Welcome to the October 2024 edition of GradNews!  This monthly newsletter will include key information and resources to support your success as a graduate student at SIUE.  Each month we will bring you news about upcoming events, campus resources, research funding, professional development, campus engagement, and graduate student success stories.  Watch for GradNews coming to your email inbox each month!

Career Fairs & Job Search Preparation 

The Career Development Center hosts a variety of different job fairs and other events throughout the year that are designed to help students and alumni find jobs and improve their job search materials. Visit the SIUE Career Development Center event website to learn about Career Fairs, Resume Writing, and Mock Interview Days happening in the month of October! 

Graduating This Year? 

If you are graduating this fall or next spring, be sure you take a moment to review the Graduate Student Completion Checklist to be sure you are on track to complete all needed tasks to graduate! 

Goshen Market Comes to SIUE 

SIUE is excited to welcome The Land of Goshen Market! This beloved local farmer's market will set up tents and booths across the Quad on Wednesday, Oct. 9. Shoppers can expect everything from fresh local farmer's produce to artisan-made soaps and locally crafted goods.For more information, contact Brian Bray at [email protected]. 
 
The Land of Goshen Farmer's Market 
Wednesday, Sept. 25 and Wednesday, Oct. 9 
11 a.m.-1 p.m. 
Stratton Quad 

COUGARFEST 
Kick off Homecoming & Family Weekend at COUGARFEST on the Quad with live music by Dr. Zhivegas, food trucks, fun family activities and more! This immersive community event is free of charge and guaranteed to be a fun time. Check out the Homecoming & Family Weekend website for more details and for a list of other exciting events the Alumni Association has planned.  

COUGARFEST: Rock the Quad! 
Friday, Oct. 4 
7-10 p.m. 
Stratton Quad 
Register for COUGARFEST on Eventbrite 

Indigenous Knowledge and Sustainability: The Buffalo Treaty 
The Native American Studies Program and the Division of ADEI, in collaboration with University of Missouri St. Louis (UMSL), the St. Louis Zoo and the Missouri Botanical Garden is presenting an Indigenous Knowledge and Sustainability Event Series. The series will take place from Thursday, Oct.10-Saturday, Oct. 12. All the events are free of charge and registration is required. The series will include speaking engagements and a film festival at different host venues. SIUE will host a dialogue event on Friday, Oct. 11. 
 
The 2024 Harris Conservation Forum, "The Buffalo Treaty," will take place at the Saint Louis Zoo on Thursday, Oct.10. The forum is hosted by the Whitney R. Harris World Ecology Center at UMSL and the St. Louis Zoo. The forum provides a conduit for people to learn about conservation work in the world as well as discuss environmental threats most relevant to communities. 
 
"The Buffalo Treaty" 
2024 Harris Conservation Forum 
Thursday, Oct.10 
6-9 p.m. 
Saint Louis Zoo 
In Person Registration for the Harris Conservation Forum 
Livestream Registration for the Harris Conservation Forum  
 
SIUE will host a dialogue, "Humans, Nature, and the Buffalo Treaty" with guests Leroy Little Bear, (Kainai Nation, Blackfoot Confederacy), Roxann Smith (Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes of the Fort Peck Indian Reservation) and Chance Weston (Oglala Lakota) in the Fuller Dome/Center for Spirituality and Sustainability. SIUE's Julie Zimmerman, PhD, professor and Chair of Anthropology, will deliver opening welcome remarks. Learn more about this event and read about the guest speakers on the Indigenous Knowledge and Sustainability SIUE website. 
 
"Humans, Nature, and the Buffalo Treaty" Dialogue 
Leroy Little Bear, Roxann Smith, Chance Weston 
Friday, Oct. 11 
12:30-2 p.m. 
Fuller Dome/Center for Spirituality and Sustainability 
This event is limited to 50 guests and attendees are required to register online. 
  
A Native film festival will be held at the Touhill Center at UMSL on Friday Oct. 11. Hosted by the Kathryn M. Buder Center for American Indian Studies at Washington University in St. Louis. 
Films will include "Singing Back the Buffalo" and "Iniskim: Return of the Buffalo" and a Q&A with Amethyst First Rider, Leroy Little Bear and Wes Olson. 
  
Native Film Festival 
Friday, Oct. 11 
6 p.m. 
UMSL: Touhill Performing Arts Center 
Register for the Native Film Festival 
  
The Missouri Botanical Garden will host a lecture, "The Ecological Buffalo" on Saturday Oct. 12. The lecture will feature a book signing and a Q&A. Lecturers include Jonny BearCub Stiffarm, JD, Wes Olson and Johane Janelle. 
 
"The Ecological Buffalo" 
Saturday, Oct. 12 
2-4 p.m. 
Missouri Botanical Garden: Farr Auditorium 
Register for "The Ecological Buffalo" on the Missouri Botanical Garden website. 
  
To view and download the full schedule, or to register for any of the free events, visit the Indigenous Knowledge and Sustainability 2024 webpage on the UMSL website. 
For questions about this event series, contact Greg Fields, PhD, professor of Philosophy, at [email protected]. 

"There Will Be Light" Concert 
The Meridian Society and the Department of Music are excited to present "There Will Be Light," an inaugural choral concert featuring the SIUE Choral Union, Treble Choir and Concert Chorale. 
Connect with Meridian Society supporters and enjoy an enchanting evening as the choirs take the stage for their inaugural performance of the 2024-2025 season, "There Will Be Light." Under the direction of Nikos Myrogiannis-Koukos, DM, and Alicia Canterbury Vorel, PhD, this concert will celebrate the theme of light through a beautiful blend of choral music. 

"There Will Be Light" Choral Concert 
The Meridian Society and Department of Music 
Tuesday, Oct. 22 
Cocktail Reception: 6:30-7:30 p.m. 
Concert: 7:30 p.m. 
Dunham Hall Theater 
Tickets available, RSVP on Eventbrite 

Cover the Cruiser 
The EOA/Title IX Office, in collaboration with the SIUE Police Department, is participating in a national initiative designed to raise awareness about sexual assault and interpersonal violence. Join the EOA/Title IX Office and the SIUE Police Department on Wednesday, Oct. 16, from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. at the Cougar Statue to cover a police car with positive messages. This visible, collaborative, and interactive event brings awareness and discussion to campus.

Please reach out to Melissa Bigtas, MSW, LSW in the EOA Office with any questions:  [email protected].

Cover the Cruiser
Wednesday, Oct. 16
10 a.m.-1 p.m.
Cougar Statue

Travel & Presentation Funding for Grad Students 

Are you presenting a paper at a peer-reviewed conference?  Whether the conference is happening virtually or in-person, the Graduate School provides funding to support graduate students' costs associated with conference presentations.  For information on eligibility, application procedures, and deadlines, visit the Travel/Presentation Grants for Graduate Students website. 

English Workshops for International Students 
  
The Intensive English Pathway (IEP) invites SIUE’s international students to attend free English workshops to practice their written and verbal skills. Students can choose from a variety of topics. Each Tuesday and Wednesday will offer the same lesson to suit students' varied schedules, and they can stop by anytime without registration. Workshops will highlight strategies on how to avoid plagiarism and run throughout the fall term. Faculty are encouraged to refer international students who could benefit from this free program. 

English Workshops 
2-2:45 p.m. 
Tuesdays and Wednesdays 
Foreign Language Community Space- Peck Hall 2315-B 
Details, topics and learning schedule can be found at siue.edu/english-workshops. 

Library Research Workshops
All workshops located in LL1058

Plagiarism:
Join us for a 45-minute workshop to recognize and avoid plagiarism.
Sep 4: 10:00 AM & 2:00 PM
Oct 2: 10:00 AM & 2:00 PM
Nov 6: 10:00 AM & 2:00 PM
Dec 4: 10:00 AM & 2:00 PM

Getting Started in Research
In this 45-minute workshop you will learn about the research process and searching for sources.

Sep 5: 10:00 AM & 1:00 PM
Oct 3: 10:00 AM & 1:00 PM
Nov 7: 10:00 AM & 1:00 PM
Dec 5: 10:00 AM & 1:00 PM

Citation & Zotero
If you have questions about citation and how Zotero works, this is the 45-minute workshop for you.

Sep 6: 10:00 AM & 2:00 PM
Oct 4: 10:00 AM & 2:00 PM
Nov 1: 10:00 AM & 2:00 PM
Dec 6: 10:00 AM & 2:00 PM

REGISTER HERE

Annual Flu Vaccine Clinic

SIUE Health Service has received its shipment of flu vaccine (Fluzone® Quadrivalent) and is pleased to offer the vaccine to faculty, staff, retirees and students! Flu shots this year will again be handled by appointment. Please arrive no earlier than five minutes before your appointment. 

Currently, there is no recommended waiting period between when you get your flu shot and when you had or plan to get your COVID booster vaccine. Please plan to wear clothing that provides easy access to the upper arm injection s

Please use the adjacent link to schedule a flu shot: 

Wednesday, Oct. 2 
SSC: Room 0200 
Schedule a flu shot on Sign Up Genius for Oct. 2 

Monday, Oct. 7 
SSC: Room 0200 
Schedule a flu shot on Sign Up Genius for Oct. 7 

Wednesday, Oct. 9 
SSC: Room 0200 
Schedule a flu shot on Sign Up Genius for Oct. 9 

Friday, Oct. 11 
SSC: Room 0200 
Schedule a flu shot on Sign Up Genius for Oct. 11 

Tuesday, Oct. 15 
SSC: Room 0200 
Schedule a flu shot on Sign Up Genius for Oct. 15 

Friday, Oct. 18 
SSC: Room 0200 
Schedule a flu shot on Sign Up Genius for Oct. 18 

Thursday, Oct. 24 
SSC: Room 0200 
Schedule a flu shot on Sign Up Genius for Oct. 24 

Friday, Oct. 25 
SSC: Room 0200 
Schedule a flu shot on Sign Up Genius for Oct. 25 

SIUE students may receive the flu shot for $15 
Payment can be made in cash or check or billing to the student account. 

Research Grants for Graduate Students (RGGS) 

Are you a master's level student seeking funding to support your research endeavors?  The fall application period for RGGS is NOW OPEN as of October 1st, and the deadline to submit a proposal is November 1st at 4:30pm.  Students may request up to $500 in funding, and must meet all eligibility and proposal requirements.  Read all of the details and watch a brief "how to apply" video on the RGGS website.  

Thesis Deadlines for Fall 2024 Graduation 

Graduating in December and working on your thesis/doctoral project?  Be sure you're aware of the fall 2024 deadlines and respond quickly to any revision requirements you receive from your thesis reviewer or committee members.  The first draft must be fully submitted in ProQuest by 11/24/24, but earlier submissions are strongly encouraged to facilitate timely completion of all revisions by the final approved submission deadline of 1/6/25.   

National Center for Faculty Development & Diversity (NCFDD) Resources 

SIUE is an institutional member of the National Center for Faculty Development & Diversity (NCFDD), and graduate students can benefit from that membership by taking part in various events and workshops. One of the programs regularly offered by the NCFDD is a 14-Day Writing Challenge, where participants are challenged to write at least 30 minutes each day for two weeks with the support of an online community. 
 
To activate your NCFDD membership, follow the below steps: 
   1) Go to http://www.facultydiversity.org/join 
   2) Choose "Southern Illinois University Edwardsville" from the drop-down menu. 
   3) Select “Activate my Membership” 
   4) Complete the registration form using your SIUE email address 
   5) Go to your institution email to find a confirmation/welcome email. Click “Activate Account” in the email. 

Cultural Organizations at SIUE 

There are a myriad of opportunities to connect to cultural-based organizations at SIUE.  A sampling of the cultural organizations on campus include the Black Graduate Student Association, Asian American Association, Gay-Straight Alliance, Global Ambassador Program, Hispanic Student Union, International Student Council, NAACP SIUE Chapter, Muslim Student Association, New Horizons, and Students for Global Outreach.   

Expand your horizons. Check out the cultural organizations on the Get Involved at SIUE website and connect! 

Meet Gavin Witsken, MS in Computer Science 

Gavin Witsken started at SIUE in Fall 2020 with the intention to complete his B.S. in Mathematical Studies and acquire his secondary teaching certification to teach Mathematics at the high school level. In his third semester, he decided to make a shift to computer science and he hasn't looked back. Gavin has worked as a student employee for ITS, as a teaching assistant in computer science courses, and as a research assistant under computer science professor Hiroshi Fujinoki in collaboration with the Civil Engineering department and Illinois Dept of Transportation District 8. He has also consistently totored students in CS 140. 

Hiroshi Fujinoki, professor in Computer Science, said that Gavin often provides students with not only technical help but also suggestions as a student.  As a research assistant,  he is a person who takes care of his RA job, not just duties, but passions. 

In the future, Gavin intends to research how he can apply current technology and techniques such as "gamification" and artificial intelligence to better improve the quality and personalization of education for all students without increasing the burden on instructors. He has great passion for education and believe that as our world's technology evolves, so too should our educational tools & techniques.