Celebrate

We have to celebrate!

1. MSE DOMINATED MS&T. 
• Wyatt Surbey won 1st place in the Speaking Contest. He is the second VT student to win this contest. 
• Kate Fowler & team won 2nd place in the Geodesic Dome competition. Second year in a row VT took 2nd place in this contest. 
• Casey Clark & team won 1st place in the Geodesic Dome competition. Third year in a row VT took 1st place in this contest.
• VT won Material Advantage Achievement Award of the year.  
2. Course request is over

Fun Stuff 
So this Saturday Studio Collective is hosting Paper Pylots. A paper airplane building contest at the Pylons from 2-3 PM.  Free admission & various prizes that include an actual flight around Blacksburg. Find more information here. Find the Sign up form here. 

Words to Live By  
Procrastination is the art of keeping up with yesterday. Don Marquis 

Important Dates
11/18 – Last day to reschedule final exam 
11/19-27 – Thanksgiving Break
11/26 – Spring Add/Drop Opens

Helpful Tools
Let’s go back and revisit course request for a minute. I did some math this morning and realized about 100 of you avoided me; in that you did not come and see me during course request. Not a good idea. Here’s why … imagine you avoid me during your sophomore year then decide to stop in during your junior year. It is at this time, I point out that you missed/overlooked/avoided a class that is a prerequisite of a prerequisite (and so on) for a senior class. Now, here you are in your junior year and you are not going to be a graduating senior next year. (True story.)

It would be an unfortunate turn of events to find yourself behind the 8 ball because you didn’t take advantage of your academic adviser. I am an invaluable resource that you need to use. If you did not come and see me during course request, please make it a priority to see me soon. 

Random 
Tears caused by sadness, happiness and onions look different under the microscope.

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My Schedule
To schedule a meeting please use your Google calendar, on the left side of your calendar you will see a drop down option to view other people’s calendars. There you can search for mine.  Once you open my calendar you can select a meeting date & time. 

If I Can Do It ...

Just yesterday I was helping one of your classmates with a spring schedule. Before doing so, I asked about the current semester. Your classmate admitted that a test score could have been better. We discussed study methods and admittedly your colleague procrastinates and just doesn’t do it. To which I responded that I fully understand, “just this morning I should have gone to the gym, but didn’t.”  I cannot expect you guys to get over your procrastination if I don’t get over mine! So this morning at 5:30 A.M. I dragged my lazy bum out of bed and took the dogs for a mile walk.

It hurt but it was good for me. Now that it’s done I’m excited to go again tomorrow.

Course Request / Required Meeting
You are so fortunate to have me as an adviser – why you ask? Because I want to meet each and every one of you to review your plans for the spring. Unless you are graduating in December we need to have a chat.  :) First option is to schedule a meeting. Second option is to attend after-hours-advising on Wednesday (10/19) or Monday (10/24). 

To schedule a meeting please use your Google calendar, on the left side of your calendar you will see a drop down option to view other people’s calendars. There you can search for mine.  Once you open my calendar you can select a meeting date & time. 

After-hours-advising will be walk-in, first-come-first-served starting at 5pm & you must be signed in by 6pm. 

Please note that the Advising Office will close at 2pm on Thursday (10/20). 

Senior News
Run your DARs.

If you are still looking for employment opportunities, I strongly encourage you to check out the Search Tools & Resources at Career and Professional Development.

Important Dates
10/18-25 – Course Request
11/18 – Last day to reschedule final exam 
11/19-27 – Thanksgiving Break
11/26 – Spring Add/Drop Opens

Words to Live By  
Waiting to develop courage is just another form of procrastination. The most successful people take action while they’re afraid!  – Unknown

Helpful Tools
10 Phrases that don’t belong in your cover letter

This Day in History
10/18/1931 Thomas Edison died at the age of 84. 

Random 
Every person has a unique tongue print.

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Conquer Your Fear

Is there something in your life you are afraid to do? Go to the gym? Ask a person out? Try a new food? Touch a spider? Well today is your lucky day because today is ‘Face Your Fear Day.’ My suggestion is you and a friend conquer a fear together. Imagine how different your life will be once you’ve overcome this fear. One thing will be true – that fear will no longer control you.

As engineers you are trained to know – know your math, know your formulas, know how to find the answer to why it broke. That’s why I like to make you guess how many candies are in the jar! Yes, the annual guessing game is back. Conquer your fear of not using a formula and take your best guess. Winner will be announced next Friday (10/21). Oh, there is an actual prize. Be sure to place your best guess when you stop by for your required course request meeting. 

Yes, it is that time of the semester. Everyone needs to meet with me between now and the end of course request (Tuesday, 10/25). Please schedule your appointment today.  To schedule your meeting, please use your Google calendar, on the left side of your calendar you will see a drop down option to view other people’s calendars. There you can search for mine.  Once you open my calendar you can select a meeting date & time. 

Senior News
Senior pictures will be taken on Wednesday & Thursday in the MSE Advising Lounge. Please be prompt for your appointment time.  The photographer will provide the attire. Guys you need to wear a white tee-shirt and ladies please wear a shirt that can easily slip off the shoulder. 

Important Dates
10/12 & 13 – Senior Pictures
10/14 – Fall Break
10/17 – Last Day To Resign
10/18-25 – Course Request

Ut Prosim 
If you haven’t already you need to conquer the fear and register to vote!  I’m not going to ask you who you are voting for but I am going to ask that you vote. We owe it to ourselves and all those that have defended our country, fighting to preserve your right to vote. You have a given right that people in other counties wish they had. Don’t take it for granted.

Friday is the last day to register in Virginia. Click here to register to vote. 

Words to Live By

Random 
More people are killed annually by donkeys than die in air crashes.

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My Schedule 
To schedule a meeting please use your Google calendar, on the left side of your calendar you will see a drop down option to view other people’s calendars. There you can search for mine.  Once you open my calendar you can select a meeting date & time. 

Patrick and Gary

Kim and I have the opportunity to attend an advising conference this week (Wed – Fri). While at the conference we are going to brush up on our skills, learn new tricks of the trade and expand our tool kits! All to help you. 

While we are out of the office the Advising Office will only be open from 10am – 3pm Wednesday – Friday. This week only, please do not panic. We will be back and things will return to normal on Monday; Columbus day – the day we celebrate a man who couldn’t ask for directions! 

So while we are gone I need someone to step up and help with Patrick and Gary, my betta fish and snail. (FYI, Patrick's full name is Patrick Gilligan Czamanske) I am going to put them on the bookshelf in the Advising Lounge with their food, a feeding sheet. Whoever is kind enough to take charge and feed Patrick needs to please sign the feeding sheet, indicating to others that Patrick is set for the day.  

Ut Prosim  
Over the past weekend I was at my brother-in-laws (Marty) memorial service. It was a lovely time. During the service my nephew, Duncan, spoke about his father. He mentioned that when he was younger he would sneak into his dad’s dresser and take his white tee-shirts. Getting tired of this, Marty took Duncan to the Gap and bought him his own shirts. Still Duncan took his dad’s because ‘mine were Gap and his were Brooks Brothers.’ This continued and even evolved into Duncan taking his dad’s socks. One day he discovered a photo of underprivileged children in his dad’s sock drawer. He didn’t want to confess that he was taking socks, but he had to ask about the photo. Marty told him that he heard of this soccer team that would not be able to play in the league if they did not get a sponsor, so he sponsored them. This was a surprise to Duncan and he asked why he didn’t tell anyone. Marty responded, “you don’t help others for the recognition.” 

MEPS News

• October meeting tonight @ 6:30 pm in Goodwin 135. 
• Guest speaker discussing "innovation and entrepreneurship."
• Keep an eye out for our first MEPS social event of the year

Senior News
The Grad Fair is Wednesday, October 12. Don’t miss it. 

Important Dates
10/12 & 13 – Senior Pictures
10/14 – Fall Brake
10/17 – Last Day To Resign
10/18-25 – Course Request

Helpful Tools
Seven Excel Feature You May Not Be Using 

Random 
A baby has 300 bones at birth. Adults have only 206. 

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