January 7, 2020    Events and Deadlines

This newsletter is distributed to department heads, graduate program directors, graduate program contact staff, and graduate faculty. 

Graduate Program Directors   

Student Employee Position 

The Graduate School is looking for a student employee to work up to 30 hours a week if possible.  Screening begins immediately and will continue until the position is filled. Please send a cover letter, resume, and names and contact information for three references to the attention of Cynthia Brott at cdbrott@ksu.edu.

Complete a brief form to indicate the iBT TOEFL to be used for your graduate program

Educational Testing Service (ETS) is now providing individuals who take the iBT TOEFL two scores: the score for the current test and MyBest™ Score which is composed of the highest scores from each sub-section (reading, listening, speaking, and writing) from all of the test taker’s valid iBT TOEFL scores from tests taken in the last two years. The Graduate Council approved the following policy at their December meeting: Graduate Programs may use MyBest™ Score or the most recent iBT TOEFL in assessing language proficiency for admissions of international students. Programs must determine which score to use and apply it consistently for all applicants. This policy change is effective for all international applicants admitted for Spring 2020 and thereafter.  

To assist the Graduate School with processing recommendations for admission, we ask that each graduate program complete a brief form to indicate which iBT TOEFL score should be used to evaluate international applicants to your program.

Registration open for Spring 2020 Graduate Student Orientation

The Graduate School and other campus support units will host welcome and orientation activities for new graduate students admitted to graduate programs for the spring 2020 term during the week of January 13th.  A schedule of sessions and activities is available on the Graduate School website. Incoming graduate students who have accepted their admission offer in CollegeNet will be sent a direct email notification about orientation. To ensure that all students receive this information, graduate programs are encouraged to promote graduate student orientation activities to their new and current graduate students. Current students who were unable to attend orientation their first semester or would like a refresher are welcome to attend. Advanced registration is requested.

Graduate Students   

Graduate Student Leadership Development Program – Accepting Applications

Through this semester-long experience, graduate students will work with Leadership Studies faculty and their peers to dive into challenges that are most important to them. The program provides an opportunity to develop leadership skills to make a positive change in work, studies, and student organizations, and move beyond technical expertise to solve problems.  Must apply by January 24, 2020, to be considered for participation. 

Registration open for annual Three Minute Thesis Competition

Registration is open for the Graduate School's annual Three Minute Thesis competition (3MT), which challenges graduate students to present a compelling oration on their thesis/dissertation topic and its significance in just three minutes using just one slide. 3MT® facilitates the development of academic, presentation, and research communication skills. The competition focuses on the students' ability to communicate the importance of their research to the broader community. Heats, or preliminary competitions, will be held on February 14. Judges will select participants from each heat to compete in the final competition on February 27. Registration deadline: January 31, 2020 at 11:59 pm CST. 

Graduate Student Council Travel Awards 

February 1 is the deadline for graduate students to apply for GSC travel awards for travel to academic and professional events that begin anytime in April. 

Registration open for K-State Graduate Research, Arts, and Discovery (K-GRAD) Forum

Registration is open for the Graduate Student Council's 2020 K-State GRAD Forum. Graduate students from all disciplines are invited to participate and may register to give either an oral presentation on March 25 or a poster presentation on March 26. Judges will select the most outstanding presentation in each session to receive an award. Registration and abstract submission deadline: February 7, 2020, at 11:59 pm CST. 

Complete the KSN application by Feb. 15 to be considered for K-State scholarships

Graduate students are encouraged to complete the K-State Scholarship Network (KSN) application to be considered for scholarship opportunities. Students will create a profile in the system that will help match them to specific scholarship opportunities provided by K-State donors and offered through university departments. Scholarship opportunities are available for incoming and continuing students. To be considered for scholarships, students must complete the KSN application by February 15each year. All scholarship awards in the KSN are made for the fall semester. Detailed instructions and frequently asked questions are available on the Office of Student Financial Assistance website.

For Women in Science! 

The L’Oréal USA For Women in Science fellowship program awards female scientists at a critical stage in their careers with grants of $60,000 each. The program is seeking five exceptional female scientists looking to advance their research and serve as role models for the next generation of girls in STEM. The program is the U.S. component of the L'Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science International Fellowships program. 

L’Oréal USA partners with the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) to manage the program’s application and peer-review process. Each year, the program attracts talented applicants from diverse STEM fields, representing some of the nation’s leading academic institutions and laboratories. For more information about the L'Oréal USA For Women in Science program, please visit the website and apply. The completed applications are due no later than January 31, 2020, and the wards will be announced in October 2020.

Rotary Peace Fellowships

Each year, Rotary selects individuals from around the world to receive fully funded academic fellowships in Peace and Conflict resolution studies at one of our peace centers. These fellowships cover tuition and fees, room and board, round-trip transportation, and all internship/field study expenses. Eligible candidates may not be a Rotarian or related to a Rotarian. Two types of fellowships are available. Rotary will begin accepting applications for the 2020 Rotary Peace Fellowships in February 2020. The application will be available online.  Submit your application through your local Rotary club prior to May 1, 2020. Contact Chuck Udell or Patti Mellard, District Chairs, for help with the application. 

MASTER'S DEGREE FELLOWSHIP
Studies in fields related to peace and conflict resolution and prevention. Requires a minimum of 3 years of related work or volunteer experience and a bachelor’s degree. Programs last 15–24 months and require a practical internship of 2–3 months during the academic break. Up to 50 master’s fellowships each year.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT CERTIFICATE
A program for those with more extensive experience in peace-related fields (5 or more years related experience required).This is a 3-month (Jan – April or June – August) program in peace and conflict resolution at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok, Thailand. This program incorporates 2–3 weeks of field study. Up to 50 certificates awarded each year.