Graduate School

Graduate School Bulletin

February 7, 2023

Table of contents

Click on a category name to view that section or click on a headline to read the full announcement.

 

Faculty and Staff

Admissions

Recruitment

Graduate Student Success

Opportunities for Graduate Students

Funding for Graduate Students

Upcoming Events and Deadlines

Faculty and Staff

More than 70 graduate students representing over 30 academic disciplines will compete in the first round of the Three Minute Thesis (3MT) competition on February 8. Presentations will be held in the Flinthills Room and Room 227 in the K-State Student Union between 9:30am-4:15pm. The 3MT is an excellent opportunity for graduate students to develop their research communication skills and is an exciting showcase of graduate student research. Eight students will be selected to compete in the final competition, scheduled for February 22 at 5:30pm in the K-State Alumni Center Banquet Room. Both rounds of competition are open to the public. A schedule of presentations is available on the 3MT webpage.

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The Graduate School invites you to join us on February 15th for our Know How session on Admissions & Graduation. This Know How will be held from 11:30am – 1:00pm in Eisenhower 121 and via Zoom. (Meeting ID: 999 1943 0807)

 

For more information about this event, please contact Miranda Schremmer at mquint@ksu.edu

 

Please RSVP to this event by February 13th.

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The Graduate Student Council (GSC) is calling for faculty, post-docs, and staff to volunteer as judges at the annual K-State Graduate Research, Arts, and Discovery (K-GRAD) Forum in March at the K-State Student Union. Poster presentations will be held on March 8 and talks will be held on March 9. Serving as a judge at K-GRAD is a great way to support graduate student research presentation and communication skills development and to discover the diverse and important work conducted by K-State graduate students. Complete a brief volunteer form to provide your availability to serve as a judge.

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The Graduate School is developing a university-wide recruitment strategy. Part of this effort is to collect information that helps prospective students better understand our graduate programs, their requirements and ultimately their value.

 

Conversations with prospective students indicate that they are comparing graduate programs at various institutions, especially the curriculum. An analysis of our graduate catalog shows that we have several programs that need clarifying information.

The Graduate School has reached out to several departments whose entries need prompt attention, but all departments should regularly revisit their graduate catalog entry to ensure that it reflects the approved requirements and curricular structure.

Clarification of graduate programs in the catalog can be handled by Graduate School staff by sending them to gradinfo@ksu.edu, Attn. Timon Smock. Any changes to existing program structure or requirements must go through the normal Curriculog process before they can be reflected in an updated catalog entry.

 

If you have any questions, please contact Dr. Michael Young (michaelyoung@ksu.edu), Faculty Associate in the Graduate School.

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The Graduate School has launched a new dashboard providing programs with data on how prospective students move from application to admission, Graduate School approval, and eventual enrollment. This data identifies where a department’s admissions funnel narrows, where delays in processing occur and their duration, and trends in these data.

 

The reports are accessible as an internal dashboard at https://www.k-state.edu/pa/. All Department Heads overseeing graduate programs, Graduate Program Directors, and graduate admissions staff have access as of today. If you do not, please contact Joe Horan in the Graduate School (jphoran@ksu.edu). An instructional guide will be provided via email and posted in the Graduate Resources folder. Please direct any questions, including a request for the instructions, to Dr. Michael Young (michaelyoung@ksu.edu), Faculty Associate in the Graduate School.

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Elections for service on the Graduate Council are coming soon!

Support from graduate faculty is paramount to the operation of the Graduate Council. Service on the Council is an excellent way to make an impact by being a part of the chief legislative and policy-formulating body of the Graduate Faculty. Council members handle course and curriculum proposals, manage and revise all policies related to graduate programs, review existing programs, and address student affairs. Members gain a much better understanding of policies and procedures and obtain new ideas, both of which benefit their home departments.

Membership entails service on one of the four subcommittees and two meetings per month on a Tuesday or Thursday, at 3:30 pm. To learn more, visit https://www.k-state.edu/grad/faculty-resources/graduate-council/.

Volunteer today by submitting your name and department to gradinfo@ksu.edu. The nomination deadline is Thursday, March 9; self-nominations are welcome and expected.

Here’s a general timeline of events:

Mon, 20 FEB

Call for Nominations for Graduate Faculty to serve on Grad Council (3-year terms) goes out via listserv. Colleges choose their own representatives.

Thu, 09 MAR

Final date for nominations to be sent to gradinfo@ksu.edu.

Tue, 14 MAR

Final date for nominees to accept.

Wed, 15 MAR

Qualtrics survey ballots e-mailed to Graduate Faculty for voting.

Fri, 31 MAR

Deadline for return of ballots. Colleges submit names of representatives to Graduate School.

Sat, 01 APR

Elections complete.

Departments may have only one representative on Council. Academic Area representatives must be from at least two colleges. See the by-laws of the Graduate Council for complete election procedures (https://www.k-state.edu/grad/graduate-handbook/chapter6.html); consult Section B.1 if you are unsure in which Academic Area your department falls.

College representative vacancies:

    • Business Administration, 1
    • Education, 1
    • Engineering, 1

Academic Area representative vacancies:

    • Applied Natural Sciences, 1
    • Arts and Humanities, 2
    • Basic Natural Sciences, 1
    • Business and Education, 2
    • Mathematics and Engineering Sciences, 1
    • Social Sciences, 1

Questions about Council elections can be sent to Timon Smock at tmsmock@ksu.edu.

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Dr. Hans Coetzee, University Distinguished Professor, Department Head of Anatomy and Physiology, and 2022-2023 recipient of the Distinguished Graduate Faculty Award will give a public lecture of his work on March 1st at 1:00pm in Leadership Studies Town Hall. All are welcome to join, and we look forward to seeing you at the DGF lecture!

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Dr. Frankie Felder and Dr. Carlos Grijalva will be presenting Strategies to Promote the Success of Every Student. In this presentation, you’ll learn numerous ways you can strategically and intentionally support students as they strive to meet the expectations of your program, address nonacademic matters such as finances and housing, and navigate their own feelings of self-doubt and wanting to belong. You can register for this presentation here.

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With support from the Office of the Provost, the Graduate School will award the inaugural Graduate Faculty Mentor Award in Spring 2023. The award will recognize three graduate faculty members who have excelled in supporting graduate student success as indicated by 1) nominations from graduate students and 2) their students' participation in research presentation events (Research and the State, Three Minute Thesis, and the K-State Graduate Research, Arts, and Discovery Forum). Each awardee will receive a honorarium and will be recognized at the Graduate Student Awards and Recognition Reception on April 27. Graduate students will be invited to submit nominations this week. The nomination deadline is February 24. Questions about this award may be directed to Dr. Megan Miller at mmmiller@ksu.edu.

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Feb. 8

Three Minute Thesis Competition, 9:30-4:15pm, Union 227 and Flinthills

Feb 13

Deadline to nominate graduate students for Alumni Association awards

Feb. 15

Know How: Graduate School Conversations - Admissions & Graduation, 11:30am - 1:00pm, Eisenhower 121

Feb. 21

Associate Dean's Meeting, 9am - 10am, Eisenhower 121

Feb. 22

Three Minute Thesis Final competition, 5:30pm, Alumni Center Banquet Room

Mar. 1

Deadline for name to be in the commencement booklet

DGF Lecture by Dr. Hans Coetzee

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Admissions

  • Estimated Cost of Attendance

    The Office of Recruitment and Admissions (ORA) has notified the Graduate School that they have issued updated amounts for the estimated costs of attendance for International students. The Graduate School is working to update assistantship forms required, and will be using the new amounts at the request of ORA as soon as possible. We will release the amounts and forms via the Grad-Resource teams. For questions, please contact our International Admissions Specialist, Teresa Baughman, graditladmt@ksu.edu.

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  • Application Processing

    Admission is busy processing applications for Summer and Fall. If you have international applications for Fall 2023 awaiting a recommendation, please be prepared to submit the program recommendation so that we can process the documents required.

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Recruitment

The Fall Informational Webinar series was successful, averaging 92 prospective students in attendance, answering many frequently asked questions, and building rapport with these prospective students.

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The Graduate School has launched a new Informational Webinar Series for the Spring semester. The purpose of the Spring webinars is not only to reach prospective students who have inquired about graduate programs but also to build relationships with prospective students who have applied to K-State but have yet to commit to pursuing their education here. We are seeking faculty and student participation in the webinar series. If you would like to participate or have any questions about this semester's webinars, please contact, Sarah Tortella, Director of Graduate Recruitment at stortella@ksu.edu.

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This semester, the Graduate School is inviting K-State undergraduate students, segmented by interest areas, to the Graduate School Open House Sessions. Segmenting the population will allow students to ask questions that are more specific to their goals and will allow participating faculty, staff, and students to build rapport. If you would like to participate or have any questions about this semester's open houses, please contact, Sarah Tortella, Director of Graduate Recruitment at stortella@ksu.edu.

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Graduate Student Success

Students must complete their KSIS graduation application by March 1, 2023, to have their name listed in the spring 2023 commencement program booklet handed out at commencement.

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Offered in partnership with the Staley School of Leadership, the annual Graduate Student Leadership Development Program (GSLDP) kicks off on February 10. Forty-five graduate students from seven academic colleges are participating in this year’s program. The GSLDP provides K-State graduate students an opportunity to develop leadership skills to make positive changes in their work, studies, and student organizations. Through this semester-long experience, students work with Leadership Studies faculty and their peers to dive into challenges that are most important to them.

 

This year’s cohort includes:

    • 25 doctoral students
    • 21 masters students
    • 32 different programs across 6 colleges represented:
    • Agriculture – 12 students
    • Architecture – 1 student
    • Arts & Sciences – 12 students
    • Education - 10 students
    • Engineering – 4 students
    • Health & Human Sciences – 3 students
    • Vet Med (public health) – 3 students

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Opportunities for Graduate Students

Please share the following information with your graduate students

All grad students are invited to the monthly Grad Coffee Chats to connect with leadership from the Graduate School and the GSC. The first chat of the semester is today, Feb. 7, from noon-1pm in 118 Eisenhower Hall. Coffee chats foster community building and provide graduate students a space to share their experiences, ask questions, and engage in discussion to support a positive graduate student experience. In-person attendance is encouraged (we'll have coffee!). A Zoom link will be provided upon registration to allow distance students and others to join us if unable to attend in-person. 

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The Graduate Student Council (GSC) Professional Development seminar series supports graduate student skills development to facilitate their academic success and readiness for diverse career paths. All graduate students are welcome to attend. Many events are video recorded, and some events are hosted via Zoom. Graduate students who participate in at least five events in an academic year are presented with a professional development certificate from the GSC. More information is available on the GSC Professional Development webpage.

    • Communicating Research in Talks and Posters, Feb 9, 2:00-3:00pm, Wildcat Chamber, Union.
    • Grant Writing Workshop, Feb 28, 1:00-5:00pm, Zoom

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The Library and Your Research is a free workshop series to help graduate students enhance and professionalize their scholarly pursuits. Workshops are held on Mondays from 1:30-2:30pm via Zoom. Recordings of workshops are available on the workshops webpage.

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The Teaching and Learning Center (TLC) offers a professional development series for faculty, staff, and graduate students. The TLC is invested in maximizing the excellence of the teaching and learning mission at Kansas State University. The professional development series will provide experiences, information, resources, and networking to help faculty, staff, and graduate students improve their craft in teaching, mentoring, and advising in many ways. Events are held every Wednesday at noon via Zoom. View the schedule of spring events.

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Graduate students and post-docs are invited to build their professional knowledge and advance their success skills with the BioKansas spring webinar series. K-State is a member institution of BioKansas, and K-State students and post-docs may attend these events for FREE on a first come, first served basis. Contact BioKansas for a discount code. Learn more and register. 

    • Understanding Career Paths within the Biosciences, Feb. 14, 10-11am 
    • Building Professional Skills for Diverse Career Paths, March 14, 10-11am 
    • Writing an Effective Resume, April 11, 10-11am 

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Funding for Graduate Students

The Graduate School is accepting applications for the Sarachek Predoctoral Honors Fellowship in Molecular Biology. The deadline for applications is March 1, 2023.

 

The Sarachek Honors Fellowship provides an award of $17,600 to assist the recipient’s transition to the next stage of their career. In addition to the fellowship, up to three Sarachek Scientific Travel Awards of 1,000 each will be awarded.

 

The Sarachek Honors Fellowship is intended to recognize exceptional achievement in scholastics and research. Students must show evidence of effective communication of research results through publications in leading journals and presentations at national and international meetings.

 

In order to be eligible, a student must have completed preliminary exams, been admitted to candidacy, and their research must rely significantly on one or more contemporary molecular biological techniques.

 

Additional information, application instructions, and the application portal are available on the Graduate School’s website. Application deadline: March 1, 2023

 

Questions about this fellowship award can be directed to Miranda Schremmer, sarachek@ksu.edu.

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The Graduate School will accept applications for the Graduate Student Child Care Scholarship Feb. 15-March 1. This scholarship serves to relieve some of the financial burden of childcare expenses, facilitating degree progress of graduate students who are raising families. Five scholarships up to $1,000 each will be awarded in the Spring 2023 term. Information is available on the scholarship webpage. Questions may be directed to Dr. Megan Miller, student success coordinator at mmmiller@ksu.edu.

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The Office of the Provost invites nominations for the Presidential Graduate Teaching Assistant Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching. One award is made each year to a graduate teaching assistant. The purpose of this award is to recognize and reward excellence in teaching performance in the undergraduate program. Nominees from each college should be submitted electronically in PDF format to the provost's office before the deadline of March 15.

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The Graduate School is accepting applications for the University Distinguished Professors Excellence in Doctoral Studies Award. The deadline for applications is May 1, 2023.

 

The University Distinguished Professors Excellence in Doctoral Studies Award recognizes exceptional achievement in doctoral studies. Applicants must demonstrate excellence in scholarship through publications and other accomplishments appropriate for their academic field.

 

Graduate Students can be nominated by K-State faculty or can self-nominate.

 

Eligible graduate students must be admitted to candidacy at the time of application and must be enrolled in the Fall 2023 semester. The award is available to eligible students who meet the above criteria in any K-State college, department or academic program.

 

Additional information, application instructions, and the application portal are available on the Graduate School’s website. Application deadline: May 1, 2023

 

Questions about this fellowship award can be directed to Miranda Schremmer, udp@ksu.edu.

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National Institutes of Justice Graduate Research Fellowship – Register for a webinar on this program on February 8. Step 1 application deadline: April 25. Step 2 application deadline: May 2.  

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Upcoming Events and Deadlines

Feb. 7

Grad Coffee Chat with the Dean, noon-1pm, 118 Eisenhower Hall

Feb. 8

Three Minute Thesis first round of competition, 9am-5pm, 227 and Flint Hills room, Union

 

TLC seminar: Undergraduate Research, noon-1pm, Zoom

Feb. 9

Prof. Devel. seminar: Communicating Research in Talks and Posters, 2-3pm

Feb. 13

Library workshop: Developing Your Scholarly Identity, 1:30-2:30pm, Zoom

Feb. 15

TLC seminar: CARE Services, noon-1pm, Zoom

Feb. 20

Library workshop: Finding Social Sciences Data Sets, 1:30-2:30pm, Zoom

Feb. 22

TLC seminar: Engaging Students in STEM, noon-1pm, Zoom

Three Minute Thesis Final competition, 5:30pm, Alumni Center Banquet Room

Feb. 24

Leading Change Workshop – Developing Your Leadership Strengths

ETDR Template Training Session, 1:00-2:30pm, Zoom

Feb. 27

Library workshop: Intro to Survey Design, 1:30-2:30pm, Zoom

Feb. 28

Prof. Devel. seminar: Grant Writing Workshop, 1:00-5:00pm, Zoom

Mar. 1

Graduate Student Child Care Scholarship application deadline

Sarachek Predoctoral Honors Fellowship and Travel Awards in Molecular Biology Applications Due

Apr. 3-7

Graduate Student Appreciation Week

Apr. 27

Graduate Student Awards and Recognition Reception, 5:00pm, Alumni Center banquet room

May 1

University Distinguished Professors Excellence in Doctoral Studies Award Applications Due

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