Dear University Community,

We invite you to join us for an address from UMBC’s President, Dr. Freeman Hrabowski, next Wednesday.

• Wednesday, March 12, 2014
• AOK Library (http://www.umbc.edu/aok/main/index.html)
• Gallery (1st Floor, next to the Circulation Desk)

In addition to his role as UMBC’s president, Dr. Hrabowski chairs the President’s Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for African Americans:  http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2012/07/26/president-obama-announces-more-key-administration-posts

More about President Hrabowski: http://president.umbc.edu/

• UMBC Graduate Community: RSVP on http://my.umbc.edu/groups/promise/events/19707
• University System of Maryland Graduate Students (outside of UMBC): RSVP by replying to this post in the comments with your name, department, and university.

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This event is shared with the University System of Maryland as part of the National Science Foundation’s PROMISE AGEP: Maryland Transformation (PROMISE: AGEP-T) project.  

We encourage graduate students to take many opportunities to present their work and to become comfortable with presenting STEM content.

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PROMISE will be participating in the Regional Research Symposium at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore on April 17, 2014. Please see the information below regarding the April conference at UMES:
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PROMISE AGEP: Maryland Transformation (An AGEP-T Project) invites graduate students from universities within the University System of Maryland (USM: http://www.usmd.edu/institutions/) to participate in the Fifth Annual Regional Research Symposium, sponsored by the University of Maryland Eastern Shore.

SYMPOSIUM 2014

UMES REGIONAL RESEARCH SYMPOSIUM

Thursday, April 17, 2014

Student Services Center
University of Maryland Eastern Shore

http://wwwcf.umes.edu/CampusMap/index.cfm?ID=Building&BuildingID=ssc

Directions: http://www.umes.edu/About/Default.aspx?id=245

Graduate students are invited to participate in one or both of the following ways:
1) Present research within the “Graduate Student” category
2) Serve as moderators within the “Undergraduate Student” category

Please visit UMES’ website for details: http://www.umes.edu/Symposium2014/Default.aspx?id=45811.

SUBMIT AN ABSTRACT:

Based on such great participation in the PROMISE Research Symposium at College Park on February 28, 2014, graduate students from the universities in Maryland have been given a short extension. 

Please submit your abstract by Friday, March 7, 2014. This is the final deadline. Here is the link: http://www.umes.edu/Symposium2014/Form.aspx?ekfrm=45816

All attendees must register online.

If you are interested in being a moderator as part of your professional development, please contact Dr. Andrea Johnson, akjohnson@umes.edu, with the subject “PROMISE AGEP: Moderator for UMES 2014 Symposium” and cc: promisestaff@gmail.com.

Transportation:

A bus will leave UMBC’s campus to travel to the Eastern Shore in the morning of April 17, 2014 and will return the same evening.

• DEPARTURE: Leave UMBC at 5:00 AM (arrive at UMES between 7:30 and 8:00 AM. The program begins at 8:00 AM)
• RETURN: Leave UMES by 5:00 PM (arrive at UMBC between 7:30 and 8:00 PM).

If you are interested in bus transportation, please send an email to promisestaff@gmail.com, with the subject “Bus for UMES 2014.”

Last year at UMES:

Read the story of our PROMISE visit to UMES in 2013: https://promiseagep.wordpress.com/2013/04/20/promise-students-celebrate-new-umes-president-dr-juliette-bell-on-umes-campus/

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Participation in this event is part of the PROMISE AGEP: Maryland Transportation (PROMISE AGEP-T) project.  Our PROMISE AGEP-T promotes connections between universities in Maryland, professional development, and preparation for the professoriate. 

The following message was posted as part of the Dissertation House’s blog within the “Winter 2014 Challenge” thread.  It is repeated here so that those who read the general blog, will receive the message as well. At the time of the original post, there were 112 messages. Now, there are 134. Good job “DHers!”

The Winter 2014 Challenge thread is here: http://dissertationhouse.wordpress.com/blog-online-challenge/winter-2014/. Feel free to join. The thread will be active until the end of June 2014.

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January 23, 2014

Buenos tardes a todos!!/Good afternoon to everyone!!

Estoy en Ecuador y estoy muy feliz porque hay 112 mesajes aqui!/I am in Ecuador and am very happy because there are 112 messages here!

Congratulations to all of you on your persistence! What does your persistence mean? If you blogged in during the snow storm, you have already proven that you have what it takes. You have drive and determination. That is a large part of the battle. The Dissertation House exists to assist you with navigating the process and adding “knowledge of the process” to your enthusiasm.

My message for you today is simple:

1) Don’t stop until you’re done!
Dr. Carter-Veale, Dr. Cortes, and some of you have seen people in the DH who felt frustrated, tired, and upset, BUT … they finished. They defended, handed in their dissertations, and walked across the stage with the big robe and the thick bars on their arms. That will be you … soon.

2) Pay close attention to the tips that you will receive in the DH.
These are tried and tested methods. With a pure heart, I ask you to “just do it.”

3) As much as possible, stay in close contact with your advisor.
Your advisor needs to know that you are working.You also want to be sure that you are on the right page and that the expectations are in sync.

4) Utilize the community that is being established in the DH. It helps!
Working on the dissertation does not have to be a lonely, isolated process. You are now surrounded by a community of scholars with like minds and goals. There’s energy there. Feed on it. Use it. Bask in it!

5) Embrace the process.
This is the hard one. The process is difficult, but there are parts of the process that are worth the frustration. The dissertation process teaches you how to deal with long-term projects, how to deal with contrasting personalities (e.g., your committee), how to deal with rejection, and how to handle your own emotions. This is a maturation process. You may not know all of the answers, but you learn how to investigate solutions, and you learn to think through options. You may not like all of the people with whom you’re working, but you learn how to negotiate for what you need, and you learn to appreciate the strengths that people bring to the table, regardless of whether or not you care for them personally. You can still learn from “Painful People.” You can still learn from people, even when they aren’t providing information or assistance in a way that is amiable or projecting a feeling of giving. Take what they provide and find its worth. Above all, learn to appreciate the process of becoming more adept in your field.

Overall, I’m sorry that I’m not there in person for this session, but feel free to make an appointment with me to talk when I return to UMBC in February. Good luck to all of you! Congratulations on your hard work and keep it up. Those letters … “P,” “h,” and “D,” are dangling, hanging around, waiting for you to finish so that they can accompany your name!

Best regards,
Renetta Tull

————————————————————————————–

The Dissertation House is a program of PROMISE: Maryland’s AGEP

Dr. Wendy Carter-Veale is the “Head Coach” for the Dissertation House.

The following message was posted as part of the Dissertation House’s blog within the “Winter 2014 Challenge” thread.  It is repeated here so that those who read the general blog, will receive the message as well. At the time of the original post, there were 112 messages. Now, there are 134. Good job “DHers!”

The Winter 2014 Challenge thread is here: https://dissertationhouse.wordpress.com/blog-online-challenge/winter-2014/. Feel free to join. The thread will be active until the end of June 2014.

————————————————————————-

January 23, 2014

Buenos tardes a todos!!/Good afternoon to everyone!!

Estoy en Ecuador y estoy muy feliz porque hay 112 mesajes aqui!/I am in Ecuador and am very happy because there are 112 messages here!

Congratulations to all of you on your persistence! What does your persistence mean? If you blogged in during the snow storm, you have already proven that you have what it takes. You have drive and determination. That is a large part of the battle. The Dissertation House exists to assist you with navigating the process and adding “knowledge of the process” to your enthusiasm.

My message for you today is simple:

1) Don’t stop until you’re done!
Dr. Carter-Veale, Dr. Cortes, and some of you have seen people in the DH who felt frustrated, tired, and upset, BUT … they finished. They defended, handed in their dissertations, and walked across the stage with the big robe and the thick bars on their arms. That will be you … soon.

2) Pay close attention to the tips that you will receive in the DH.
These are tried and tested methods. With a pure heart, I ask you to “just do it.”

3) As much as possible, stay in close contact with your advisor.
Your advisor needs to know that you are working.You also want to be sure that you are on the right page and that the expectations are in sync.

4) Utilize the community that is being established in the DH. It helps!
Working on the dissertation does not have to be a lonely, isolated process. You are now surrounded by a community of scholars with like minds and goals. There’s energy there. Feed on it. Use it. Bask in it!

5) Embrace the process.
This is the hard one. The process is difficult, but there are parts of the process that are worth the frustration. The dissertation process teaches you how to deal with long-term projects, how to deal with contrasting personalities (e.g., your committee), how to deal with rejection, and how to handle your own emotions. This is a maturation process. You may not know all of the answers, but you learn how to investigate solutions, and you learn to think through options. You may not like all of the people with whom you’re working, but you learn how to negotiate for what you need, and you learn to appreciate the strengths that people bring to the table, regardless of whether or not you care for them personally. You can still learn from “Painful People.” You can still learn from people, even when they aren’t providing information or assistance in a way that is amiable or projecting a feeling of giving. Take what they provide and find its worth. Above all, learn to appreciate the process of becoming more adept in your field.

Overall, I’m sorry that I’m not there in person for this session, but feel free to make an appointment with me to talk when I return to UMBC in February. Good luck to all of you! Congratulations on your hard work and keep it up. Those letters … “P,” “h,” and “D,” are dangling, hanging around, waiting for you to finish so that they can accompany your name!

Best regards,
Renetta Tull

————————————————————————————–

The Dissertation House is a program of PROMISE: Maryland’s AGEP

Dr. Wendy Carter-Veale is the “Head Coach” for the Dissertation House.

This year’s Winter Dissertation House start has truly been challenging but we have stepped up to meet the challenge.  The temperature outside today is in the single digits. The winter weather closed the UMBC campus on day 1.  Nonetheless, students stepped up and participated on line with many posts and updates of goals throughout the day. We are determined. Join us.

This year’s Winter Dissertation House start has truly been challenging but we have stepped up to meet the challenge.  The temperature outside today is in the single digits. The winter weather closed the UMBC campus on day 1.  Nonetheless, students stepped up and participated on line with many posts and updates of goals throughout the day. We are determined. Join us.

It’s winter and it’s cold. It’s the PERFECT time for you to join us for the PROMISE AGEP’s Winter 2014 Dissertation House Online. Click here to join. In addition to hosting the Winter 2014 Online Challenge, PROMISE will host a residential version of the Dissertation House on UMBC’s campus from January 21 to January 24, 2014 for UMBC’s students who registered in advance. Stay tuned for the Summer Dissertation House in July 2014 which will be available to doctoral students in programs throughout the University System on Maryland.

Unlike the residential programs that take place on individual campuses, the Dissertation House Online is open to any graduate student, from any university … anywhere! Join us online today.

It’s winter and it’s cold. It’s the PERFECT time for you to join us for the PROMISE AGEP’s Winter 2014 Dissertation House Online. Click here to join. In addition to hosting the Winter 2014 Online Challenge, PROMISE will host a residential version of the Dissertation House on UMBC’s campus from January 21 to January 24, 2014 for UMBC’s students who registered in advance. Stay tuned for the Summer Dissertation House in July 2014 which will be available to doctoral students in programs throughout the University System on Maryland.

Unlike the residential programs that take place on individual campuses, the Dissertation House Online is open to any graduate student, from any university … anywhere! Join us online today.