Weekly Preview: February 27 to March 5

This week, we'll turn the page from February to March - two weeks to go before Spring Break.  Remember to make use of University services and resources, for help in your classes or with any other issues that arise.  Meanwhile, here's what will be happening on campus:
 
Monday, March 1, 4:30 pm.  International Scholars Program Information Meeting.  If you are a first year student with a GPA of 3.5 or above, are thinking about studying abroad for your junior year, are committed to making global concerns part of your education and career, and if you would like a scholarship to go abroad, consider the International Scholars Program.  Application deadline is March 29.  Goodell 504.

Monday, March 1, 7:00 pm.  ULead Speaker Series Night.  The Undergraduate Leadership Council (ULead), the Student Alumni Association (SAA) and the UMass Amherst Alumni Association are proud to invite you to join us for ULead Speaker Series Night.   Have you ever asked yourself, “What can I do now to be a better leader?” or, “How far can great leadership skills take me after UMass Amherst?” If so, join us and you will have the opportunity to meet and network with successful alumni currently working in a variety of fields as they discuss leadership.  Memorial Hall.

Tuesday, March 2, 5:30 pm.   Resource Economics Major Information Session.  Come hear about the options within Resource Economics and the steps you must follow to declare by the March 26th deadline in order to register for Fall 2010 courses as a major.  For more information, visit the Resource Economics website and click on “So, You Want to be a Resource Economics Major?”  Stockbridge 217.

Wednesday, March 3, 11:00am - 4:00pm.  Hospitality and Tourism Management Career Day 2010.  HTM Career Day offers you a chance to meet recruiters from more than 50 companies within the hospitality industry. Students of all tracks of HTM will find opportunities within their chosen field. It is up to YOU, the student, to research each of the participating companies BEFORE they come to campus. Plan your day at the Fair by browsing the list of attending companies and making your own list of employers YOU want to speak with!  Our theme is "Connecting Today For a Successful Tomorrow."  This means we, the students, need to be professional and prepared for the event!  Campus Center Auditorium.

Wednesday, March 3, 4:00 - 5:00 p.m.  Study Abroad in Japan Information Meeting. Get an overview of the study abroad options for Japan.  Education Abroad Advising Center, 455 Hills South.


Thursday, March 4 – 4 pm.  Information Session about Internships in London or Sydney. Students who wish to participate in the program are required to attend one information session for initial information.  Education Abroad Advising Center (455 Hills South).

Friday, March 5, 1:00 pm.  RefWorks Workshop.  Learn to use RefWorks, a program that manages citations and creates quick bibliographies.  The first part of each workshop covers how to access RefWorks, import references from library databases and catalogs, retrieve and manage citations, create bibliographies using various citation styles (e.g. MLA APA). The second part covers in-depth applications such as Write-N-Cite for adding references to a Word document and RefShare for sharing folders with other researchers.  Integrated Sciences Building, 3rd floor.

Friday, March 5, 3:30 pm.  Public Health Group Advising / Information Session.  If you are interested in declaring Public Health as your major or switching to Public Health from another major, attend a group advising session.  If you have recently joined the major, it is also an opportunity to get valuable information about opportunities, courses, sequencing classes, and the field in general.  Arnold House, Room 312.

MAJOR EXPLORATION STUDENT PANEL SESSION

**********MAJOR EXPLORATION STUDENT PANEL SESSION**********
February 25, 2010
4:00 - 5:00pm
604 Goodell Building

Do you want to network with upperclassmen from the following majors:
Resource Economics, English, SOM, Psychology, Education-minor?

Do you want to better understand the major exploration process?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, then you should
attend the Majors Exploration Student Panel session!

Final Exam Schedule Now Available!!

Believe it or not, your final exam schedule is now available through the Registrar!  Soon, it will also be on your Spire account.  When you sign-in to Spire, on the left-hand menu under "Student Home" you'll see a link that says "Final Exam Schedule."  Click this to get specifics about the finals scheduled for the courses YOU are enrolled in this semester.  Keep a look out for two things:

• Do you have two exams scheduled at the same time?

• Do you have three (or more) exams scheduled on the same day?   
  

If either is the case, you MUST go to the Registrar's Office in 213 Whitmore at least TWO WEEKS PRIOR TO THE FINAL EXAM to have any conflicts rescheduled.

It might seem early, but now is the time to start thinking up wrapping up your semester successfully!  Stay tuned for more final exam success strategies, or, in the meantime, review our 5 Day Study Plan and Ten Traps of Studying.

Weekly Preview: February 20-26

As we head into the last week of February, here are some events you might want to consider attending:

Monday, February 22 at 4:00 pm. OR Friday, February 26 at 1:00 pm.  Australia/New Zealand Study Abroad Information Session.  Interested in studying abroad in Australia or New Zealand? Come to one of these mandatory sessions to find out more information about available programs.  Hills (South), Education Abroad Advising Center (Room 455)

Tuesday, February 23, 4:45 pm. OR Wednesday, February 24 at 4:45pm OR Friday, February 26 at 2:30 pm.  Domestic Exchange Information Sessions.  Choose from over 180 schools throughout the US, Puerto Rice, Guam and the US Virgin Islands!  Apply NOW for Fall 2010 and Spring 2011; Final Deadline Monday, March 1st.  615 Goodell.

Tuesday, February 23, 5:30 pm.  UMass Amherst Alumni Event: Network Your Way to Success.  At this session with John Turnberg '89, you will learn:  How to search the web to learn what the career landscape looks like; how to maximize internet searches to find actual jobs and internships; how to best use online and in-person networking to make valuable connections; and how to build a resume that reflects your employable skills. Memorial Hall.

Wednesday, February 24 6:00-7:00 pm. Writing Placement.  All undergraduates at UMass Amherst must satisfy the first year writing requirement (College Writing, Englwrit 112) in order to complete the bachelor’s degree.  The Writing Placement, which can only be taken one time, is the mechanism whereby students are placed into College Writing.  If you did not take the Writing Placement at your orientation or since your enrollment, you can take it February 24 or March 30 or April 29.  Bartlett 302

Thursday, February 25, 4:00pm.  Student Panel: Majors Exploration.  Hear from your peers - a panel of students - regarding how they discovered and declared their majors.  Students for the 2/25 program represent these majors: SOM, Resource Economics, English, Psychology, and the Education minor.  Note: a parallel program will be held 3/31, with student panelists representing BDIC, Economics, Communication, Biology, and Certificate programs.  Refreshments will be served.

Infrequently Asked Questions Video Series pt. 2"Keep Your Cart Clean"

IFAQ

 pt. 2 Keep Your Cart Clean

	Be Sure to delete all courses from your Shopping Cart after you have finished registering. Otherwise, courses in which you never enrolled in will show up as completing requirements in your Academic Requirements Report (ARR). The courses will be removed automatically at the end of the term, but your report could be inaccurate during the term unless you empty your Shopping Cart.

Weekly Preview: February 13 through 19

Next week, we'll be returning after a long weekend.  Make your plans now, so you won't be scrambling on Tuesday morning!

Monday, February 15.  Presidents’ Day HOLIDAY.  No classes; most UMass offices will be closed.

Tuesday, February 16.  Follow MONDAY’s class schedule.

Tuesday, February 16 at 3:00 pm.  Australia/New Zealand Study Abroad Information Session.  Interested in studying abroad in Australia or New Zealand? Come to one of these mandatory sessions to find out more information about available programs.  Hills (South), Education Abroad Advising Center (Room 455).

Tuesday, February 16, 4:45 pm. OR Wednesday, February 17 at 4:45pm OR Friday, February 19 at 2:30 pm.  Domestic Exchange Information Sessions.  Choose from over 180 schools throughout the US, Puerto Rice, Guam and the US Virgin Islands!  Apply NOW for Fall 2010 and Spring 2011; Final Deadline Monday, March 1st.  615 Goodell.

Wednesday, February 17, 1:30pm.  RefWorks Workshop.  Learn to use RefWorks, a program that manages citations and creates quick bibliographies. Library, W.E.B. Du Bois Calipari Room.

Wednesday, February 17, 6:00 pm.  SBS Scholarship Workshop.  All College of Social and Behavioral Sciences undergrads are invited to hear from staff members from across campus, speaking about where to look for scholarships and how to present the best application. From SBS-only scholarships like Ansin Study Abroad Fellowships to national scholarships like the Fulbright, there is an opportunity for everyone!  Memorial Hall.

Public Health Group Advising Session Today!

Are you interested in declaring Public Health as your major or switching to Public Health from another Major? If so, please sign up for the group advising session below!

Furthermore, if you have recently joined the Major, it is also an opportunity to get valuable information about opportunities, courses, sequencing classes, and the field in general, so plan to attend the meeting.

 

Today!

Thursday, February 11, 2010 

Arnold House, Room 321

12:30 PM

Please send email to Lynn Koerbel at lkoerbel@schoolph.umass.edu if you plan on attending.

Infrequently Asked Questions Video Series pt. 1 "Pass/Fail"

IFAQ 

pt. 1 Pass/Fail Option

The purpose of the pass/fail option is to encourage students to be academically venturesome in their course selection. Students are allowed to use their pass/fail option for one elective course per semester. Required courses for the major may not be taken pass/fail. Students who register for a course, which is mandatory pass/fail, shall not be deprived of their option to take one additional elective course on a pass/fail basis per semester.

ALANA Career Fair **TODAY**

REMINDER!! The ALANA Career Fair is TODAY from 1PM to 5PM in the Student Union Ballroom.  Employers seeking ALANA students for summer, internships and jobs. For some tips and reminders on how to prepare, you can read our previous post. If you can't make it but would like to learn more about jobs/internships, Career Services has walk-in hours. They are listed here.

Good luck!

Stockbridge School Career Fair **TODAY**

TODAY 9:30AM-1PM, CAMPUS CENTER AUDITORIUM!!!!

Students from the Stockbridge School and the College of Natural Sciences are invited to attend the 13th annual Stockbridge School Career Fair. Employers, many of whom are Stockbridge and UMass alumni, are offering full-time, part-time, summer and internship opportunities related to the green industries. Campus Center Auditorium.

For some tips and reminders on how to prepare, you can read our previous post. If you can't make it but would like to learn more about jobs/internships, Career Services has walk-in hours. They are listed here.


Good luck!

Make the most out of this week's Career and Intership Fairs!

There are several career, internship, and co-op fairs happening this week.  Now is your chance to begin networking with people in industries you're curious about and test-drive careers you think you want to enter after graduation.  Internship and Co-Ops are becoming more and more important as a supplement to your academic coursework when it comes to finding a job after graduation, so take advantage of UMass’ Career Services resources and get a jump start on your future!

But, what should you expect when you arrive at the fair?  How can you make yourself standout from other UMass students in attendance?

•  First, you should take a look at some of the participating organizations who will be at this week's fairs, and read up on what to expect from an internship and/or co-op before you go.
• Secondly, you should dress appropriately.  Meeting a potential employer is different than rolling out of bed for an a.m. discussion section.  First impressions are huge, and you want yours to be one of professionalism. 
• Make sure you have several copies of an up-to-date resume on hand.  Your resume is like your business card.  Potential employers need a way to remember you and measure you against the competition. Make sure your resume reflects on paper who you are as a potential employee.  Not sure yours is quite ready?  Stop by Career Services walk-in hours for some assistance, or if you're running short on time, have a look at these tips and samples online. 
• Think about why you're interested in a job, internship, or co-op, especially one with a specific company.  Be ready to engage the representative in a short conversation that demonstrates you know a little something about the organization or are at least interested in what they do.  Get creative with your UMass activities and try to connect those to potential careers and internships while you chat. 
• Give yourself some time!  Don't plan a run-through 10 minutes before your class starts.  Make sure you have time to hand out resumes, shake hands, introduce yourself, ask questions, and chit chat a bit.  If you want an organization to be interested in you, you need to demonstrate interest in them as well.

These are just a few last minute tips to get you ready for this week's fairs.  Keep in mind Career Services is available to all students on campus and can can provide in-depth resume help, internship and co-op assistance, career exploration activities, and even mock interviews as you get ready to enter the work force.  Take advantage of this great resource now, and come graduation, you'll be glad you did!

Week in Preview: February 6 to 12

Plan ahead . . . there are a lot of activities this week that can help you gather important information, set some goals, determine a plan of action, and perhaps even achieve a short-term goal that will help you reach your ultimate destination(s).  This posting will give you the events scheduled for the coming week; watch the Blog for more details about how to make good use of these opportunities.

Monday, 2/8, 10:00am.  RefWorks Workshop.  Learn to use RefWorks, a program that manages citations and creates quick bibliographies. Library, W.E.B. Du Bois Calipari Room.

Monday, 2/8, 5:00pm.  If your application is ready, meet the PRIORITY DEADLINE for Domestic Exchanges for the 2010-2011 academic year.  If you're not ready, attend an info session and follow through the process; the final deadline for the '10-'11 academic year will be Monday, 3/1.

Tuesday, February 9, 9:30 am – 1:00 pm Stockbridge School Career Fair.  Students from the Stockbridge School and the College of Natural Sciences are invited to attend the 13th annual Stockbridge School Career Fair. Employers, many of whom are Stockbridge and UMass alumni, are offering full-time, part-time, summer and internship opportunities related to the green industries.  Campus Center Auditorium.

Tuesday, February 9, 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm.  ALANA Career Fair.  Employers seeking ALANA students for summer, internships and jobs.  Student Union Ballroom.

Tuesday, February 9, 4:45 pm.  Domestic Exchange Info Session.  Choose from over 180 schools throughout the US, Puerto Rice, Guam and the US Virgin Islands!

Wednesday,  February 10, 10am – 3pm.  UMASS Life Sciences Career Fair.  Employers seeking Life Sciences students for summer, internships and jobs. Campus Center, Lower Level.
 
Wednesday, February 10, 10:00 am – 3:00 pm.  Campus-Wide Career Fair.  Attend this job fair with some of the region's top employers. Employers are seeking students for jobs after graduation. Some of the employers may also have summer and co-op positions.  Campus Center Auditorium.

Wednesday, February 10, 4:45pm.  Domestic Exchange Info Session.  Choose from over 180 schools throughout the US, Puerto Rice, Guam and the US Virgin Islands!

Thursday, February 11, 10:00 am – 3:00 pm.  Summer, Internship and Co-op Fair.  Top employers are seeking students for internships, summer and co-op jobs.  All majors are welcome.  Employers such as Reebok, Congressman Oliver, Daily Hampshire Gazette, Yankee Candle Corporate, Lockheed Martin, EMC, Liberty Mutual, Abbott Labs, Higgins Armory Museum, WGBY_TV and others will be there.  Campus Center Auditorium.

Thursday, February 11 at 12:30pm.  Public Health Open Group Advising Sessions  If you are interested in declaring Public Health as your major or switching to Public Health from another Major, please sign up for one of the group advising sessions below.  If you have recently joined the Major, it is also an opportunity to get valuable information about opportunities, courses, sequencing classes, and the field in general.  Arnold House, Room 321.  Please send email to Lynn Koerbel at lkoerbel@schoolph.umass.edu if you plan on attending any of the open advising session.

Thursday, February 11, 6:00 pm.  Economics Career Networking Night.  The Undergraduate Economics Club (UEC), the Department of Economics, and the UMass Amherst Alumni Association invite you to meet and network with successful economics alumni currently working in a variety of fields.  Find out how their degrees in economics helped shape their career paths. The program will use a "speed-networking" format. Small groups of students will meet with each alumnus/a to converse with and ask questions about his/her career experiences. After 8-10 minutes with one of the graduates, students will move on until they have met with each of the alumni participants. At the conclusion of the program, students will have the opportunity to meet informally with the alumni.  Gordon Hall, 418 N. Pleasant St.  Click here to register for the program.

Friday, February 12 at 1:00 pm.  Australia/New Zealand Study Abroad Information Session.  Interested in studying abroad in Australia or New Zealand? Come to one of these mandatory sessions to find out more information about available programs.

Friday, February 12 at 2:30pm.  Domestic Exchange Info Session.  Choose from over 180 schools throughout the US, Puerto Rice, Guam and the US Virgin Islands!

FREE On-Campus Tutoring and Writing Assistance!!

Add/Drop is over and the semester is well underway.  By now you've probably handed in some homework, had a quiz or two, and started to evaluate the difficulty of your courses.  Now is the perfect time to familiarize yourself with the MANY free tutoring and help centers on campus, available to keep you on track for academic success this spring: 

• The Learning Resource Center, located on the 10th floor of the library, offers UMass Amherst students free peer-to-peer tutoring in many courses from various departments.  In addition, the LRC offer Supplemental Instruction in several math, science, and economics courses!  Tutors and Supplemental Instruction Leaders are available to assist their peers in achieving academic success Mondays-Thursdays 1:00 PM-10 PM and Sundays 5:00 PM-10 PM.   Check out the schedule for your course tutoring times.          

• Working on a paper?  The Writing Center, conveniently located in the learning Commons of the library, offers 45-minute consultations with a knowledgeable tutor.  Just tell the tutor a little about the writing project and your concerns--whether you're at the brainstorming stage or editing your final draft--and receive useful feedback before handing your work in for a grade!  The Writing Center is open during convenient weekend and evening hours AND, you can even schedule an appointment online.     

• Last but not least, don't forget about department specific tutoring and assistance.  Economics and Math offer individual support for students, for example.  Also, TAs can serve as excellent resource when you have questions about course material or preparation for an exam.

Now is the time to take control of your coursework and set yourself up for a successful spring semester.  Don't pass up these great resources!

So you want to be a Resource Economics Major?

On Campus Transfer Information Session

Information sessions for UMass students interested in exploring the Resource Economics major are welcome to attend the following session in Stockbridge 114:

Tuesday February 2, 2010 - 5:30-6:30 pm

For information please contact the ResEc Undergraduate

Advising Office: advising@resecon.umass.edu

Public Health Group Advising Sessions

Are you interested in declaring Public Health as your major or switching to Public Health from another Major? If so, please sign up for one of the group advising sessions below!

Furthermore, if you have recently joined the Major, it is also an opportunity to get valuable information about opportunities, courses, sequencing classes, and the field in general, so plan to attend one of the meetings.

 

Tuesday, February 2, 2010 

Arnold House, Room 321

4:00 PM 

or

Friday, February 5, 2010

Arnold House, Room 321

3:15 PM

Please send email to Lynn Koerbel at lkoerbel@schoolph.umass.edu if you plan on attending.

**REMINDER** ADD/DROP ENDS TONIGHT!!

ADD/DROP ENDS TONIGHT AT 10PM!!

IF YOU STILL NEED TO SWAP/DROP/ADD COURSES, YOU MUST DO SO BEFORE THEN!!
AND REMEMBER--ACADEMIC DEPARTMENTS GENERALLY CLOSE AT 5PM. IF YOU NEED DEPARTMENT CONSENT TO ADD A CLASS, YOUR DEADLINE IS EVEN CLOSER!

IF YOU DON'T DROP A CLASS BEFORE ADD/DROP ENDS, YOU'LL HAVE TO DROP WITH A 'W.'