March 3, 2009 Headlines:
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Upcoming Events for Graduate Students:
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This Week:
Next Week:
Late March and April:
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FICA and Spring 2009 Registration Deadline Approaches
Graduate students who are scheduled to receive a check for 03/31/2009 must register by 5 PM on March 20, 2009 in order to avoid having Social Security/Medicare tax (FICA) deducted.
Only students being funded entirely or partially as graduate, teaching and/or research assistants are subject to FICA being deducted if they are not registered. Registration for Spring 2008 began on Monday, February 23, 2009.
If registration occurs after 5 PM on March 20th and FICA tax is deducted, students should print a copy of the confirmed registration from CAESAR. This registration receipt must be brought to the Payroll Office where a refund of FICA tax will be processed within 60 days of receipt.
If a copy of your confirmed registration cannot be obtained through CAESAR, the Office of the Registrar should be contacted for assistance.
If there are questions concerning registration, please contact the appropriate TGS Student Services representative. If there are any other questions, please contact the Payroll Office at 847/491-7362.
Prepare for Taxes and FAFSA
It's time to start thinking about filing your federal and state (IL) tax returns!
Didn’t receive your W-2 from NU yet? If you were paid as a graduate or research assistant during the 2008 calendar year, you should have received your W-2 from the Payroll Office by January 31st. Please direct all W-2 questions to the Payroll Office (847) 491-7362. Note: you won’t receive a W-2 if your funding was solely from a fellowship or traineeship; though you will receive one if you requested a dollar amount to be withheld.
International students who have received payments for fellowships/scholarships should receive a 1042-S from Payroll by March 15th.
You must report on your federal and state tax returns any fellowship/traineeship stipend (after you make deductions for books, supplies and required fees) which you received during the 2008 calendar year. The instruction booklets for each federal return provide information on how and where to report any fellowship funds. W-2s issued by Northwestern do not reflect your fellowship stipend. If you received a Summer 2008 fellowship, don’t forget to report it. For tax information, please review IRS Publication 970 – Tax Benefits for Education and the TGS Financial Aid Web site. Don't forget to retain copies of your Federal and state tax returns!
Once you have filed your tax return, U.S. citizens/permanent residents are advised to complete a 2009/2010 FAFSA if there is any possibility that you may be appointed as a graduate assistant or if you wish to apply for federal loans during the 2009-2010 academic year.
Center for Interdisciplinary Research in the Arts (CIRA) Grants Announced
CIRA has been committed to cutting-edge, interdisciplinary arts research since its inception in 1986.
CIRA encourages bordercrossings: across the fields of written, visual and performing arts; across disciplines and schools; between faculty, staff, and students; and between Northwestern and outside communities. The maximum award for a graduate student project is $9,000. Applications are due by 12:00 noon on Friday, April 3, 2009. For more information go to http://www.tgs.northwestern.edu/financialaid/fellowshipsandscholarships/fellowshipsandgrants/cira/
Brady Program in Ethics and Civic Life Accepting Applications for Graduate Student Fellowships
One of Northwestern University’s highest priorities in graduate education is the teaching and training of a new of kind scholar—one who is trained in the complex discourses that range across traditional disciplines.
The Brady Program in Ethics and Civic life is offering graduate students an opportunity to participate in a Northwestern project about ethics and civic life, in which graduate students have a chance to play a critical role. Recipients of this three year fellowship will receive an award of $6,000. You need not be in a Weinberg department to apply for the fellowship. Download an application at: http://www.bradyprogram.northwestern.edu/gradfellowships.htm
With these three year fellowships, graduate students will be mentors and teachers, helping students examine various communities (both local and abroad) and identify problems within them, reflecting on ways to find solutions. All three years, the fellows will also be able to participate in the seminars of the Brady Distinguished Visiting Scholar, a senior faculty from another University who will spend a year with the Brady Program.
If you are interested in becoming a part of this scholarly community for 2009-2010, please complete an application. Please contact the Brady Program in Ethics and Civic Life at brady@northwestern.edu or 847-467-3586, or visit the Brady Program on the Web at http://www.bradyprogram.northwestern.edu/, if you have additional questions. The deadline for your letter and recommendation is March 25.
News from the Office of Fellowships
Fulbright informational workshops: come learn about Fulbright opportunities for US students.
Fulbright represents the single most generous and numerous award for overseas research. Attend a meeting at the Office of Fellowships, 1940 Sheridan Rd.
- March 10, 2009 @ 9:00am
- March 16, 2009 @ 12:00 noon
- April 8, 2009 @ 3:00pm
- April 17, 2009 @ 12:00 noon
Graduate Writing Workshops
The final Graduate Writing Workshop for the quarter takes place on Tuesday, March 3 at 6:00 in the conference room of the Office of Fellowships, 1940 Sheridan Rd. Contact Elise Lipkowitz for additional information (EliseLipkowitz2009@u.northwestern.edu). These workshops will continue in the spring.
Hint: Very few fellowships deadlines crop up in the winter and spring, however now is the perfect time to make significant progress toward a successful application in the fall. Use this time to make local and foreign contacts. Solid application packages evince the applicant's width and breadth, not only at their home institution but across the country and across the world. Take a local mentor out to coffee to discuss your project, seek his or her advice, plot next steps. Court a scholar in your field who is not at Northwestern. Pose the same questions to that person and compare the answers. Some fellowship applications demand a foreign contact (Fulbright) and all applications shine that much brighter with an endorsement from outside your home institution.
Call Made for 2009-2010 Community Building Proposals
Help develop programming that brings together groups of students who would ordinarily not come into contact with each other!
TGS' Community Building groups and programming continue to help stem the isolation that graduate students often experience in their laboratories and libraries. Details on the how to apply - and guidelines for programming - can be found on TGS' Community Building Web site.
Applied Research Day 2009 winners
InNUvation would like to thank everyone who attended Applied Research Day 2009.
The competition was of very high quality. Congratulations to the three award winners: Ryan Hoshi of Biomedical Engineering (1st place) for his project "Elasta-guard: a nanoporous biodegradable wound dressing for diabetic foot ulcers"; Kelly Luckasevic of Biomedical Engineering (2nd place) for her project "Detection and treatment of metastatic oral cancer using gold nanorods"; Elliott Rouse of Biomedical Engineering (3rd place) for his project "Control of rotation for upper limb prosthesis through the use of an implanted magnet".
For more information about InNUvation and ARD, please visit our Web site: http://www.innuvation.org/.
GWAN Assists with Dreams Delivered Prom Dress Drive
Graduate Women Across Northwestern (GWAN) is proud to support the Women's Club of Evanston's Dreams Delivered Project.
Dreams Delivered provides Evanston Township High School seniors with prom dresses, shoes, handbags, and make-up for their senior prom. GWAN is looking for donations of gently used ladies formal/evening wear. They also need accessories, formal shoes, handbags and unused make-up. Donations may be dropped off at the Evanston Campus Women's Center (corner of Sheridan and Foster) from March 30th through April 3rd.
If you have any questions, please contact Chava Wu at chavawu@sbcgloal.net or Natalie Banovitz at Nat@alumni.northwesern.edu. Thank you for making prom night special for so many young women!
Earth Hour 2009
Northwestern University is participating in Earth Hour 2009 as a flagship campus.
Earth Hour is an event where cities, institutions, businesses and individuals assess their energy usage and make a statement by turning off lights to demonstrate concern for climate change. On Saturday, March 28, from 8:30 – 9:30, NU will join with others across the region to turn off as many lights as possible. During Earth Hour 2008, ComEd reported electricity savings of 818 megawatt hours - the carbon emissions equivalent of taking 1 million cars off the road for one hour or planting 158 acres of trees.
This symbolic event engages millions of people around the world to unite and encourage action in the fight against climate change. Please turn off and take action from 8:30 - 9:30 p.m. on Saturday March 28.
More information is at http://www.earthhourus.org/. Earth Hour should be celebrated while maintaining safety. All street and emergency lights will remain on.
Events for Graduate Students in March and April
The Graduate School partners with many organizations inside and outside of Northwestern to provide valuable academic and social opportunities for graduate students. Click on any event name to view more information. Coming up in March:
Alison Miller, Ph.D.: “Finish Your Dissertation or Thesis Once and For All”
Date: Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Time: 5:30pm - 8:00pm
Location: Norris University Center (McCormick Auditorium), 1999 Campus Drive, Evanston Campus
In this workshop, graduate students will learn to create a sound, structured approach to completing their dissertation, thesis or other important graduate milestone. In addition, students will learn about common cognitive, emotional, and behavior pitfalls that interfere with their progress in graduate school. Strategies to overcome perfectionism, increase motivation, learning, and productivity, and work effectively with faculty are discussed. This workshop is for students at any phase of earning a master’s or doctoral degree. To register and for additional information, visit http://www.tgs.northwestern.edu/research/nudirections/Calendar/dissertation/
McCormick Art Fair
Date: Thursday, March 5, 2009
Time: 4:30pm - 6:30pm
Location: Cohen Commons, Technological Institute, 2145 Sheridan Road (Evanston Campus)
Appreciate arts and crafts exhibits by your fellow McCormick graduate students while enjoying free food and drinks! MGLC is hosting the second annual McCormick Art Fair on Thursday, March 5, 2009 at 4:30 - 6:30 pm in Cohen Commons, Tech building. Vote for your favorites -- winning entries will have cash prizes, and will be displayed around Tech!
Hooking Up: The Death of Dating?
Date: Monday, March 9, 2009
Time: 7:30pm
Location: McCormick Auditorium, Norris University Center, 1999 Campus Drive (Evanston Campus)
Does the ‘hook-up’ culture really exist? What exactly does the hook-up entail? How has the hook-up changed sex and relationships on college campuses? Do sober hook-ups happen? If she hooks up with you, does that mean she likes you? Join Dr. Kathleen Bogle, sociologist and author of Hooking Up: Sex, Dating, and Relationships on Campus to learn what research on college students reveals about the hook up.
Sponsored by SHAPE (Sexual Health & Assault Peer Educators) and The Women’s Center.
Graduate Student Tax Seminar
Date: Thursday, March 12, 2009
Time: 5:30pm - 7:30pm
Location: Arch Room, Norris University Center, 1999 Campus Drive (Evanston Campus)
Are you confused about the differences between scholarships, fellowships, and income? Overwhelmed searching through IRS documents to figure out all the rules? Come learn about your taxes at a seminar targeted specifically at graduate students.
This seminar is for you! Graduate students seeking financial advice are encouraged to attend this seminar. A tax professional will be on hand to help answer your questions as the tax deadline approaches. Dinner will be provided.
Sponsored by Investing Seminars for the Graduate Community, a TGS Community Building grant winner.
Science Career Forum
Date: Friday, March 13, 2009
Time: TBA; please see the Science Career Forum Web site
Location: Gordon Center for Integrative Science, The University of Chicago, 927 E. 57th Street, Chicago, IL 60637
This event brings employers in a broad range of fields together with University of Chicago, Northwestern University, and other Chicago area graduate students and post-doctoral researchers in the biological and physical sciences. Registration for Science Career Forum is not required. Graduate students and postdoctoral fellows in the biological and physical sciences from area universities are welcome to attend. For updates about this event, and additional information, visit the University of Chicago Web site or contact Kamilah McCoy (k-mccoy@northwestern.edu) at University Career Services.
Graduate Student Conference: Dress, Popular Culture and Social Action in Africa
Date: March 13 - 14, 2009
Time: 9:00am - 5:00pm
Location: 620 Library Place, Evanston Campus
How does dress in particular and popular culture in general constitute and inspire social action? The dressed body readily becomes a flash point of conflicting values, fueling contests in historical encounters, in interactions across class, between genders and generations, and in recent global cultural, and economic exchanges. Popular culture as mass circulations of expressive forms rising from day-to-day discourse and action becomes the real and imagined reflections of the complicity and contestation, the desire and discontent, of power and it machinations.
This interdisciplinary conference focuses on the dynamic range of micro and macro social action and how it is generated, sustained, and may culminate into transnational social movements that are enlivened by dress and popular culture. This two-day event will involve established and up-and-coming scholars (graduate students) in presentations, visual, and performance events.
For more information, contact Kristine Barker (Program of African Studies) at 847-491-7323 or african-studies@northwestern.edu.
Storytellers Festival
Date: Saturday, March 14, 2009
Time: 12:00pm - 2:00pm
Location: University Library Ver Steeg Faculty Lounge (Third Floor, South Tower) 1970 Campus Drive, Evanston Campus
A day of storytelling and workshops featuring two professional storytellers, Onawumi Moss, Joni Jones and Mshai Mwangola. Open to the public. Performance at 8:00pm at Blackbox Theater, Annie May Swift Hall. For more information, contact Kristine Barker at 847-491-7323 or african-studies@northwestern.edu. Supported by the Program of African Studies.
Northwestern Graduate Student Quilting Guild Meeting
Date: Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Time: 7:00pm
Location: Ryan Hall (Room 204), 2190 Campus Drive (Evanston Campus)
We are a quilting guild open to all graduate student quilters or aspiring quilters. Students of all abilities are welcome. We will be holding meetings on Wednesday March 4th in 1004 Ryan Hall and Wednesday March 18th in 2004 Ryan Hall at 7 pm. On March 18th we will be making paper-pieced bookmarks. Food and drinks will be provided. Please contact s-standridge@northwestern.edu or visit the Graduate Student Quilting Guild Web site for more information.
CIA Information Session, hosted by University Career Services
Date: Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Time: 6:30pm
Location: Rock Room, Norris University Center, 1999 Campus Drive (Evanston Campus)
During this session, the CIA will be recruiting primarily for full-time overseas field positions in the National Clandestine Service. Cross-cultural sensitivity, foreign travel or area/cultural knowledge, and foreign language study are highly desirable for these positions. These positions are designed for applicants with substantive life/work experience, and the CIA is particularly interested in graduate students. For additional information, visit University Career Services' Web site.
Marketing Your Teaching: Developing an Effective Teaching Philosophy & Teaching Portfolio
Date: Thursday, April 16, 2009
Time: 5:00pm - 7:00pm
Location: Lake Room, Norris University Center, 1999 Campus Drive (Evanston Campus)
Do you plan to be on the job market within the next 2 years? Demonstrating teaching effectiveness is often required. Learn how a teaching philosophy differs from a personal statement. Discover what you need to begin putting your unique teaching portfolio together. For additional information and to register, visit our Web site.
Presented by the Searle Center for Teaching Excellence; co-hosted by The Graduate School.
Marketing Your Teaching: Preparing an Effective Teaching Demonstration
Date: Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Time: 5:00pm - 7:00pm
Location: Wildcat Room, Norris University Center, 1999 Campus Drive (Evanston Campus)
How are teaching demonstrations different from job talks? How can you prepare to teach when you don't know the audience? Discuss qualities of effective teaching demos by analyzing a sample teaching demo. Explore strategies for preparing your own teaching demo. For additional information and to register, visit our Web site.
Presented by the Searle Center for Teaching Excellence; co-hosted by The Graduate School.
TGS Google Calendars & Facebook Group
Keep up with TGS events, deadlines, and peers through these useful services.
University Events
NU's Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS), Searle Center for Teaching Excellence and University Career Services all offer valuable programming to the graduate student population.
Please see the following links for a full list of events:
Other Graduate Student Resources
In addition to the University offices mentioned above, there are also units dedicated, at least in part, to graduate student quality of life and professional development. For more information, please visit the following links:
Student Services Staff
The Graduate School's Student Services staff is here to help with any questions or concerns.
Last updated: Mar 3 2009 4:19PM
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