Two opportunities for students

First:
Mercer University's College of Continuing and Professional Studies offers several graduate degrees in counseling and counselor education. Mercer's Office of Admissions has scheduled several information sessions for prospective students. The sessions will be held on the following dates:

Wednesday, February 16 (School Counseling programs only)
Wednesday, March 16 (all counseling programs)

These sessions will be held at 6:00 p.m. in the Atlanta Administration and Conference Center on the Mercer Atlanta campus (2930 Flowers Road South). For more information about these sessions, please contact Ms. Mitzi Jenkins at 678-547-6411 or jenkins_mj@mercer.edu. Information about other upcoming sessions for these and other programs can be found here.

Second:
If you are interested in pursuing a career in occupational therapy, Dr. Andy Bosak in the Department of Health and Human Performance is scheduling a trip to Brenau University to visit their OT program. f you would like to go on this trip, please contact Dr. Bosak at 931-2155 or abosak@canes.gsw.edu. The trip is scheduled for mid-February, so don't delay.

Professional Development Conference

If you're considering going to graduate school to study child development or family science (including fields of study such as Sociology, Psychology, and Education), you may want to look into Arizona State University's "Professional Development Conference for Undergraduates Interested in Graduate Training in Family and Child Sciences". This is an opportunity to learn about the field of child development and family science as well as receive information about the graduate school application process and develop a network of contacts of other students and faculty members in this area. This conference is specifically aimed at students who will be seniors in the Fall 2011 semester and are planning to enter a research-based doctoral program in some aspect of child development or family studies after graduation.

Students who are selected to attend this conference will have their travel and lodging expenses paid for by the program. This is pretty cool.

If you are interested, the program's website is here and the application instructions are here. The application deadline is March 1, 2011.

Writing Center

The Writing Center is now open. The primary purpose of the Writing Center is to help students with the writing process (e.g., topic development, paper organization, APA style). It is located in Room 107 of the English building. The hours are 10:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday (although it's closed from 12:00-2:00 on Tuesdays and Thursdays).

Psychology/Sociology Club meeting

The Psychology/Sociology Club will meet on Monday, January 31, at 7:00 p.m. in Room 3 of the Psychology/Sociology building. We will discuss our plans for the current semester. All are welcome to come.

Summer Research Opportunity

The National Science Foundation is funding a summer research program for 2011 at Oklahoma State University. The focus of the program is on the biological basis of behavior (both human and animal). Participating students will live in dorms and get a stipend of $500 per week for eight weeks. This is an amazing opportunity to get high-quality hands-on research experience, especially for students who are interested in pursuing graduate study in this field.

(On a personal note, I participated in this program at another university when I was in college, and it was amazing. I can't recommend it enough.)

The program runs from June 4-July 31, 2011. The application deadline is March 15, 2011. Students graduating in Spring or Summer 2011 are not eligible. For more information, including application materials, check out the program's web page:
http://psychology.okstate.edu/faculty/kennison/osunsfreu.htm

Mental Health Project Opportunity

Active Minds, the nation's leading nonprofit organization dedicated to college student mental health, is offering an exciting opportunity for students to complete a research or creative project related to mental health and receive a stipend of $750 (with an additional $250 available for project expenses). Information on the Fellowship is available at http://www.activeminds.org/scholars. All undergraduate and graduate students in the U.S. are eligible to apply. Applications will be reviewed on rolling basis December 1, 2010 - January 4, 2011 and preference will be given to early submissions.

The fellowship connects students with a prestigious network of young scholars and national experts in the field of behavioral health and provides an exciting and flexible opportunity to pursue interests related to mental health. For questions, email Sara Abelson (Sara@ActiveMinds.org), Program Director of Active Minds.

Graduation Information

Here is some information relevant for students who have applied for graduation in December, 2010. If your graduation date has changed, please notify the Registrar's Office immediately (229-928-1331 or loliver@canes.gsw.edu).

General Information

The Fall Graduation for Georgia Southwestern State University will be held Saturday, December 11, 2010, at 11:00 a.m. in Convocation Hall of the Student Success Center. There will be no rehearsal. In order to ensure that you are in the correct place and that you have all necessary instructions, please report to the Intramural Gym located in the Student Success Center no later than 10:15 a.m. on December 11. Be sure to have your cap and gown with you when you arrive. Do not bring anything else with you ­ purse, coat, camera, etc. The Intramural Gym will not be secure after you leave for the ceremony.

A Graduation Breakfast has been planned for all graduates, prior to the ceremony at 8:15 a.m. in the Dining Hall. Honor graduates and other recognitions will be presented at this time. This event is a very special time to visit with faculty and fellow students for the last time before you move on in your career or to graduate school. Space will allow for graduates only at this occasion.

All candidates for graduation are expected to participate in the graduation exercises­. If you are unable to participate and have not officially notified the Registrar of this, please contact that office immediately at 229.928.1331 or email Ms. Lois Oliver. Physically challenged candidates should immediately notify Ms. Oliver of desired special accommodations.

Mailing Address

It is imperative for the Registrar’s Office to have your correct address. If your address differs from the one listed in RAIN or will change prior to graduation, please notify Ms. Lois Oliver, Assistant Registrar, immediately and complete a Change of Address form.

Ordering Your Cap and Gown

All students who plan to march must wear the appropriate GSW cap and gown for the ceremony. Go to this page to order yours. The deadline for ordering is November 15.

Tickets for Guests Attending the Graduation Ceremony

Guest tickets will be mailed to only those students who have indicated they will be marching at the graduation ceremony on December 11. If you have changed your mind about attending or not attending the ceremony, email Ms. Lois Oliver or call her at 229-928-1331 by Friday, November 12, 2010. Tickets will be mailed out by November 19, 2010. The number of tickets issued per students depends on the number of graduation students marching. That number will be determined by November 15, 2010 and emailed to you.