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

Hello fellow graduate students,

MJ, Crystal and Joe at the first GSA Kickoff

I am writing on behalf of the GSA telling you to mark your calendars for Saturday, September 12th from 5-9 pm for the 3rd Annual GSA Kickoff. It will be held on James Island at the Fort Johnson Marine Lab Complex (same place that CofC’s Grice Marine Lab is). There will be food provided by Moe’s. There will be limited free beer as well. Only graduate students with college ID will be allowed in. 21+ only. Students are allowed one guest. There is a limit to 200 people at a time, so get there early.

There is a tentatively scheduled hurricane date of the following Saturday, Sept. 19th at the same times.

If you have any questions, feel free to email the GSA at gsa.cofc@gmail.com.

Hope to see you all in a couple of weeks.

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Things get a little quiet for us during the summer, which is when we really start planning our events for the Fall.  We’ve added a few new things for new and returning students, and I figured I’d give you a bit of a sneak peak.

In August, we’ll welcome new students the week before class at our annual Orientation.  This year is going to be a little different because we’ll have representatives from ORGA present to talk about various fellowships, scholarships and grants.  Of course, the Graduate Student Association (GSA) will welcome all new students after Orientation at their impressive Meet & Greet at Yo Burrito on Wentworth Street.

The GSA will also welcome all students back to their annual Welcome Back party.  In the past, this has been hosted on Ft. Johnson where our Grice Marine Lab is located.  You couldn’t ask for a better view, and the band is usually one of the hottest in the Lowcountry.

Later in the semester, we’ll host a mandatory Responsible Conduct of Research workshop for all new students.  I’ve been to three so far, and each workshop has progressed to best equip our students with the knowledge needed for research in every industry – including the humanities.

ORGA will sponsor its first grant writing workshop for graduate students this semester, as well as a workshop for nationally competitive fellowships and scholarships.  I met with them a few weeks ago, and was happy to have finally met the team that has helped our students secure Knauss Fellowships, NSF grants, Fulbright Scholarships, and other very impressive opportunities.

Graduating students will also have the opportunity to attend a Thesis writing seminar, hosted by Regan Fantry.  She’ll walk you through the ins and outs of our newest system which allows you to submit your thesis online.

Many of our programs host events for their students, so be sure to check your email (preferably your Edisto account) to hear about all the programs, workshops and events we’re hosting this Fall.

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.

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

Hello fellow graduate students. Many of you know me and many of you may not, but first and foremost I’d like to say that the Graduate Student Association is a wonderful organization and I am lucky to be part of such an accomplished group.

I’m from Chatsworth, Georgia and graduated from the University of Georgia in 2008 with a Bachelor’s degree in English. I am currently enrolled in the Master’s of English program here at C of C. Being at the College of Charleston has provided me with an excellent academic atmosphere but there is more to being in college than academia.

While at UGA, I was highly involved in a professional sorority serving as parliamentarian for one year and serving on the philanthropy and fund raising committees for three years. This past year at C of C, I have served as one of the representatives for the English Master’s program on the Graduate Student Council, as the GSA Bylaws committee chair, GSA representative on the President’s Privacy Policy Committee, as secretary for the newly formed Graduate English Association, and I am employed as a graduate assistant in the President’s office. I thoroughly enjoy being involved in the Graduate Student community and I feel that it is time to take the next step and run for an executive officer position within the Graduate Student Association.I feel that I have the organizational skills, the drive, and the leadership experience required of a candidate in order to effectively serve the graduate student body.

Even though the GSA is a relatively young organization, we have been able to accomplish a great deal and I hope to be able to continue this progress by working with the organization from an executive standpoint. Some of my goals for the upcoming year include continuing to fight to save PASCAL, providing Graduate students with more opportunities to intermingle with students outside their programs, attempting to procure extended library hours or a 24-hour study space, and continuing to work toward obtaining a better college insurance policy.

This is by no means a comprehensive list of goals but a few main points I wish to address. My main concern is that graduate student voices and concerns are heard on campus and if elected I would do my best to represent these concerns to the administration of the college in an effective manner. I would be honored to be able to serve you all as GSA President and I hope to have the opportunity to do so.
Thank you
Rachel Collins

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/2009/02/16/students-gsa-oyster-roast/ http://blogs.cofc.edu/gradschool/2009/02/16/students-gsa-oyster-roast/#comments Mon, 16 Feb 2009 23:07:00 +0000 Niki DeWeese http://blogs.cofc.edu/gradschool/?p=270 GSA Oyster Roast Fundraiser

Saturday, February 21, 5:00 – 8:00 p.m.

Buy your tickets now for $10 for this Saturday’s oyster roast with the Charleston School of Law at O’Malley’s Bar and Grill.  Tickets are available at

• The Graduate Studies Office Monday through Fridays from 8:30 a.m. until 5:00 p.m.;
• Through your GSA rep (North Campus students should contact Kevin Pratt);
• The GSA cubicle in the Stern Center on the 4th floor.  Reps will be available on Mondays from 4-6 and 6:45-8:00; Thursday 4-5 p.m., and Friday 9-10 a.m.; or
• Bryan Danson at 313.401.5250

Join us for all you can eat oysters, buffet and vegi options.  Free non-alchoholic beverages will be available as well as a reduced price cash bar.