News @ Commonwealth College

— COMMONWEALTH COLLEGE —

Special Events

1. ComCol Alums Returned to Talk about Careers

Announcements & Activities

1. Join the New ComCol Philanthropy Fund Board, Dec 7
2. WWWorkshop - Attention Future MDs, Vets, and Lawyers, Dec 6
3. Butterfield Writers to Read at Amherst Books, Dec 6
4. Pizza & Prof with Theater's Harley Erdman, Dec 11

Academic Opportunities

1. Mentoring with Big Brothers Big Sisters
2. New Course Introducing Service Learning
3. Service Learning Dean’s Book Courses Open for Spring ‘07
4. Service Learning Coordinator for the DBC—Capstone
5. Courageous Chaos: Empowering Presence Capstone
6. Capstone Experience in Copenhagen, Denmark
7. Nursing 320H, Holistic Healing & Complementary Medicine

Advising

1. Walk-in Advising through Pre-Registration

$cholarships and $upport

1. Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi Offers Serious Money
2. Scholarships for Physical Science & Engineering Majors
3. Honors Research Grants Available, Apply by Feb 6

— CAMPUS & COMMUNITY —

Academic Opportunities

1. Publish in a Scholarly Journal
2. Winter Break Opportunities in Mexico, Peru or Senegal

Internships

1. Mass State House Spring Internship

Programs & Events

1. Reel Bad Arabs, New Documentary, Dec 6

Student Life & Support

1. Does Your Student Group Need $$$$$$?

— COMMONWEALTH COLLEGE —

Special Events

COMCOL ALUMS RETURNED TO TALK ABOUT CAREERS

This past Monday (click for image) three recent alumni with majors in communications, accounting, legal studies, and economics talked with students about careers in major investment banking, accounting, and consulting firms. Richard Cooksen ’05, an analyst with Goldman Sachs; Jacey Glass ’99, a consultant with Mercer Human Resources; and Katie Rogers ’04, an associate in PricewaterhouseCoopers’ audit practice (click for image), discussed life after Commonwealth College and their recent experiences upon entering their chosen careers. Participating students (click for image) asked about college experiences that made a difference in their job searches, expectations on the job, and recommendations on preparing for the GMAT, CPA exams, and graduate school. Drew Schwartz, a junior, commented, "It was great to connect with the alumni and hear what ComCol students go on to do once they graduate. It's rare to have alumni come back to campus to share their insights into transitioning into the ‘real world.’"
     For suggestions for future themes for alumni nights contact Meredith Feltus at 413-577-0149 or mfeltus@urd.umass.edu.

Announcements & Activities

** STUDENT PHILANTHROPY FUND BOARD, DEC 7 **

7:00-9:00pm
508 Goodell
Anyone interested in fund raising to improve Commonwealth College is welcome to attend.  The Board will devise and implement a fund raising plan for Commonwealth College students and decide on how the funds will be used.

WWWORKSHOP-ATTENTION MDs, VETS & LAWYERS, DEC 6

Explore the possibilities for Medical, Vet, and Law School with a panel rich in tips for preparation and knowledge of relevant resources on campus.
    Weekly Wednesday Workshops are held every Wednesday evening in the Commonwealth College Lounge, 504 Goodell. Dinner is provided. Please RSVP to c3@comcol.umass.edu if you are planning to attend. See WWWorkshop page for other dates and topics.

BUTTERFIELD WRITERS READ AT AMHERST BOOKS, DEC 6

The fantastic writers in Butterfield's section of Reading and Writing Imaginative Literature (ENGL 254H) will read from their fiction, poetry, and other creative work at Amherst Books on Wednesday, December 6, beginning at 8 pm. Come for an evening packed with new writing! Contact: Anjali Khosla, Academic Coordinator, Writing Butterfield (akhosla@english.umass.edu).

PIZZA & PROF WITH THEATER'S HARLEY ERDMAN, DEC 11

Pizza at 5:45
Program starts at 6:00
Place: 504 Goodell
Topic: "Beginners Playwriting Workshop" (an interactive presentation)
   Come join the feast and fun ... and bring your friends. To reserve a seat and a slice, email pizzaprof@comcol.umass.edu by 6:00pm on Sunday.

Academic Opportunities

MENTORING WITH BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS

Would you like to play a constructive role in the life of a child? Would you like to learn how to be an effective mentor to a young person? Would you like to be part of a class where you can talk with other new Big Brothers or Big Sisters about the joys and challenges of building a strong and supportive relationship with a child? Then check out Honors 397R, Mentoring with Big Brothers Big Sisters, for Spring 2007. The course meets each Monday from 3:00 to 5:00. In addition to the class meetings, after being screened and approved, you will be matched as a Big Brother or Big Sister with a child, and you will commit to spending 3-5 hours each week over the coming year with your “Little.”
     As you build this relationship, you will grow, and the course will help you understand the complex issues that affect your Little Brother or Little Sister.
     For more information and for an application, come to the Office of Community Service Learning, 610 Goodell, between 9:00 and 5:00 Monday through Friday.

NEW COURSE INTRODUCING SERVICE LEARNING

Engaging with the Community (Honors 292S), offered for the first time this spring, will introduce students to the practice of Community Service Learning, including how to engage effectively with a community organization and how to learn deeply from that experience. Each time it is offered, it will be organized around a specific topic of public concern; this spring the course will focus on food security in the Connecticut River Valley of Massachusetts. The course is offered Tuesdays 1:00 - 3:45 and Thursday 1:00 - 2:15; Tuesday’s longer meetings will allow opportunities for field trips and interviews.
   For more information, click here. To apply, contact Will Snyder, the instructor, at 545-3876 or wsnyder@umext.umass.edu.

CSL DEAN’S BOOK COURSES FOR SPRING ‘07—APPLY NOW!

Want to fulfill 2 Dean’s Book requirements in 1 semester while helping the community? Then apply for Community Service Learning (CSL) Dean’s Book Course today! There will be 2 sections of CSL DBC offered in the Spring 2007: 291R will cover the requirements for 191D and 291D, and 391S will cover the requirements for 291D and 391D. Each course will be a semester long, and you will receive 3 credits for your completed participation. You will receive 1 credit for each section of Dean’s Book completed, and 1 credit for the 20 hours of community service you will be required to complete. For 291R, you must be of second semester Freshman status; for 391S, you must be of Junior status to participate. Both sections will read the required text (Persepolis 1 & 2) that is assigned to all Dean’s Book classes and an additional text chosen by the instructor. If you are interested in taking advantage of this exciting opportunity, please stop by the Office of Community Service Learning at 610 Goodell for more information or an application. You may also email the Service Coordinator, Cara Forti, at cforti@student.umass.edu for any further questions.

CAPSTONE: CSL COORDINATOR FOR THE DBC

Looking for a way to complete your capstone and give back to the community? Apply for the Dean’s Book Community Service Learning Coordinator Position! This position is a year long commitment in which the coordinator works closely with students, community based organizations, the Office of Community Service Learning, and a course instructor to provide service placements and lead discussions for students enrolled in the Dean’s Book Community Service Learning. The position will provide the six credits needed to fulfill the Capstone requirement and also a small stipend. Applications can be picked up at the CSL Office located at 610 Goodell. For any questions contact the current coordinator, Meghan Henry, at mehenry@student.umass.edu.

COURAGEOUS CHAOS: EMPOWERING PRESENCE CAPSTONE

Have you been wondering if there is more to your creative potential than choosing a catchy ring tone for your cell phone and programming your iPod shuffle? If so, this 6-credit, onesemester intensive Capstone laboratory in creative process will give you the opportunity to draw from the source material of your own life in the crafting of performance art. Check it out.

CAPSTONE EXPERIENCE IN COENHAGEN, DENMARK

Once again Prof. Eric Einhorn (Political Science) and Prof. Bob Nakosteen (Isenberg School of Management) will be offering a 9 credit "package" Capstone Experience program. The focus is on the European Union and its impact economic and political impact. Students take a 2 credit preparatory seminar in spring 2007 (PoliSci 499L or Sch-Mgt 499L), take 6 credits of intensive course work and independent research in Denmark during late May-June 2006, and present their final papers (PoliSci/Sch-Mgt 499M) for 1 credit in September-October 2007.
     Intended primarily for ComCol students at the Isenberg SOM or Political Science, it is open to other ComCol juniors who have the requisite academic background. For more information and access to the application form, visit the Denmark Honors Program website from here.

HOLISTIC HEALING AND COMPLEMENTARY/ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE

Enriched Honors and Gen Ed Course:
Nursing 320H [Class #24792]
Mary Anne Bright, EdD, APRN-BC, CBT
Mondays 5-8pm
    Come join a small Enriched Honors class with Gen Ed designations (SB and G)! This class will enhance your knowledge and critical thinking about alternative health care, the dynamics of personal change for health, and the environmental context of health. A good course for students interested in alternative health fields, their own health, current trends in health care, and learning a variety of alternative methods that increase health. Lively discussion, critical thinking and debate, film and expert guest speakers have made this a memorable class for students who have taken it in the past.
   Here’s the Course Description: Complementary/Alternative Medicine is critically examined in light of holistic and biomedical perspectives of health, cultural contexts of health and health care, dynamics of systems and individual change, and evidence-based analysis of therapeutic effectiveness. Enrollment is limited to 25-register early! For more information, contact Dr. Bright at mabright@nursing.umass.edu.

Advising

WALK-IN ADVISING CONTINUES THROUGH PRE-REG

Walk-In Advising Hours are 9:30-11:30 and 1:00-4:00 weekdays. YOU MUST BRING A CURRENT DEGREE PROGRESS REPORT WITH YOU! These walk-in meetings are typically 15-20 minutes each; and you may have to wait for a while, so plan ahead! As of Mon Dec 11, we will begin to make appointments for students again.

$cholarships and $upport

HONOR SOCIETY OF PHI KAPPA PHI OFFERS SERIOUS MONEY

The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi (PKP) has hundreds of thousands of dollars available to juniors and seniors who are willing to fill out the on-line forms for a number of awards, fellowships and scholarships.Chief among the categories are the following:
1. 60 fellowships for starting graduate school: $5,000. each
2. 40 awards of excellence: $2000. each
3. Emerging Scholar Award: $15,000. awarded annually
4. Study Abroad grants: $50,000. awarded annually
5. Literacy Grants: $30,000 awarded annually
6. Love of Learning Grants $25,000 awarded annually
   UMass students have been very successful in winning these awards in previous competitions. For entry forms and additional information about each category, go to www.phikappaphi.org. Click on "2007 Award Applications Available Now" on the left-hand side of the website.
   Good luck!
   John R. Nelson, Jr.
   UMass PKP Chapter President

SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE FOR PHYSICAL SCIENCE & ENGINEERING

The Massachusetts Space Grant Consortium (MSGC) has announced funding for spring semester fellowships, NASA Academy internships, JPL and KSC internships, and student travel. For a listing of and information on available programs and funds, click here.

HONORS RESEARCH GRANTS AVAILABLE, APPLY BY FEB 6

Each year, Honors Research Grants of up to $1,000 each are awarded to senior and junior Commonwealth College students through a competitive application process.
    For more information and to download an application, visit the Scholarships page of our website.

— CAMPUS & COMMUNITY—

Academic Opportunities

PUBLISH IN A SCHOLARLY JOURNAL

Currently mOthertongue, a formal publication of the Comparative Literature Department in its 13th year, is seeking submissions of student artwork, poetry and short prose for its 2007 edition. Undergraduate, graduate and international students from any major in the five colleges may submit. Each work is printed twice, once in English and once in a second language. Entries should be in English and the student's other tongue. Fall deadline: December 15.
Click here for full submission information.

WINTER BREAK IN MEXICO, PERU OR SENEGAL

As the weather begins to get chilly, it is a good time to begin thinking about where you will spend the semester break.  UMass offers several classes during the break for students who want to experience living and learning about sustainability in an ecovillage and earn 4 credits.  We offer 3 week courses in Mexico, Peru and Senegal, each related to some aspect of Sustainability Studies.  Please have a look at these programs on the Living Routes web site.

Internships

MASS STATE HOUSE SPRING INTERNSHIP

Representative Denise Provost (D-Somerville) is looking for candidates who are interested in an internship at the Massachusetts State House for Spring 2007. An internship with Representative Provost's office will provide exposure to state government and an opportunity to research and write about legislation. Interns will contribute to administrative office projects including: data entry, mailings, and filing.
    Interested candidates should submit their application to Elizabeth Monnin-Browder (elizabeth.monnin@state.ma.us) with the subject line "Spring Internship Application." Your application should include: a cover letter, short writing sample (no more than 3 pages), and resume. In your cover letter, please be explicit about your availability including: available start and end date, which days you are available and for how many hours each day, and how many hours total you can commit each week. At minimum, candidates should be able to commit to at least 5 hours a week. We are accepting applications on a rolling basis. Please call (617-722-2810) or email Elizabeth with any questions.

Programs & Events

REEL BAD ARABS, A NEW DOCUMENTARY, DEC 6

7:30PM
137 Isenberg School of Management
"Directed by Communication professor Sut Jhally, the 50-minute film is based on Arab-American film authority Jack Shaheen’s book of the same title and includes numerous clips and commentary from films of past decades to the present. Jhally will introduce the film and conduct a question-and-answer session after the screening" (In the Loop).

Programs & Events

DOES YOUR STUDENT GROUP NEED $$$$$?

The UMass Amherst Alumni Association provides grants to RSO's and other student organizations to help fund projects that will improve and enhance student life. Awards are limited to $2,000 per applicant group per academic year.
    Visit www.UMassAlumni.com for an application and grant guidelines today! Or contact the Alumni Association at 545-2317 for more information.