1. WEEKLY WALK-IN SERVICES IN THE GLC – break schedule; updated 8/3
- Career Services advising: on hiatus until fall
- Cook Counseling: Fridays 1:00-5:00pm in the summer, Green Room
- GLC Café: 3:30-5:00 every Thursday, Reading Room – continues through summer
- Graduate School regular hours: 8:00am-5:00pm
- LISA Statistical Consulting: Tuesdays,10:00-12:00 in Room A
- Writing assistance: on hiatus until fall
2. THESIS THURSDAY
Thursdays, 8:30am – 3:30pm
Need a quiet space to work on your thesis, dissertation, or course work? Gotta study for exams? Absolutely have to get that article out, like, yesterday? Thesis Thursday is your answer! Thesis Thursday is a weekly gathering of graduate students who want to keep accountable to a regular work time and need a guaranteed quiet place to work. Meet each Thursday just a few blocks off campus at 107 Church Street – 2nd floor of the State Farm office (entrance on Church Street). Free coffee and wi-fi provided, plus multiple spots to sit and study alone or in groups. Plus, there’s a lobby area to take a quick break or talk through a problem with a fellow grad! Stop in any time during study hours. Limited parking available. For more details, please contact grad student Tana M. Schiewer at tanas@vt.edu.
3. GLC CAFÉ: JUST THE USUAL
Thursday, Aug 13, 3:30-5:00pm, GLC Reading Room
The GLC Café is offered throughout the year with free coffee, tea, and cookies in the company of your graduate-student and Grad-School colleagues. There may be a special surprise for those who are doing their qualifying exams this week to keep their spirits up.
4. REGISTER FOR “GRAD” COURSES FOR FALL 2015
The Graduate School offers a wide array of courses to complement your major studies each semester. Open to all, no pre-requisites. Fall opportunities include:
- GRAD 5014, Academic Integrity and Plagiarism – online course
- GRAD 5104, Preparing the Future Professoriate – overview of higher ed & faculty roles
- GRAD 5114, Contemporary Pedagogy
- GRAD 5144, Communicating Science
- GRAD 5124, Library Research Skills – online course; register for section by discipline
- GRAD 5204, Citizen Scholar Seminar – apply your research interests for the good of society
- GRAD 5214, Diversity for a Global Society – prepare to work effectively in contemporary society
- GRAD 5224G, Advanced Global Aspects of Intellectual Property Law – controversial topics related to medicine, knowledge, biological materials
- GRAD 5314, Future Industrial Professional in Science and Engineering – guidance for pursuing careers in business and industry.
http://graduateschool.vt.edu/gs/tge/fp_courses
5. LITTLE HOKIE HANGOUT CHILDCARE FACILITY NOW ACCEPTING APLICATIONS – 3rd posting
Now accepting applications for the Little Hokie Hangout! The LHH is a new part-day parent cooperative child care program that is run directly across the street from campus. The program director, Mariann Matson, is happy to schedule a time for you to walk through, answer any questions you might have, and provide you with an application form. You can reach her at mematson@vt.edu. This is a play-based program for children who are turning 2 through age 5, but spots are limited so don’t wait! Forms are due by Aug 15. Email childcare@vt.edu for more information.
6. SHARE INSPIRING/FUN SHORT VIDEO ADVICE FOR NEW GRAD STUDENTS! – still posting
What advice do you wish someone had shared with you when you first started as a grad student at Virginia Tech? What little tidbit of information made your first year better, more successful, more fun? Use your smartphone or camera to record a quick video and share your insight(s) with new graduate students; in the video, hold up or stand in front of a sign that has your first name, academic level, and department/program (for example, <Monika, master’s in hotel management>. Clips may be up to 20 seconds long and must be in MPEG4 format. See examples and upload your video at https://drive.google.com/a/vt.edu/folderview?id=0B34tzO_IExZDfjl2anNMLUtJdGFfV2lUcXhSM2h6YUQ0YVVCUjFFb3JBdHZKYWh3NkFlNFk&usp=sharing_eid. The best submissions will be compiled into a short video that will be presented during new graduate student orientation and on the Graduate School’s website. Be creative!
7. SIGN UP NOW FOR PAYROLL DEDUCTION OF COMP FEES FOR GRAD ASSISTANTS – 4th posting
The registration system for paying comprehensive fees through payroll deduction is now open. Graduate students on an assistantship must either pay their comprehensive fees or enroll for payroll deductions before the payment deadline. To enroll in payroll deductions, first register for classes, then 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. Learn more at http://graduateschool.vt.edu/financial/assistantships#Payroll%20Deduction%20of%20Comprehensive%20and%20Capital%20Fees%20for%20Graduate%20Assistants.
8. CONFERENCE REGISTRATION OPEN FOR NEXT GENERATION INFRASTRUCTURE – 1st posting
Grad students are encouraged to take advantage of early registration for the third annual International Symposium for Next Generation Infrastructure (ISNGI) held in Washington, DC Sep 14-15, 2015. The symposium is hosted by the Global Forum for Urban and Regional Resilience (GFURR) and Virginia Bioinformatics Institute (VBI), two of VT’s premier research institutions. The Symposium provides an excellent opportunity to access and network with the best minds from across the world in the fields of both advanced infrastructure and resilience. Registering for the conference before Aug 14 qualifies participants for preferred registration rates: http://www.isngi.org/.
9. NEW GA POSITION IN VT SMART INFRASTRUCTURE LAB – 2nd posting
VTSIL is looking for highly motivated grad student help develop code for collecting and processing data from a data acquisition network. This is an opportunity to work with cutting edge data acquisition systems and a unique test bed, gain valuable experience with real-world data collection and data management, and collaborate with a multidisciplinary team of students and professors. The goal of the position is to develop a GUI that simplifies the use of an existing C++ code, which is designed to acquire data from a distributed data acquisition system throughout Goodwin Hall. Experience in programming in C++ is required; experience with data acquisition, instrumentation, Qt and MATLAB is desired. The expected duration of these positions is on-going and research credit could be offered if appropriate. For more information visit: http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/staff/zxie/GA_vtsil.pdf. If interested, please e-mail Dr. Tarazaga at pt@vt.edu or Dr. Xie at zhiwuxie@vt.edu.
10. NEW FT GA POSITION IN LIBRARY – WEB AND GRAPHIC DESIGNER – 2nd posting
Must have strong, verifiable web and graphic design skills; keen eye with experience and understanding of site architecture, user experience, color theory and color management on the web. Knowledge of current web markup or scripting languages: HTML, CSS, and JavaScript with a basic understanding of how mockups translate to code. Ability to learn new internet and authoring technologies relevant for website development. Demonstrated evidence in coding and creation of websites. Evidence of creativity and innovation. Experience in collaborative work environments. Excellent analytical, interpersonal, oral, and written communication skills. Demonstrated knowledge of trends in web and graphic design. Learn more about the position and application requirements at http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/staff/zxie/GA_web_designer.pdf. To apply, email all required application materials to zhiwuxie@vt.edu with “GA: Web Designer” as the subject.
11. GA OPENING IN VT ENGAGE – 2nd posting
The Graduate Assistant for the Students Engaging and Responding through Volunteer Experiences Living Learning Community (SERVE LLC) is responsible for assisting the Assistant Director for Student Engagement at VT Engage: The Community Learning Collaborative in providing leadership for SERVE LLC programming initiatives, supporting instruction/evaluation in the associated LDRS 1015-1016 course series, facilitating group reflections, and mentoring/coaching student leaders throughout their SERVE experience. Additionally, the GA for SERVE will assist in program assessment, student evaluations, and will help represent SERVE in collaborations with other VT Engage staff, campus partners, and community organizations. The GA for SERVE is a 9-month position that does not require campus residency and is supervised by the Assistant Director for Student Engagement. Learn more about the position and application requirements at http://www.engage.vt.edu/graduate-assistant-for-serve-llc/. Apply by Aug 12.
12. VT CREW TEAM SEEKS COACH – 2nd posting
The VT Crew Team, sport club within Recreational Sports, is in search of a head varsity coach. This is a paid position for the 2015 Fall and 2016 Spring seasons. The program is student-run and all administrative and logistical issues are managed by the executive team. If you are interested, or know of any potential coaching candidates, contact Neill Frazier at neillf5@vt.edu or (703)-431-8113, or the VT Crew Team at virginiatechcrewteam@gmail.com. Learn more about the team at
13. INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGNER WAGE POSITION OPEN – 2nd posting
The Division of Student Affairs Human Resources (DSA HR) office is searching for a graduate student to assist with instructional design and assessment work for training and development programs in the DSA. Duties include researching, coordinating, and developing talent-development content and presentation projects for various populations and learning formats, including online training. The position will also assist with general management and processing of assessment projects for the DSA HR office. Preference given to candidates who have education and/or experience in education, training, adult learning, instruction design, or a related field. Experience with PowerPoint, Scholar, Canvas, Articulate Storyline, Baseline, and/or Qualtrics software is preferred. This is an hourly wage position that averages 10-15 hrs/wk. To apply, send a cover letter and resume to Greg Beecher at gbeecher@vt.edu by 5 pm on Friday, Sep 4. Anticipated start date is mid-September, 2015.
14. MENTORS SOUGHT IN BIOMED & BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES PROGRAM – 2nd posting
The Bridges to the Baccalaureate Scholars Program is looking for graduate students to serve as mentors for students interested in biomedical and behavioral sciences. This program is funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) as a means to promote diversity and inclusion in the biomedical and behavioral sciences. Students are paired with mentors for fall semester to help with acclimating to VT, discuss research as a potential avenue for a career option, and have conversations about setting goals and professional development. Mentors are given an introduction to the program with the mentor coordinator and a list of topics to cover for the semester. Mentors are required to meet in person bi-weekly with their mentees and check in via email on the off weeks. Mentors are paid $400 at the end of the semester for their services and are asked to participate in a post-mentoring survey to assess personal gains as a mentor and outcomes of the mentoring relationship. To apply, complete the application at http://tinyurl.com/phlnphy
by 11:59PM, Aug 12. Contact Dr. Nikki Lewis (snl@vt.edu) with any questions.
15. WAGE POSITION OPEN IN GLC: DIGITAL MEDIA CONTENT MANAGER – 3rd posting
The incumbent is responsible for managing digital sign, web and Facebook content, including content development and scheduling, screen and software maintenance, website maintenance, and communication and coordination with Grad School and GLC Service Desk staff. Must be FT grad student, have experience with any of the following software applications: Drupal, Dreamweaver, Macromedia Flash, Photoshop, MS PP, MS Paint, Samsung MagicNet Pro, flash converters. Preference will be given for: at least one semester of previous VT enrollment; web maintenance experience; knowledge of services, programs and events offered in the GLC. Must possess excellent communication skills and be able to work in a team environment. Submit cover letter and resume to grads@vt.edu. Position open until filled. Anticipated starting date: Aug 17 or later. $13/hr, approx. 10 hrs/wk.
16. MALE PARTICIPANTS SOUGHT FOR COFFEE RESEARCH STUDY – 1st posting
Male participants of 18-24 years of age are sought for a study examining the effects of caffeine on the mind and body. Must be: a healthy regular consumer of moderate amounts of coffee, a non-smoker, right-handed, free of neurological disorder or cardiovascular disease. Activities: Two morning sessions (~1 hour & 45 minutes each) and two afternoon sessions (~30 minutes each) involving collection of non-invasive physiological measures, standard laboratory tasks, and completion of questionnaires. Participant compensation for time is $25 per session, plus a $15 bonus for completion of all phases of the study, plus a $10 bonus for successful completion of memory tasks (up to $125 total). All subject information is kept anonymous and confidential. If you have any questions, would like to learn more about the study or to see if you meet qualifications for the study, email Shara Grant at shara7g@vt.edu.
17. GRAD STUDENT VOLUNTEERS SOUGHT TO HELP WITH ORIENTATION – 3rd posting
The Graduate School is looking for graduate student volunteers (graduate ambassadors) to assist with international graduate student check-in (Aug 3-21), GTA training (Aug 17-18), the Welcome Center and New Graduate Student Orientation in the GLC (Aug 17-21). Roles include: check-in and registration assistance, information and guidance to attendees; Welcome Center staffing; orientation crowd control; program set up, and more. If you are available and interested in assisting with any of these events, please fill out this short survey: https://survey.vt.edu/survey/entry.jsp?id=1438028410495. Training will be offered to all grad ambassadors.
18. VOLUNTEERS SOUGHT FOR MUSCLE FATIGUE AND RECORVERY STUDY – 3rd posting
Volunteers are sought for dissertation research study about the effects of different physical demands on muscle fatigue. Participants will perform a set of tasks, requiring forceful exertions of the hand, forearm, and/or upper arm. Muscular strength will be measured by voluntary contraction and electrical stimulation of muscles. Other measures will be related to performance and muscle fatigue by monitoring the muscle activity using EMG electrodes. Experiments will be conducted in the Safety Engineering Laboratory in the ISE department. The complete experiment involves up to 7 experimental sessions, each requiring about 4 hours. Participants are paid $10/hour and a $10 bonus after completing all sessions. Participation is voluntary and confidential. Must be age 18-30; males and females; no current or recent history of a physical disorder affecting the hand/arm; exercise on a regular basis (2-3 times per week). Study protocols have been approved by the VT IRB (13-1160). Contact Ehsan Rashedi at rashedi@vt.edu, (540) 629-0297 with any questions or if interested in participating.
UPCOMING EVENTS:
WELCOME BACK BBQ
Wednesday, Aug 19, 5:00-8:00pm, University Club (next to GLC)
The Graduate Student Assembly and VT Graduate School invite all new and returning graduate students, and their family, to their annual Welcome Back BBQ. This event will be catered by Hethwood Market, with food options including barbecue pork, Italian chicken, and vegetarian lasagna, as well as a variety of side dishes and dessert. Email Chelsea Corkins at ccorkins@vt.edu if you have any food restriction (religious, allergies, or otherwise). Various games will be available on the lawn throughout the event. This event is free and a great opportunity to meet new graduate students and have some fun before the semester begins. This is a drop-in event, and registration is not required though encouraged at https://www.facebook.com/events/663369607096877/ to help organizers estimate food. If you are interested in volunteering at this event, contact Chelsea Corkins at ccorkins@vt.edu.
THRIVING IN GRADUATE SCHOOL: A CONVERSATION ON SUCCESS
Monday, Aug 24, 6:30-8:00pm, GLC Multipurpose Room
Discover resources for academic and personal success at this free dinner, panel discussion, and community dialogue co-sponsored by InterVarsity Graduate Christian Fellowship <http://gcfvt.wordpress.com/> and the Black Graduate Student Organization <http://www.bgso.org.vt.edu/index.php> (BGSO).
INTERVARSITY GRADUATE CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP – 1ST FALL MTG
Wednesday, Aug 26, 6:00pm, GLC (room TBA)
InterVarsity Graduate Christian Fellowship <http://gcfvt.wordpress.com/> meets weekly for a free dinner and interactive Bible discussion. All are welcome!
INTERCULTURAL ENGAGEMENT FALL RECEPTIONS – register now!
Intercultural Engagement Center’s Fall 2015 Welcome Receptions are open to any new or returning student, faculty, and staff member who identifies with or would like to support these groups (Black and African-American, Asian and Asian-American, Hispanic and Latino, Veterans, Students with disabilities, Native American, First-generation, LGBT*Q). An RSVP through the Intercultural Engagement Center’s page on GobblerConnect is preferred for each reception. Learn more at http://www.vtnews.vt.edu/notices/072215-dsa-iecreceptions.html.
PARENT SUPPORT GROUP LUNCHEON – register now!
Wednesday, Sep 9
Graduate students with children are invited to join this year’s first Parent Support Group Luncheon. This month participants will have the privilege of hearing from guest speaker Laurie Fritsch about Student Health Initiatives at Virginia Tech that can benefit your family. Lunch is provided, and spouses are welcome. Please register at www.SignUpGenius.com/go/20F0E4FABAA28A1FF2-september. For more information contact Marin Riegger at mriegger@vt.edu.