportunity programs help middle and high school students, veterans, and out-of-school clients overcome academic, social, and cultural barriers to postsecondary education. This is an academic year position (August to May) for 20 hours per week, and includes tuition remission and stipend (Step 8). Candidates must be able to successfully pass conviction and driving background checks, and will need to possess a valid driver’s license. To apply, please email a cover letter, resume, and list of three references to TRIOprograms@vt.edu Application review will begin on May 5th and will continue until the position is filled. Please see #4646973 Graduate Assistant for TRIO Programs in Handshake for additional information.

18. GLC FELLOW POSITION OPENING- 1st posting
The Graduate School and Housing and Residence Life are seeking a motivated graduate student who is committed to building community for GLC Fellow positions for the 2021-2022 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 fully complete the following application: https://virginiatech.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6tlpyqQRY7C0Thc  Information about cover letter requirements is detailed in the application and the full job description can be found here:  https://graduatelifecenter.vt.edu/residence-life-in-the-glc/Fellows.html Position open until filled. Contact Lauren Surface at lkeister@vt.edu or Stephanie Hovsepian at stephanieh@vt.edu if you have questions.

19. FULL TIME GA OPENING WITH FISCAL TRAINING TEAM-2nd posting
The Fiscal Training Team within the Office of Financial Management is currently accepting applications for a full time Graduate Assistant to support the development of our Fiscal Certificate Program.  A department overview, position description, job qualifications, and additional information related to this opportunity can be viewed at the following link: https://sites.google.com/vt.edu/fiscaltrainingteam/home.  Please direct all questions to Ryan Naff, Assistant Director for Financial Management, at ryann5@vt.edu.

20. 2021-2022 GRADUATE ASSISTANT POSITION – OFFICE OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY – 2nd posting
The IT Office in the College of Engineering is seeking a graduate assistant to assist with day-to-day information technology operations, the setup and maintenance of computer systems and services, and workflow planning and execution. A full description of the opportunity and directions to apply can be found here: https://it.eng.vt.edu/it-staff/itspecialist.html We will begin to reviewing applications April 26th.


21. GA POSITION – CENTER FOR EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING AND LEARNING – 2nd posting
The Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning is seeking a graduate student with strong organization and communication skills as well as an interest in higher education pedagogy. This graduate assistantship position will involve duties related to the planning and completion of projects and events, supporting center staff, conducting research and case studies, and other duties as assigned. This position necessitates a mature and professional demeanor, a positive and approachable attitude, and the ability to communicate with diverse groups of faculty, staff, and students. For this position, strong written and oral communication skills are required. Successful candidates will be able to work both independently and in a team, have strong organizational skills, and be flexible. This is a 9-month Graduate Assistant appointment for 20 hours/week, with stipend and tuition remission. If interested, please email cover letters and CVs to Amanda Porterfield at asp@vt.edu.  Please indicate that you are applying for a graduate assistantship in the subject line of your email.

22. SCHIFFERT HEALTH CENTER GRADUATE ASSISTANT POSITION STARTING AUGUST 2021 – 2nd posting
The SHC GA works closely with the Health Quality Outreach Manager promoting services available at the university health center and providing health education. This position is a 12-month, 20 hours/week, with stipend and tuition remission. The ideal candidate has: knowledge/experience in public health, marketing, and outreach events, is able to work independently and efficiently, demonstrates proficiency in graphic design and social media management, and can comfortably engage with student groups. Proficiency with the Adobe Suite (InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop) is preferred. Roles and responsibilities include: Develop educational materials to convey health information and prevention strategies to a college population; Create graphic design materials and assist with marketing to promote university health services and events; Co-manage social media outlets; Assist with health promotion events throughout the year, including summer break, and some night and weekend activities; Ability to work independently and communicate effectively with the Health Quality Outreach Manager;  Assist with design and marketing materials for Services for Students with Disabilities and Cook Counseling as needed. Interested candidates should email their resume, cover letter, list of three references, and one work sample to Monica Goyanko at mgoyanko@vt.ed by May 7th. For further questions you may also contact Monica Goyanko via email at the above address or call (540)231-7705.


23. PARTICIPANTS NEEDED FOR EXPERIMENTS IN ECONOMICS TO STUDY HUMAN BEHAVIOR STUDY – 2nd posting
Virginia Tech researchers are currently seeking participants aged 18 and older for a research study: “Experiments in Economics to study human behavior. The study involves making interactive decisions on a computer and completing surveys. The study takes place in the Virginia Tech Economics Laboratory in 2088 Derring Hall. The study will take about 1 to 1.5 hours to complete. You will receive $10 for your time.  You may receive up to an additional $15 depending on choices made by you and the other participants. All compensation will be paid in cash at the conclusion of the experiment.  There is no other benefit from participating in this study. If you are interested in participating, please sign up for an experiment session at: https://vteconlab.sona-systems.com/default.aspx?p_return_eperiment_id=13, or if you have any questions, please email us at vteconlab@gmail.com.

24. PARTICIPANTS NEEDED FOR AUGMENTED REALITY USER STUDY – 3rd posting
The 3D Interaction (3DI) group is inviting you to participate in a research study with augmented reality (AR) technologies. Participants in the study will come to the Sandbox, room 160 in the Moss Arts Center. Participants will be asked to sit in front of a desktop computer or walk indoor while wearing a Magic Leap One AR headset. Participants will try out several interaction techniques, and be asked for their comments about these techniques. The entire experimental session will take about 90 minutes. The experiment will be video and audio recorded for researchers’ interpretations of user behavioral patterns. Participants need to be English speakers, at least 18 years old, have normal vision (contact lenses are fine, glasses are not supported). Participation will be on a first-come-first-serve basis. Participants’ involvement in the study will not impact their academic performance in any way. For more information, please contact Feiyu Lu at feiyulu@vt.edu to schedule a session. This experiment has been approved by the Virginia Tech Institutional Review Board under protocol #21-090.

Upcoming Events:  

25. VIRGINIA ASIAN ADVISORY BOARD: REAL TALK
Monday, May 3, 6-7pm, Zoom
Join us for a conversation about education, mental health, workforce diversity, and advocacy. Registration Link: https://tinyurl.com/VAABRealTalk

26. FAMILY YOGA
Wednesday, May 5, 12pm, GLC Lawn 
It’s been a stressful year, and practicing yoga is one proven way to help our bodies cope. If you’ve ever wanted to try yoga, or wanted your children to try yoga, please join us! Bring your kids, bring your lunch, and of course bring your masks! In Balance Yoga will be hosting a free family yoga class outside at 12:00pm. You can arrive as early as 11:30 to get your spot and enjoy some fresh air before the class begins (we will be making sure there is a safe distance between families). Please bring a yoga mat or blanket or towel for each member of your family who will be participating. While on campus, ALL persons 5 years of age and older are required to wear a face covering as per CDC guidelines. Because we have to maintain distancing, and there is only so much space, participants should sign up here. It’s okay if you have to come late or leave early, we just want to see you there! Any questions, just email childcare@vt.edu

27. FIWGSA PANDA EXPRESS FUNDRAISER FOR HUMBLE HIKES
Thursday, May 6, All-Day, Blacksburg University City Blvd Panda Express
The Fish & Wildlife Graduate Student Association (FIWGSA) Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) is hosting a restaurant fundraiser at the University City Blvd Panda Express all-day May 6th (VT’s Reading Day).Proceeds will support the Humble Hikes program of Roanoke, VA, in covering transportation costs to and from events. The Humble Hikes program aims to expose Black youth to the outdoors and provides the chance to expand the youth’s horizons and experience the world around them in a positive and healthy way. Flyer here FLYER MUST BE SHOWN AT CHECKOUT – if ordering online, use promo code 323783 Direct donations are also being accepted to support FIWGSA DEI Initiative to purchase binoculars for Humble Hikes, a program supporting Black youth exploring the outdoors in the NRV – More Info Here.

28. DIVERSITY SCHOLARS SPOTLIGHT WEBINAR
Friday, May 7, 3pm est, Zoom
Join the Office of Recruitment, Diversity, and Inclusion for a Diversity Scholars Showcase! Diversity Scholars specialize and advocate for the awareness, knowledge, and skills associated with diversity and inclusion in the Graduate School and greater community. Learn more about their projects and ask questions in a live chat! Registration is required. All are welcome to attend. Please register here: https://virginiatech.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_6f0GgD1eS2i48JjB3DmguQ  Questions? Please contact Dr. Justin Grimes at ordi@vt.edu .