Howdy,

The Graduate Student Association has formed a team to participate in this year’s Dance Marathon and we want you to be a member.

Dance Marathon is the largest philanthropic event on our campus. This is the third year at CofC raising money for Children’s Miracle Network and MUSC Children’s Hospital right down Calhoun Street. Each participant pledges to raise at least $150 leading up to the 15 hour event February 26th-27th. This event is essentially an all-night party for all of the participants to thank them for their hard work and dedication. There are various bands throughout the night, energy drink flip cup, root beer pong, great giveaways, and excellent food. Also, every hour participants will learn segments of a 6 minute dance that is performed for the patient families in the morning. It is an amazing event that helps others in our community as well as bringing students from our campus together.

This year the Dance Marathon committee is trying to get 650 participants and GSA wants to help them accomplish this goal. If you are interested in participating in Dance Marathon as a member of our team you can register for the event at:  www.dancemarathon.clubs.cofc.edu

When you are filing out your registration form, add yourself as a member of the GSA team. Also, please send me an email at keclancy@edisto.cofc.edu, with your name and your t-shirt size is so that I make sure we have all of our participants. Please join us for a night of fun and help the Children’s Miracle Network and MUSC Children’s Hospital.

Thanks,
Kathleen Clancy
keclancy@edisto.cofc.edu
GSA Social and Outreach Committee Chair

We have a few guest bloggers lined up for you in the next few months as well as a few other timely topics you might find interesting.  Ultimately, I want to make sure you’re getting the information you’re looking for.  If there’s a topic you would like to see us address here, let me know.  Or if you have a specific question about graduate school, feel free to ask.  We’re here to help!

Grad School: It seemed better than getting a real job.

You have a variety of ways to touch base with me and the rest of the grad school staff:

Email:
Me: deweesen@cofc.edu
The main office: gradstud@cofc.edu

Twitter:
Me: @gradschool
The Dean, Dr. Amy Thompson McCandless: @TheGradDean
Admissions, Mrs. Susan Hallatt: @GradAdmissions

Facebook:
The Graduate School
The Graduate Student Association

Phone:
843.953.5614

Inside this issue, you’ll find:

• A message from the Director
• Goodbye to a good friend: The legacy of Dr. Bill Moore
• MPASA spring professional development event
• Make a difference for your MPA program
• MPA alums begin consulting firm
• PAs, environmentalists, and the battle for kickball supremacy
• MPA student wins graduate student poster session
• Graduate Student Association: Year two
• A MPASA President’s swan song
• Arts Management update
• Community assistance program update
• May and Summer graduates
• Summer/Fall 2009 calendar of events

More than 100 students will cross the stage in Sottile Theatre tonight to receive their Master’s degree, and our office is buzzing with excitement.  I’ve worked with several of these students since they first came through Porter’s Lodge their first semester, and have enjoyed each and every experience.  One of the students that I’ve had the privilege of working with is Kolo Rathburn.  He has made such an impact on the college, including his dedication to the Graduate Student Association.  Kolo is one of the founding members, and our most recent president.  He was also gracious enough to guest blog for us on this very special day.

Kolo in the lab

I’m graduating tonight!  Well sort of, you see there is still this monster of a thesis I have to defend, but I have met all other requirements and with a small petition the graduate school has allowed me to participate in tomorrow’s ceremony.

All I can think of is what an honor it has been to be at the Graduate School of College of Charleston.  Not only does this institution have great academic support in administration and faculty, but the campus itself is embedded in a great historic city which makes the experience of being a student here truly unique.

During my brief tenure here at the College, about three years now, I have witnessed many changes in the grad school- all of them for the better.  With the formation and prosperity of the Graduate Student Association, an organization I am quite fond of, a more tangible graduate student community has formed at the College fostering a true sense of belonging among graduate students.  But on a personal level my experience here in Charleston has been absolutely amazing and life-changing.  I come from a small town on the North Shore of O`ahu, Hawai`i.  Coming to Charleston and the South was a huge change for me.  It was through the Graduate School in classes, research, and extracurricular activities that I really made this place my home.  The College itself has embraced me each time I’ve reached out regardless of which department it may have been.  It has also been my experience that when any graduate student has reached out on campus, they have been welcomed full heartedly.

There is a lot in my heart for the graduate school and this special place in Charleston, but I will refrain from spilling it out in this blog.  Suffice it to say that this has been the best decision I have made in my life thus far, coming to the Graduate School at the College of Charleston, and I will always cherish the times I’ve spent here.  But for now it’s time to graduate, well sort of.

Until I blog again, as an alumni, Thank you College of Charleston!

And from the bottom of my heart, Aloha.

Hello Fellow Graduate Students.

As many of you are aware there are two positions open on the Graduate Student Association’s Executive Board, the positions of Secretary and Treasurer. Jose and I will be interviewing to fill these positions as soon as possible and the Senate will vote upon the approved candidate in August.

I would like to invite all of you who are interested in either of these positions to contact me to set up an interview. These executive positions do come with a small monetary stipend, but more importantly they facilitate personal interaction with administrators and allow you to be able to make a difference within the College and for the graduate student body.

Here is a brief description of each of the positions:

Secretary: The secretary maintains all official records of the GSA, takes roll and manages attendance at meetings, handles all GSA correspondence, maintain contact lists, orders food for GSA meetings and communicates with all Graduate School Council representatives

Treasurer: The treasurer is in change of all monetary affairs of the GSA, ensures that accounts are always balanced, develops and maintains the budget, is involved in all fund raising projects, chairs the appropriations committee, and reports on any financial matters at GSC meetings.

If you have any other questions about the responsibilities that come along with either of these positions please contact myself at rmcollins87@gmail.com or Jose at zenunogoncalv@gmail.com.

Please respond to this blog NO LATER than April 24. All interested parties should email me at rmcollins87@gmail.com. We will begin interviewing those that have responded within this two week period as soon as possible.

Thank you all and I hope you will seriously think about considering these positions.

Rachel Collins
President, Graduate Student Association

Nominees: G. Matthews, K. Rathburn, M. McConnel, Geoff Pallay

Last night, The College of Charleston recognized the outstanding achievements of its students, alumni, faculty, staff and members of the community at the Multicultural ExCEL Awards.  These awards recognized the dedicated efforts of our friends and family to diversify and enhance the College of Charleston Campus.

This was the third year College of Charleston’s Office of Multicultural Student Programs and Services hosted the ExCEL Awards, and this was the first time graduate students and faculty were recognized for their efforts.  Four new categories were added, including the Most Outstanding Graduate Student of the Year, and the Most Outstanding Graduate Faculty of the Year.  Many nominations were submitted, and it was a joy to read each proposal.

Tiffany Dixon, a graduate student in the Master of Education for Languages program was awarded the Outstanding Graduate Student of the Year award, and Amanda Ruth McSwain was awarded the Outstanding Graduate Faculty of the Year award.  Both women are an integral part of The Graduate School and the College of Charleston community, and we couldn’t be more proud of them.

Kolo Rathburn

While the Student Ambassadors won the Outstanding Student Organization of the Year, the Graduate Student Association (GSA) was also nominated.  The GSA, formed only two years ago, supports the academic and social aspects of education at the master’s level.  It has fostered the development of at least five graduate student program associations, policy changes in parking for GAs and TAs, participated in numerous fundraisers like Dance Marthon, and hosted several networking opportunities with the Charleston School of Law and The Citadel’s Graduate Student Association.

Founding member and presiding President of the GSA and soon-to-be graduate of the Master of Science in Marine Biology, Kolo Rathburn was awarded the Leo I. Higdon, Jr. Presidential Legacy Award for Outstanding Leadership.  Kolo is an incredible student with a strong dedication to The College.  There are no words to describe the gratitude we have for his passion for making College of Charleston a better place for Graduate Students.

Dr. Gladys Matthews

Gladys Matthews was awarded the Outstanding Faculty of the Year for the School of Languages, Cultures, and World Affairs.  She recently joined the College of Charleston family from Indiana to lead our three programs in Bilingual Interpreting.  Since Dr. Matthews’ arrival, our Master’s in Bilingual Interpreting and graduate certificate programs in Medical and Legal Interpreting have grown incredibly.  She is a joy to work with, and we can’t wait to see what she does with the programs.

Congratulations to all nominees.  The work you have done has made College of Charletson a better institution.  I couldn’t be more proud to work with all of you!

Fellow Graduate Students,

Voting for executive officers of the Graduate Student Association will be open Monday and Tuesday (March 30th and 31st). Simply log on to your CougarTrail account and vote by clicking on the link for GSA elections.

There are no contested positions this year, but your vote is still very important. It will send a message to the Office of Student Life acknowledging that graduate students are aware and do care about having their own student government. In addition to this we will have a survey posted that we hope you will take a few minutes to complete. This survey will allow next year’s GSA to better address the concerns of graduate students and give us grounds on which to fight for them.

Since I believe the question will arise as to why so few candidates are running, here is the explanation; The Constitution of the GSA permits only students that have been official GSA senators or committee members for a full semester to be eligible to run for President, Vice President, Treasurer, or Secretary. Unfortunately the majority of our active members are graduating this year. This issue will be taken up by next year’s GSA and positions may be opened to the entire grad student body.

I would personally like to thank you for your participation and invite you to send any questions or concerns to GSA.CofC@gmail.com and know that you are always welcome to GSA meetings to voice your concerns. Our next meeting will be held on April 3rd at 5:45 pm on the fourth floor of the Stern Center.

Let us hear your voice, let the College hear your voice, and please vote today.

Aloha,
Kolo Rathburn
President GSA

The Multicultural ExCEL awards program is an annual benefit for the Parents of Diverse Students – “PODS” Foundation Fund.  Proceeds raised during this event will support need-based scholarships.

Join us on Tuesday, March 31 at 5:00 in the Sottile Theatre to recognize this year’s ExCEL awards recipients.  If you’re curious, below are the nominees for the two new categories:

Graduate Student of the Year
Tiffany Dixon
Dennis Kombe
Geoff Pallay
Kevin Pratt
Kelly Sloan

Graduate School Faculty of the Year
Michael Cipriano
Phil Jos
Amanda Ruth McSwain
Gladys Matthews
William Veal

Also, the Graduate Student Association was nominated as the Student Organization of the Year.  I’m a little biased, so I’m keeping my fingers crossed for them.

Tickets for this event are on sale now and can be purchased at the Multicultural Center.  The public can purchase tickets for $15, while C of C faculty, staff and alumni can purchase them for $10.  There is no charge for the ExCEL nominees and their two guests, or for students with a valid ID.

Hello All,

Here are a few upcoming GSA events.

First, Thursday night there will be a time set aside to meet the GSA executive board candidates for the 2009-2010 school year. It will be at 6:15 pm in the Graduate Studies Office, 310 Randolph Hall. You should have all received an email from Niki DeWeese about it. Please come out and meet the candidates
and have dessert with the Dean.

Continuing with election information. GSA executive board elections will be on March 23 and 24 (Mon and Tues). Voting will be done online on cougar trail. There will be polling stations set up downtown (in the stern center and second location TBD). As an added incentive, the first 150 people to vote will receive a free GSA t-shirt. More details will follow, but I just wanted to give you a heads up.

On Friday, March 27th will be the 1st annual GSA/Higdon Student Leadership Center Power Luncheon. Guest speakers wil be Lori Sheridan Wilson, Director of Environmental Education at Dewees Island, and Stacy Oldfield, CEO of Corporate DevelopMint, a strategic planning and consulting firm. From 12-1:30 pm at the Hidgon Leadership Center on the downtown campus. Each speaker will give a brief presentation followed by a roundtable discussion between students and the speaker. Lunch will be provided. Space is limited to 15 students per speaker. Please RSVP through Ryan Strickler at ryan.strickler@gmail.com (include your full name, student ID, program, and which speaker you would like to meet). For more information call 843-953-6356.

The following Friday, April 3rd, will be our last GSA meeting of the semester. Please attend if you are interested in the GSA or have any concerns or comments that have come up throughout this semester. Directly following this meeting we will be walking over to our April social event. There is a comedy show at Theatre 99 (the improv theatre on Meeting St.). It is directly following the meeting and tickets are $7 for the first show and $10 for both that night. More details to follow.

Last but not least, the Alumni Association’s Event for graduating students and alumni, “A Charleston Affair” will be on April 25th. This is their annual event and it is a lot of fun, with food and drinks included in the ticket price. If you actively participated in GSA this semester (missing no more than 1 meeting per semester), then we would like to reward you by purchasing your ticket. For the remainder of the grad students, we received a reduced rate if we purchase as a group and you will just need to purchase your tickets for $20 each. We will need to get a list together of interested students, but the date for purchasing tickets is April 16th, so I will send out a longer description in a couple of weeks. I just wanted to give you all a heads up.

Have a great week,

Bryan Danson
Masters Candidate
College of Charleston
Grice Marine Laboratory
(Cell) – (313)401-5250

Research Assistant
SCDNR-MARMAP

Graduate Student Council Member

]]> http://blogs.cofc.edu/gradschool/2009/03/18/graduate-students-get-out-and-vote/feed/ 0 http://blogs.cofc.edu/gradschool/2009/02/02/students-gsa-events/ http://blogs.cofc.edu/gradschool/2009/02/02/students-gsa-events/#comments Mon, 02 Feb 2009 17:10:03 +0000 Niki DeWeese http://blogs.cofc.edu/gradschool/?p=243 Graduate Student Association Social Activities

Guest Blogger, Bryan Danson – GSA Social Activities and Student Outreach Chair

Hey Everyone,

Some upcoming events.

State of the Student Body Address, February 5
State of the Student Body Address – Kolo will be speaking after some undergrad representatives do. Randolph Hall on Thursday at 5:30 pm. Please plan on attending.

GSA Meeting, February 6
GSA meeting Friday, 5:30 pm refreshments, 5:45 pm meeting time. It will last for an hour or less. Even if you are not a representative, you are encouraged to attend. You can get involved with a committee and/or voice your concern or opinions.

Dance Marathon, February 6
Dance Marathon is this Friday night. For those of you who are on the team, don’t forget money is due on Wednesday the 4th by the meeting at 5:30 in the Stern Center Ballroom. Also, there is a banner that we can make. If you would like to do this, then please get in contact with me and I will let you know what we did last year (it is also due the 4th).

Marine Biology Colloquium, February 6 and 7
The marine bio program Colloquium is on Friday and Saturday this weekend as well. All who are interested, there will be a seminar on Friday by keynote speaker Dr. Stephen Palumbi of Stanford University’s Hopkins Marine Station at 4 pm followed by a poster session. There will be student research presentations on Saturday 9:15 am till 5:00 pm.

Oyster Roast, February 21
First, just as a heads up we are planning an oyster roast at O’Malleys pub on King Street with the Charleston School of Law for Feb. 21st. Tickets will be $10 and 1/2 the proceeds will benefit the Lowcountry Food Bank. The other 1/2 of all the tickets we sell will benefit the GSA. More details to come as soon as it is approved.

Have a great week.

Bryan Danson
GSA Social Activities and Student Outreach Chair
bryan.danson@gmail.com