Activities for Parents

Posted on by

I have a young daughter. Being in Bloomington has afforded me the opportunity to start her life in a fairly safe, comfortable place. There are so many activities for parents and children. Here are a few to consider:

1.  Parks

There are many parks in take children to especially when the weather is in your favor! My favor is Bryant Park because there are three different play grounds, a walking area that is .8 miles for me to exercise, and wonderful landscaping for picnics and friends.  For more information about parks in Bloomington visit:  http://bloomington.in.gov/sections/viewSection.php?section_id=8

2.  Wonderlab

This is a small gem in this town! Wonderlab is an interactive science lab/museum for children as young as 1 year old to 100. Honestly, it is one of my favorite places to visit as an adult.  WonderLab encourages children to interact with the world around them using various elements, equipment, and creativity.  For more information, please visit:  http://www.wonderlab.org/

Visiting the IU Campus

Posted on by

I always wanted to attend a college with grass, trees, and brick buildings as an undergraduate student. When researching graduate schools and after visiting a few VERY urban campuses, I realized that this was an important criterion for me. I like the grassy, pillows and blankets, trees, and frisbie catching experience that green space offers on college campuses. Yes, this may sound very traditional, but that was a quality about the IU campus that appealed to needs that I did not know that I had. As a graduate student, the traditional feel of IU has encouraged several things: relaxed environment to work in, less traffic and challenge of the fast life, as well as interacting with undergraduates while walking to class. This has enriched my experience as a graduate student.

You should visit the IU campus because it does offer many traditional aspects to college life. As previously mentioned, green space is very important to this institution. The campus highlights this by providing programming, fairs, and other activities to engage with other students. And, there is usually free food in Dunn Meadow when it is warm and sunny on a regular basis! :)

Visiting campus as a graduate student is ideal. You may be here for longer than four years. You might have a family that would be using campus facilities. It might impact how you fit into your department or even with other graduate students. Whatever are your specific needs, I strongly encourage you to visit to evaluate if this is the place for you.

I was sold on my first visit and have never regretted it since!

Black History Month Highlights

Posted on by

I love Black History Month! It is a great time of the year to reflect on the achievements and contributions of African Americans to American society. I will refrain of getting on my soap box, but I’d encourage you to reflect on the achievements of African Americans during February but year round. I’m just sayin’. Anyway here are some pictures from BGSA’s event the State of Black History at IU. Enjoy!

Finding a Mentor

Posted on by

 

Clip art taken from http://smgworld.bu.edu/srmentor/

Clip art taken from http://smgworld.bu.edu/srmentor/

I’ve always envisioned a mentor as someone I would meet with on a regular basis; discuss what was going on in my academic and personal life. They would offer me their experience, serve as a sounding board and help me accomplish my goals. Sound a little too perfect? Maybe…maybe not. My experience has been that one person cannot always accomplish all of the above.

Finding the right mentor(s) can be an amazing asset as you navigate the complex world of graduate school; but what exactly should a mentor do for you, and how and where do you get one? While the following advice is not extensive, it will hopefully get you thinking about how to proceed.
First, what is a mentor? A mentor is someone who will be available to work with you to develop your potential, inspire and challenge you. Because you will need different people for different things, a mentor is not always a one-size-fits all. Finding multiple mentors for the various parts of your career or personal life is important; the key is asking yourself:

  • What can I learn from this person?
  • How can they help me maximize on my graduate school experience?
  • Does their mentoring style fit me?
  • Where to find one?

Mentors can be found in faculty, staff, and other graduate students. Again, the fit will depend on your interest and goals in maximizing your graduate school experience. Be aware of the different mentoring styles, and that some mentors will want to keep their communication strictly professional and not personal.

In short, create a network of mentors that fit your needs and goals, along with clear and realistic expectations.
For more on mentorship, check out the following presentation from Dr. Patrick Dickerson, “How to get the Mentoring You Need?” PLD GLASS 2013 Mentoring

To visit or not to visit…

Posted on by

That is the question. Whether it is nobler in the minds of young prospective graduate students to remain at home or travel across the country to visit the schools of their choice. (Forgive my butchering of Shakespeare) The question of whether or not to visit is a pertinent one. I will share my story and as always FTOD (free tip of the day if you’re new to my blog).

My story is a simple one. I got accepted to two institutions, and in the spring I packed my bags to visit the institutions in person. It costed me a pretty penny, but the trip was worth it. Stepping on campus and talking to people in the program face to face was worth it for me. Both schools I was considering were located in fairly rural town. One was more rural than the other, and being their made all the difference in the world to me. I’m a big proponent of trusting your intuition. And when you step on campus, you can get a good sense of if this is where you belong.

My FTOD is contact the undergraduate admissions department generally they do a fantastic job of giving tours of campus and they give you a great sense of what the campus culture is like. It’s a nice contrast to the tours most departments and graduate students give you. Oh and usually undergrad admissions offices will give you institutional swag.

Be well friends!

Graduate Visitation is a MUST

Posted on by

I often get the question from prospective graduate students on whether graduate visitation is a necessary step in the overall graduate admission process as the prospect of taking time off for travel might be difficult on a tight schedule and/or the cost of travel is just too steep for an individual ready to submit to a few more years of ongoing poverty. The short and simple answer is YES. A visit to prospective institutions, in my opinion, is a must.

The collective knowledge gained from every visit was arguably the single most critical element in the process that helped me determine the right place to dedicate the next 4-5 years of my life. Let me explain. It is the universities’ job to put forth their best foot and convince you that their institution is the one for you. Typically this accomplished through a ton of promotional literature and relentless recruitment on behave of the school. It is safe to say that no schools will falsify this information, but by the same token, certainly no schools will represent their institution in a negative way. With that said, it is the responsibility of the prospective student to discern the institution that best fit their personality, as well as career orientation. And the only ways to truly do this is by going straight to the source and investigate. Here are some tips that may be helpful in the process of graduate visitation:

  • Cost of airfare and hotel rooms are expensive and certainly will add up after about 2-3 visitations. Most universities, and depending on structure of each department, typically have money set aside to fund visitations. Do inquire further at the department office of the program in question. The worst that can happen is a polite, “No.”
  • With all the action happening on the admission side of things, administrative employees are often very busy. This can make them a little grouchy and unwilling to help a lowly prospective graduate student, true story. This is where open communication with faculty members pay off and they are usually very effective at making your case to the administrative side. Even if the admissions people remain uncooperative, the faculty can certainly help fund your trip from their own accounts.
  • Cost of living analysis should be carried out at every institution. Getting a $20k annual stipend to live in Los Angeles is certainly very different from living in Bloomington. Choose wisely.
  • Ask about available scholarships, fellowships, and funding sources for your education. A $250k billing at the end of the graduate career is no fun. I know many in this situation.
  • Inquire into research opportunities and well as teaching opportunities available at the institution. This will insure that you are at a place where you can keep your training relevant and skill set diverse.
  • Nightlife. I cannot stress this enough. It is important for your mental health as well as the mental health of those in your program to have places to just relax, have a beer, and unwind. This vital information is often obtained through current graduate students at the institution. Feel free to ask.
  • Lastly, have at least two professors that you’d like to personally speak with regarding the program and what it has to offer. It is a good idea to do research ahead of time on these professors to strengthen your questions in the context of their work.

Good luck, and have a wonderful visitation day!

The Waiting Game

Posted on by

Hi Everyone! I hope that life has been treating you well. I know that I’m a little late with my post for January, but it has been a crazy time. Anywho, let’s get down to business :) . What does one do when waiting on an admission decision? Well, you could engage in arts in crafts? It’s winter time, so your friends and family would love a new scarf…get out those knitting needles! You could also try to set a new world record. However, I would recommend something more productive.

Waiting on admission results can be a nerve wrecking process taht can take a toll on you physically and mentally. Here are my recommendations as you play the waiting game.

1. Relax! You’ve done all that you can at this point. You’ve put your best foot forward, so don’t nitpick with your essays.

2. Stay in contact with current grad students to learn more about the program.

3. Do NOT harass facutly about a decision two weeks after you submit your application. Give the process some time. However, if you don’t hear anything back by March, give the department a call.

4. Look for funding (internal and external) opportunities.

5. Stay positive! You never know what a program is looking for in a new cohort…so don’t count yourself out of the mix!

Have a great day…and I will keep my fingers crossed for plenty of acceptance letters!!

To Visit…or Not To Visit? That is the Question!!

Posted on by

Visiting your potential graduate home is a important question to ask yourself at this time. I personally think that visiting your campus is extremely important. By going and seeing the campus with your own eyes, you can get a firsthand look at what the campus looks and feels like. It also gives you the opportunity to investigate potential housing, transportation options, and accessibility issues (specifically if you have a physical disability). Another benefit to visiting a campus is to see your department of interest in action. You can gain a lens into student life in the program, student connections to faculty, and departmental politics (just a small peak though…mainly how office space is distributed).

Campus visits can be very beneficial; however, they can be quite expensive. If funds are tight and you are not able to travel, here are some options that you have.

1. Take an on-line tour at the university’s website.
2. Ask your department if you can Skype with current students or faculty members.
3. See if your department of interest has a list of students who are looking for potential roommate (if you are looking for housing)
4. Connect with the professional and graduate student association(s) on your campus. At IU, the Graduate and Professional Student Organization (GPSO) has been very helpful during my time here.

I hope that these suggestions help! Have a great day!

Finding a mentor

Posted on by

Finding a mentor may initially seem like a difficult task. Approaching someone you don’t know, someone you imagine is very busy, someone you view as a professional while you perceive yourself to be a novice–seems daunting. I offer you this suggestion, approach finding a mentor the same way you do finding someone to follow on Twitter.
I’m pursuing someone currently to be my mentor and possibly a member of my dissertation committee, so I can expound on my process, or better yet, let me give you a checklist:

*Identify someone who is relevant in the field/discipline you’re pursuing, and has characteristics with quick you may be able to connect.
*Begin reading some of this person’s work: conference presentation transcripts, published articles, books/book chapters, stories on this person in the periodicals and websites
*Now that you’ve gotten to know this person on paper, you may begin looking for their social media presence–is this person on Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, WordPress, have their own personal or professional website? If so, friend them, follow them, subscribe to their website(s) and YouTube channel(s).
*At this point you should either be reaffirmed that you want this person to be your mentor, or you have let this person go from your possibly mentors list and gone back to bullet one of this checklist.

*If you are reaffirmed you want this person as your mentor, you are more than likely so familiar with their work that you can send them an email informing them that you’ve read some of their work, that the _____ argument/topic/theme really spoke to you, and then ask an informed question about that topic/theme.

*If the person responds, reply back soon with signs of gratification and another question.  If they respond to your second email.

*Then ask if there is a time you all can meet or speak more over the phone.

*If you get the “call back”, you are basically being interviewed at that point to be that person’s mentor. You have read all a lot of their work at this point, and you should have some idea of the things your are interested in (it does not have to be a dissertation or thesis topic, just simply state what you’re interested in at this point in your matriculation or career) that you can share with this perspective mentor.

*From there it is history, butter, a slice of cake, and you have yourself a bonafide mentor.

 

Visits, should i stay or should i go?

Posted on by

So you have started to hear back from your chosen schools. Some said yes, some said no. No worries because you have chosen a variety of good schools, all of which you would gladly continue your education at. Let’s say you have two schools from the same tier that have both sent you an offer. How do you choose? Well if you haven’t visited the campuses yet, now would be the perfect time to go. Every brochure is going to show you the best the area has to offer but sometimes the parts you don’t see can make or break the deal. Depending on your budget and number of choices, you may be looking to make a number of trips. I suggest trying to narrow down your options as much as you can before buying plane tickets. Aim to get down to 2 schools and if you can’t choose between them then visit them both. You can inform the department you are coming or maybe they have an open house. You will either have a structured or unstructured visit. There are pros and cons to both but at the end of the day when you leave the visit you will have a gut feeling of if you could spend the next half of a decade at that school and not only be happy but prosper both academically, professionally and socially.