Graduate College Update

Graduate College Update (November 9, 2016)

 McNair Graduate Fellowships. The Graduate College will offer a limited number of McNair Graduate Fellowships for the 2017-18 academic year (nominations due March 1, 2017). The primary function of these fellowships will be to enhance the diversity of the graduate student body, which is a focus of the university’s long range plan. These fellowships will be treated like $1000 scholarships per semester in addition to a graduate assistantship stipend awarded by the academic department, and the commitment at this time is only for one year (2017-18). We anticipate funding up to 15 of McNair Graduate Fellowships to be distributed across the University based in part on the number of assistantships offered by Colleges. Departments are responsible for nominating new students who meet the criteria. Information and nomination forms can be found at http://graduate.missouristate.edu/facultystaff/305253.htm.

 TIME CHANGE FOR COMMENCEMENT CEREMONIES: Please note the following new times for FA16 commencement on December 16, 2016. 10:00 AM Ceremony: COB and COE 1:30 PM Ceremony: COAL, CHHS, CHPA, CNAS and Darr School of Agriculture

 Thesis Writing. Those students working to complete their thesis this semester should be using a version of the Thesis Template that was downloaded from the Graduate College website during this calendar year. They are also encouraged to take their thesis, once compiled into a complete form (including preliminary pages), to the Writing Center, prior to submitting it to the Graduate College. Appointments for a “thesis format check” are now being accepted by phone or online (TutorTrac).

 Degree Works – 2nd phase: Student Educational Planner (SEP) training.

The Office of the Registrar is pleased to announce that Degree Works Phase 2 will go live in fall 2016. This phase is the Student Educational Planner (SEP). The SEP is an electronic planner advisors can use with their advisees to build an academic plan. These training session are designed for advisors and administrators who will be working with students to build advisement plans in the new Student Educational Planner (SEP). SEP is a part of the Degree Works suite that allows an advisor to build an advisement plan by semester. Training will be hands-on in a computer lab setting. Attendees will learn how to build a basic plan from the beginning, use the supplied general education template, and learn about many features such as planner notes, on- track/off-track plan tracking, and plan validation using a side-by-side audit/planner view. Sessions are design to be 60-90 minutes in length with the remaining time available for practice in the TEST environment.

As the University’s My Learning Connection is still not available for use, all fall 2016 training session registration will be managed manually through the Office of the Registrar. To register for a session, please email the following information to [email protected]:

1) Your name 2) Your BearPass ID (M-Number) 3) The date of the training session that you wish to attend

Date Beginning Time Ending Time Training Location 11/10/2016 (Thursday) 10:00 AM 12:00 PM Cheek 100 11/11/2016 (Friday) 9:00 AM 11:00 AM Cheek 100 11/14/2016 Monday) 2:00 PM 4:00 PM Cheek 100 11/18/2016 (Friday) 9:00 AM 11:00 AM Cheek 100

 The 3-minute Thesis (3MT) Competition. On Friday, November 4th, 16 graduate students representing 10 graduate programs competed for awards: all presentations were well done. Twelve judges (mostly off-campus community leaders) awarded prizes as follows: 1st place = Cassandra Sherwood (COM); 2nd place = Arthur Guslim (MBA); 3rd place = Evan Wilson (CMB); and 4th place = John Chatwell (DPT). In addition, the “people’s choice” award went to Rubecca Wilson (CSD).  Important Faculty related funding deadlines. Guidelines and applications can be found at http://graduate.missouristate.edu/facultystaff/ResearchSupport.htm  International Travel Funds. Applications are due in the Graduate College on January 15. Other application deadlines for the year are April 15, July 15 and October 15. No applications will be considered between the deadlines.  Faculty Research Grants: Spring applications are due February 1.

 Important Student related funding deadlines.  Non-Thesis Research Funding. Spring deadline – Feb. 20. Information can be found at http://graduate.missouristate.edu/currentstudents/Funding.htm.  Thesis Funding: Spring deadline – Feb 20. Information can be found at http://graduate.missouristate.edu/currentstudents/Funding.htm.  Need-Based Scholarship for Graduate Students. Deadlines are November 15 (for spring semester), April 1 (for summer semester) and June 1 (for fall semester). Information can be found at http://www.missouristate.edu/FinancialAid/scholarships/Graduate.htm.

 Graduation Deadlines  DUE NOW - - applications for FA16 graduation. Students who apply now will not have their name printed in the Commencement Program.  November 28, 2016 - - Deadline for submission of a Thesis to the Graduate College.  November 28, 2016 - - Deadline for submission of Seminar Report Form to Grad College (for programs requiring form).  December 8, 2016 - - Deadline for submission of Comprehensive Exam Result Form to the Graduate College.  December 16, 2016 - - Commencement (12:30 p.m. and 4:00 p.m.). 10:00 AM Ceremony: COB and COE 1:30 PM Ceremony: COAL, CHHS, CHPA, CNAS and Darr School of Agriculture

 Department Highlight:  College of Education. Twelve of the articles, book reviews, and app reviews in the fall 2016 issue of the state peer-reviewed journal of the Missouri Council of the International Literacy Association, The Missouri Reader, were by students in the Graduate Literacy Program and Graduate Elementary Program. These students included: Emily Bahner, Literacy Kasi Bedell, Elementary Hope Berry, Elementary Audrey Brooks, Literacy Anne Fauss, Literacy Cheri Gump, Literacy Jessica Mattson, Literacy Shannon Reynolds, Literacy Courtney Stuart, Elementary Shannon Truitt, Literacy Jackie Vanhooser, Literacy Cari Williams, Elementary

 Graduate Interdisciplinary Forum. The date for the 2017 IDF is Saturday, April 29, 2017. Abstracts are due by April 10, 2017. Pictures and information from the 2016 Forum can be found at http://graduate.missouristate.edu/currentstudents/IDF.htm.

 Graduate Student Workshops - http://graduate.missouristate.edu/currentstudents/Workshops.htm

 Thesis Writing 101. January 26, 3:30 – 5:00 p.m., PSU 317B. Speaker: Dr. Tom Tomasi, Graduate College. This session will focus on the research requirements of the Graduate College, specifically dealing with formatting requirements of a thesis. The session will include hints on how to avoid some of the common pitfalls in writing a thesis.  How to Get Into Grad School. February 21, 4:00 -5:00 pm, PSU 317B. Speaker: Dr. Tom Tomasi, Graduate College. This session will discuss the types of graduate programs, degrees, and certificates available to students, as well as some do's and don'ts for applying to graduate school.  Writing an Abstract. March 15, 4:00 -5:00 pm, PSU 317B. Speakers: Tom Tomasi, Graduate College. This session will include suggestions on how to write an abstract. The session is intended to assist students as they prepare abstracts for their theses and for the Graduate Interdisciplinary Forum, which will be held May 3, 2014, but this session is also open to any graduate student.  Giving a Presentation. April 10, 3:30 -5:00 pm, PSU 314C. Speakers: Tom Tomasi, Graduate College. This session will include suggestions and examples of successful presentation techniques for both oral and poster presentations. This session is intended to assist students as they prepare for the Graduate Interdisciplinary Forum, which will be held on April 25, 2015, but this session is also open to any graduate student.