GraduateNEWS
An informational newsletter from the Office of Graduate
Studies for Students, Faculty, and Staff
October 2010
Volume 1, Issue 3
Professional Societies: An Entry into the Culture of Your Discipline
By Michael Savarese, Professor of Marine Science and Chair of the Department of Marine & Ecological Sciences
Every year in early March, a collection of graduate students and I load into a university vehicle and travel to
the regional meeting of the Southeastern Section of the Geological Society of America. I am a paleontologist,
someone who studies fossils as a means to interpret earth’s and life’s history. The Paleontological Society is
the most widely renowned international organization for this discipline, and it meets in conjunction with the
Geological Society of America, itself the most respected organization of geoscientists. This may sound incredibly esoteric for you as a graduate student, assuming you’re not a geoscientist yourself, but there exists a similar
collection of professional societies that connects to your respective disciplines. These kinds of events, gathering
with fellow colleagues within your discipline, are among the most valuable experiences you can have as a graduate student and as a newcomer to your profession.
The Office of Graduate Studies
welcomes our new Director,
Dr. Greg Tolley
On behalf of Graduate Studies, I’d like
to welcome you to the October 2010
edition of GraduateNEWS. This quarterly newsletter spotlights programs,
students, and faculty, and features resources and activities that we think will
enhance your graduate experience. We
encourage you to realize your potential by exploring the world of Graduate
Studies at FGCU.
Upcoming Events
Fall 2010 Expo
October 20, 2010
5pm-7pm
Student Union Ballroom
Spring 2011 Orientation
January 6, 2011
4pm
Student Union Ballroom
For more information or to RSVP,
please email [email protected].
Professional meetings are venues to obtain the most current practices and knowledge in your field, information that has yet to be published. More significantly, they’re great places to network; your mentor should be
introducing you to his/her colleagues as you travel the halls and meeting rooms of the convention center. Most
societies also have job services, connecting soon-to-be graduates with employment opportunities. Graduate
programs from other universities are often present, recruiting prospective doctoral students. Finally, meetings
are places to showcase your own work when you’re close to graduation and when you’re hoping to impress
those future employers and doctoral advisors.
Talk with your mentors and professors to identify the professional society most in-line with your field and employment goals. Societies typically have reduced membership dues for students, and membership often includes
a subscription to the society’s journal and reduced registration costs for conferences.
Featured Program: Master of Science (M.S.) in Criminal Justice
In 2006, the Southwest Florida Law Enforcement
Administrators Association, addressing the need
for trained administrators/managers in their agencies, unanimously requested FGCU to develop a
Master’s program in Criminal Justice Management.
Responding to that need, the faculty of the Division
of Justice Studies created the program and it was
approved by the Board of Governors.
The program is designed to prepare in-service
professionals to assume upper level positions in
all areas of the Criminal Justice system. Although
the degree is designed for the in-service, mid-level
professional in criminal justice agencies, pre-service
students have found the degree to be very attractive in preparing them for entry level professional
positions as well as for post-graduate programs and
law school.
The coursework is designed to increase individual
competency, develop analytical thought processes
and facilitate the development of leadership skills.
The program focuses on issues related to the administration of justice as well as to research and management, and problems in all fields of criminal justice and
corrections. The Master of Science in Criminal Justice
degree provides a 36 hour program with both thesis
and non-thesis options.
•Integrates practical applications, analytical skills with
theory and research
•Easily accessible online
program
•Ability to interact one on
one with faculty
•Graduates are highly
competitive and employed
in federal, state and local
agencies.
•Internship opportunities
Learn more at: www.fgcu.edu/cj.cjms/index.html or contact
Dr. Johnny McGaha at 239-590-7823 or [email protected].
GraduateNEWS
Student Spotlight: Kim Pierce, M.S. Environmental Science
I am a naturalist, an educator, and a student of
ecology. While I can’t recall my first experience
in nature, I can confidently say the natural world
has inspired even my earliest memories. This love
encouraged me to pursue a Bachelor of Science in
Forest Ecology in 2000, and further to accumulate
eight years of experience in environmental education and resource management prior to applying to
graduate school.
With its strong focus on marine, estuarine, and terrestrial ecosystems, the M.S. program in Environmental Science at FGCU was a natural fit. There is
a great capacity within the Department of Marine
and Ecological Sciences to work closely with faculty,
staff, and other students. This cooperative environment has helped tailor my research interests into
a comprehensive study focusing on the response
of Southwest Florida’s coastal marshes to accelerated sea-level rise. Field work has offered me the
opportunity to access remote wetlands and document community types in the Ten Thousand Islands,
sample sediment cores from a variety of wetland
environments, and participate in helicopter surveys
to measure marsh and tidal pond elevation. I have
been introduced to the facets of stratigraphic, histologic, and chemical analyses to interpret sampled
Kim Pierce, Environmental Science
sediments. In addition, I have become well
aquainted with geographic information systems
(GIS), and am excited to incorporate a GIS
analysis of the distribution and expansion of
subtidal ponds across the landscape over time
into my research. Recently I began working
with professors to develop GIS-based learning
modules highlighting local natural history topics for use in undergraduate classrooms.
The research dialogue, mentorship, and invaluable training I have received thus far have
definitely honed my skills as a researcher and
scientist, and ultimately, nurtured a more qualified science educator in myself.
Career Development Services
search “Fgcu Cds” to get connected with the
latest information on our events and career
news.
The Career Development Services office
is located on the first floor of Howard
Hall but will be relocating to the Student
Union once the expansion is completed.
To contact us, email careercener@fgcu.
edu or call (239) 590-7946.
Career Development Services assists students in
preparing for and achieving their career goals. We
offer personal advising sessions to help students
identify career paths and formulate job search
strategies and assist students in the graduate school
application process. Events are held throughout the
year, including job fairs, law school fairs, networking
events, and professional development activities.
One of our most popular resources is our department website - http://studentservices.fgcu.edu/
careers - which receives over 55,000 hits each
month. From our homepage, students can access
our web-based resources, including College Central
Network (job listing system) and MyPlan.com (free
career assessments.) From our website, students
can also access over 50 instructional guides on topics ranging from resume/CV writing and interviewing to creating digital portfolios and using social
media in the job search. We are also on Facebook-
The 2011 Spring Career Fair is scheduled for
Wednesday April 6th from 11am – 3pm in
the Student Union. On the same day, Career
Development Services will hold its annual
Etiquette Dinner from 6-8pm, which includes
a four-course meal and a presentation by a
protocol expert on how to be your best at
formal dining events. (Attendance at the Etiquette Dinner is free, but advance registration
is required.)
FGCU Graduate Programs
Accounting & Taxation
Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
Business Administration
Computer Information Systems
Criminal Forensic Studies
Criminal Justice
Criminal Justice-Compliance
Curriculum & Instruction
Doctor of Physical Therapy
Educational Leadership
Educational Specialist
Educational Technology
Elementary Education
English
Environmental Science
Environmental Studies
Executive MBA
Health Science
History
Mathematics
Mental Health Counseling
Nurse Anesthesia
Occupational Therapy
Primary Health Care Nurse Practitioner
Public Administration
Reading
School Counseling
Social Work
Special Education
FGCU Graduate Certificates
Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
Clinical Laboratory Technology
Compliance Specialist
Health Services Administration
Planning
Primary Health Care Nurse Practitioner
NEW!!! Graduate Studies
Scholarships
Twenty $500 scholarships offered
Fall & Spring semesters
Visit www.fgcu.edu/graduate/tuition.html
or contact [email protected]
Not a Graduate
Student yet?
For a personal brochure
on the program of your choice,
please visit:
www.fgcuguest.com
For comments or suggestions, please contact: The Office of Graduate Studies
10501 FGCU Blvd. S., Ft. Myers, FL 33928, 239-590-7988, [email protected], www.fgcu.edu/graduate
Fall 2010