GradNews

Welcome to the 2022-2023 Academic Year!

A special welcome to our new graduate students beginning their graduate journeys at SIUE. We hope that you will engage deeply in your academic program as well as with the campus at large. We are thrilled to have you!

Complete the Online Graduate Student Orientation

All SIUE graduate students, including returning students, are encouraged to complete the Graduate Student Online Orientation.  Discover critical information on academic expectations, advising/registration, graduate assistantships, academic & career support, managing your mental health, campus resources, research funding, finding a mentor, community engagement, and more!  

New or Returning Graduate Assistant?

First...Complete the online GA Orientation, which has a wealth of information and resources for both new and continuing GA's!

Next...Join us on Thursday, September 8th at 3:00pm on Zoom for our annual GA Best Practices & Q&A Session! Both new and returning GAs are welcome and strongly encouraged to attend!

Event includes:

• Top Things to Know as a GA by the Graduate School
• Panel of experienced GAs who will share their tips & expertise on how to be successful in your GA position as well as how to balance your GA responsibilities with your role as a student
• Break-out rooms led by GA Panelists for peer-to-peer discussions

Zoom Link: Meeting ID: 982 7132 6477; Password: 366485

 

Graduating this year? 

Be sure to familiarize yourself with all of the tasks needed to complete your degree and graduate as intended on the Graduate Student Completion Checklist!

Military & Veteran Services Book Club

For the September meeting the book up for discussion will be I'm Still Standing: From Captive U.S. Soldier to Free Citizen - My Journey Home by Shoshana Johnson with M.L. Doyle (Simon & Schuster, 2010).

Thursday, September 29, 2022 @ 12:00PM via Zoom - Register Here

 

Subscribe to GradTips!

GradTips is a subscription-based monthly email series available for graduate students around the below topics:

• Research & Writing at the Graduate Level
• Wellness, Mental Health, & Self-Care
• Maximizing Mentoring Relationships

Subscribers will receive one email sent in the middle of each month that focuses on a resource or best practice around that topic. To subscribe, submit the online subscription form and select the topic(s) you would like to receive each month. (You may be asked to use your SIUE credentials to log into the Kuali Build system.)

Searching for a Graduate Assistantship?

• Make sure you are eligible. Before applying to a GA position, read through the eligibility requirements to make sure you are eligible. 
  
  
• Talk to your Graduate Program Director. Many graduate assistants find a position within their own unit or school. Check with your GPD and inquire about any openings you may be qualified for in your home department or related areas.
  
  
• Check out the GA Current Postings. The Graduate School posts open GA positions from units across campus. View the Current Postings to see the position details and qualifications for each opening. Submit application materials directly to the hiring unit and contact the individual listed on the bottom of the posting if you have any questions. Check this page for updates frequently as you are searching for a position.

Is a Thesis or Dissertation in Your Future?

If your degree requires completion of a thesis or dissertation, access the resources on the Graduate School Theses & Dissertations website as you begin the process.  You'll find an overview of the process, writing resources, formatting templates, and all relevant deadlines for each semester. 

Responsible Authorship Discussion

Join expert panelists on Zoom for a discussion on responsible authorship on September 28th from Noon-1pm. Find all of the details & registration link on the event flyer.

Faculty Fellowship Applications Open at UMBC

University of Maryland Baltimore County will appoint recent recipients of a Ph.D. degree, including Ed.D, DFA, and MFA, as Faculty Fellows for a two-year term in-residence fellowship beginning July 1, 2023. Learn more about the Fellows for Faculty Diversity Program at UMBC.

Other Resources for Graduate Students

Did you know that the extensive campus resources available on SIUE's campus are also available for graduate students?

Below is just a sampling of the resources available to you to ensure you are supported during your time at SIUE! 

• Cougar Cupboard - A convenient, anonymous, free food pantry to ensure that all SIUE students have access to food
• Career Development Center  - Help with everything from resume writing & job searching to free professional clothing in the Cougar Career Closet
• Health Services - For essential medical & laboratory services and an on-campus pharmacy
• Counseling Services - Supporting the mental health all SIUE students
• Textbook Rental Services - Free rental service to minimize textbook costs
• Writing Center - For help during the paper composition process
• University Housing - For those interested in living on campus
• Student Clubs & Organizations - From academic to cultural to recreational organizations, there's a community for all
• Library Services - Including research support from an expert librarian
• Student Fitness Center - Fitness equipment, athletic courts, rock climbing, an indoor pool, and so much more
• Kimmel Student Involvement Center - For students interesting in engaging in campus leadership

Academic & Professional Organizations at SIUE

Opportunities abound for you to engage in your discipline beyond your coursework at SIUE.  From Criminal Justice to Engineering, organizations centered around academic programs and career interests span across just about every discipline you can imagine. 

Speak with your faculty about which organizations exist in your particular area of interest and check out the Get Involved at SIUE website!  Join an organization that aligns with your field, take on a leadership role, gain experience, learn from others, and build your resume!

Meet Nitesh Kumar Barnawal, MS in Industrial Engineering student

When Nitesh arrived at SIUE last fall as a new international graduate student after completing his undergraduate degree in Nepal, he was admittedly unsure and anxious about his graduate experience. He was drawn to his graduate program due to the wide variety of coursework and the dedicated research labs, but questions remained. How would he be treated as a new international student by his professors? Would he make any friends? Would he feel at home?

Nitesh has one answer to the many questions he was pondering upon arrival. "Everyone is awesome," he says. Not only did the SIUE community provide him with an environment that quickly felt like home, but his professors in Industrial Engineering have provided incredible mentorship through both coursework and research experiences. "Thanks to my advisors Dr. Hoo Sang Ko and Dr. Guim Kwon...they are always available to help me." Nitesh has been praised by his faculty for his scholarly curiosity, dedication, and excellence, and his continued contributions to their research in advancing the artificial pancreas system for the treatment of type 1 diabetes. Outside of the classroom and the lab, Nitesh is engaged in his discipline through service as the Vice-President of the Industrial Engineering Graduate Student Council.

Although he plans to gain industry experience immediately following the completion of his master's degree, Nitesh's ultimate goal is to obtain a PhD in Industrial Engineering.

Know a deserving student or alum that we should highlight in Cougar Pride? 
Complete the Excellent Graduate Student Nomination Form to let us know!