TRANSFERmation Thursday

The third Thursday of the month is a special night for transfer students in the Off Campus Student Center. Stop by and learn more about UMass Amherst, connect with other students and check-in on your transfer experience! Each night will explore a specific topic while you enjoy a free meal and get entered in a raffle.

On Thursday, February 16 at 7:00pm, join in to learn more about academics, resources, campus organizations and clubs.  The OCSC is in Room 208 of the Student Union, across from the Hatch and next to the Craft Center.

Questions?  Send an email to ocsc@stuaf.umass.edu or call 413 577 1005.

Weekly Preview: February 13 - 17

There will be a RefWorks workshop on Thursday, February 16 at 4:00pm in the DuBois Library, Room 1620.  Attending a RefWorks workshop will teach you how to manage your citations and create automatic bibliographies. 

It looks like it will be a somewhat quiet week.  Now's a good time to meet with your professors and TAs, check in with Career Services, or learn more about International Programs or Domestic Exchange.

Don't forget about the Learning Resource Center!  Need a some help or want to stay on top of your work?  Check out the Tutor Schedule and Supplemental Instruction Schedule.

The Writing Center is also ready to serve your needs!  Make an appointment and get help during any part of the writing process.

And, as always, you can meet with Peer Advisors in the Academic Advising Link or make an appointment to meet with an Undergraduate Advisor to talk about majors, academic issues, and where to go to access the information you need to succeed.

It's the beginning of February.

Now that Add Drop is over, the semester's completely underway, but you probably haven't yet done any major assignments. It's the perfect time to meet faculty. Their office hours won't be crowded and they'll be happy to see your interest.
Teaching assistants and teachers can be valuable resources to you. They can write recommendations, explain assignments, and provide other guidance. They can help you find and follow your interests.
Professors are people too. Go and meet them!

Thinking about declaring Sociology?

Sociology is an open major, but has a limited window of opportunity in which you can declare each semester. This semester's window opens TODAY and runs through Friday, March 16th.  If you want to pursue upper-level courses/requirements for the major in the Fall, you should declare by March 16th to gain access to the widest range of course options. You can declare by going to the Sociology office in 720 or 722 Thompson Hall to have a Change of Major Form completed.

Career Fair Time!

The Career Services Office sponsors a number of career fairs throughout the year - and several will be happening in this week.

As the Career Services website tells you, many employers use career fairs to promote their job opportunities and to pre-screen applicants. Most of these fairs consist of booths and tables staffed by recruiters and other representatives from each organization. For students, a fair can be an excellent place to gather information about potential employers, make contacts that could lead to a job, learn more about an employer’s application process, and discover new options.

Not sure how to proceed? Stop by Career Services (5th floor, Goodell), take a look at their website, and/or download their handouts on "Make Your First Professional Contacts at the Career Fair" and "Sell Yourself at the Career Fair" for tips on making the most of these events. 

Take advantage of the ALANA Career Fair and Career Blast 2012 this week.  Even if you aren't looking for a job this summer or next year, it's a great way to meet new contacts and practice your networking skills.

Add/Drop Ends On Monday!

Add/Drop ends Monday, February 6 at 10PM!

You can make changes to your schedule via SPIRE until then. After that point you can no longer add or drop courses through SPIRE and it will require additional paperwork/permissions to change your schedule.

Don't wait until the last minute to make any necessary adjustments!

And remember, not attending a class doesn't mean you've dropped it! Just to be sure, double check your schedule on SPIRE before 10PM on Monday to make sure everything looks as you expect it should.

As always, if you have any questions about your schedule, you should see an advisor. Undeclared students can set up an appointment by calling (413) 545-2191. Undergraduate Advising also has Drop-In hours daily from 10:30-11:30am and 3-4:00pm.

Learning Resource Center--FREE Tutoring

The Learning Resource Center (LRC), located on the 10th floor of the library,OPENS SUNDAY FEB 5th! The LRC offers UMass Amherst students free peer-to-peer tutoring in lots of different courses! You can also participate in Supplemental Instruction sessions for several math, science, and economics courses. Tutors and Supplemental Instruction Leaders are available Sundays-Thursdays 1:00 PM-10 PM.




Don't wait until you've fallen behind--check out the schedule for your course tutoring times!

Weekly Preview: February 6 - 10

The first major deadline of the semester is this week!  You must complete all changes to your Spring class schedule (adds,drops, swaps) by Monday, February 6 at 10:00pm.  Double-check your enrollment to make sure it is complete and correct.  After Monday's deadline, changes require a petition through your Academic Dean.  You have until the mid-semester W Drop date to change a class to Pass/Fail.

Five College registration paperwork is due in 613 Goodell by 5:00pm on Monday, February 6.  Read this earlier post to find out more about taking a Five College class. 

Career Services will be offering Resume Editing and Interview Tips on Monday, February 6 from 12:00pm – 2:00pm, in the Off Campus Student Center in Room 208 in the Student Union (across from The Hatch).  Sign up for 15 minutes of one-on-one time and get help perfecting your resume and learn some tips to use at the upcoming career fairs. Sign up ahead of time to reserve your block of time by emailing ocsc@stuaf.umass.edu or calling 413-577-1005.  This event is open to all students, but you must register.

Students interested in Sociology can start declaring on Thursday, February 7.  The last day to declare in order to take majors-only classes in Fall 2012 will be on Friday, March 16.  For more information, stop by 720 Thompson Hall or visit their website.

The ALANA Career Fair will be held on Tuesday, February 7 from 1:00pm - 5:00pm in the Student Union Ballroom.  There will be more than 50 prestigious national leading companies representing career opportunities ranging from engineering, computer science, and business to social science and education. The ALANA Career Fair is an efficient tool for all students from all majors to gain knowledge of the job industry and build a network with business professionals.  Bring your resume and dress for success!

The Center for Multicultural Advancement and Student Success (CMASS) will sponsor a workshop on Managing Career Stress on Tuesday, February 7 at 4:00pm in the Campus Center, Room 905-09.  There will be a second workshop to learn how to Dress for Success at 6:00pm in 201 Wilder Hall. 

On Tuesday, February 7 from 7:00pm - 9:00pm on the Campus Center 10th Floor, there will be a Meet & Greet Employers Event.  Make connections with recruiters and UMass alumni in a variety of career fields.  Interested students will need to RSVP to attend: ccnhelp@acad.umass.edu.  Students who are registered should arrive promptly at 6:15pm. Refreshments will be served. Bring copies of your resume and dress professionally. 

Career networking continues with Career Blast 2012 on Wednesday, February 8 from 10:00am - 3:00pm in the Campus Center Auditorium.  Learn more about full time employment, internships, co-ops, and summer jobs.  Over 90 organizations will be represented.  Come prepared by reviewing the organizations that will be attending, dress professionally, plan on enough time to visit organizations of interest, ask well-researched questions, and give out flawless resumes.  Some employers do schedule follow-up interviews, so have your schedule available.

The next RefWorks workshop will be on Friday, Feb 10 at 9:00am in the Science & Engineering 3rd floor classroom.  For more information: refworks@library.umass.edu or 413 545 0150. 

Bistro Night with SPHHS

Interested in the Public Health and Health Science majors? Come and meet other students, faculty, and alumni and learn more about career options, internships and graduate school, and community-based service opportunities in the school of PHHS.

Wednesday, February 1 from 5:00pm - 7:00pm

Campus Center, 10th Floor

Time is running out to get your Five College paperwork in!

Are you considering taking a Five College class this semester?

The Five College Interchange Add/Drop period ends February 6th (that's MONDAY!). The Interchange Registration form is available through your SPIRE account. During this registration period you must obtain the instructor's signature on the Interchange Registration form in order to enroll in a Five College course. So, don't delay--classes are already well underway!

Still interested? Visit the Five College Interchange website for detailed information on how to fill out the Interchange Registration form. If you have questions stop by the Five College Interchange office in 615 Goodell Mon-Fri 8:30-4:30.