Graduate Student Resource Guide

---

SCHOOL OF BUSINESS AND PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION

Graduate Student Resource Guide

2015-2016

Prepared by the Office of the Dean, School of Business and Public Administration

1

Our Inspiring Future Leaders

2

“What you need to know to be a successful Graduate student.” The definition of a successful student is not only determined by the grade he or she gets, but how the student uses the resources to his/her advantage and learns a lot in the process.

1. First Impression It is important to make good first impressions. Have a professional demeanor and good manners (being courteous, a good hand-shake etc.). Dress for success; you never know who is watching you. Make good eye contact with professors and fellow students. Develop good listening skills. Arrive to class on time. If you are going to be late, let your professor know. If you are going to be late on a regular basis, please let the professor know that in advance. If you have to leave the class early, please let the professor know in advance. 2. Relationship Building Build a good relationship with Professors and staff. Read the syllabus and use it as a guide to help you through the course. Follow directions and instructions. Ask for assistance and know when to ask for it. Ask for assistance when the course material is not working for you or you are not working it. Ask for assistance when you glaze over as soon as you open a book or read the material. Ask for assistance early in the semester; do not wait until the mid-term or final to ask for help. It is truly too late. Get to know your Academic Advisor for more than removing holds and telling you what classes you have left to take. Ask him/her about how specific courses can benefit you. 3. Read the Student Handbook and Code of Conduct; by enrolling in the University, you have agreed to the terms and conditions that are outlined in the Handbook. You should be familiar with these terms and conditions. Information is located on the UDC website at http://www.udc.edu/student_life/student_handbook. 3

4. Mentor relationships A mentor can provide an individual with guidance in career and life decisions, help to develop skills and competencies, suggestions for dealing with difficult situations, and support and encouragement to seek new challenges and to persevere when one is ready to quit. A few characteristics of an effective mentor are willing to: Establish a safe and open environment where meaningful and focused conversations are conducted. Make introductions to people who can impact the individual’s shortterm and possibly long-term life and career opportunities. Be a sounding board for frustrations and provide meaningful feedback. Encourage risk taking and the skills to be able to evaluate the risk. Regularly come back to career goals to stay on track and evaluate progress. Connect lessons learned from successes and failures. Help you Celebrate. (Benatti & Reitman, 2014) Benatti, S.R. and Reitman, A. (2014) Creating a Mentoring Program: Mentoring Partnerships Across the Generations. ASTD Press, Alexandria, VA 5. Networking What is networking? The Mariam-Webster dictionary defines it as the exchange of information or services among individuals, groups, or institutions; specifically: the cultivation of productive relationships for employment or business. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/networking The BusinessDictionary.com defines it as Creating a group of acquaintances and associates and keeping it active through regular communication for mutual benefit. Networking is based on the question "How can I help?" and not with "What can I get?" http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/networking.html#ixzz3idaaRTof Why is it important? In a recent article published at Forbes.com the following are seven reasons and tips for networking: 1. Peer Learning – Be an observer, learn from others, be aware of your own style, learn from yourself 4

2. You Must Always be Ready – be ready to engage with others 3. Take Notes While You Network – take notes, to help with retention, about what you and others contribute to the conversation 4. Ask Non-tradition Questions – ask a thought provoking question that can lead to deeper conversation 5. Put Your Personal Brand to the Test – leave behind something unique about you, something memorable. 6. Continue the Conversation – invite those you meet to continue the conversation. For example send a follow-up email. 7. Hold Yourself Accountable. – Always follow-up. http://www.forbes.com/sites/glennllopis/2012/05/29/7-reasons-networking-can-be-aprofessional-development-boot-camp/ 6. UDC email This is the primary mode of communication from the University and professors. You must use it. A number of students have missed out on opportunities because they did not check their UDC email regularly. You should check it as much as you check your personal email account. 7. Organizations and Clubs Join organizations and clubs. They can be invaluable for networking and resources. List of active organizations and clubs on campus http://www.udc.edu/student_life/student_clubs_organizations Graduate Student Government Association http://www.udc.edu/student_life/graduate_student_government_association

8. Volunteer Opportunities Student Ambassador program Events on campus 9. How to Use Blackboard To access Blackboard: Log into your myUDC account at my.udc.edu Click on the Blackboard link near the top-right of the screen

Through Blackboard you can: Find course information and syllabus Take online quizzes Submit assignments on Safe Assign 5

Participate in online activities 10. Resources available at the Academic Support Center. What do they do http://www.udc.edu/asc/welcome

Location and Office hours http://www.udc.edu/asc/welcome

Other Resources http://www.udc.edu/asc/resources_for_students_and_faculty

11. External opportunities Business Plan Competition (April 11, 2014) Washington Research Journal (Date to be Announced)

“How to write an “A” paper.” Resources on the various writing styles Sign into the UDC website, and click on Student Services. To the far right hand side of the page, you will see “Writing Help”. Your professors may indicate what style they would like for you to use; however, if you are given a chance to choose, select the style that best fits what you are trying to convey. Walk through the Writing Help APA Style Chicago Style Modern Languages Style University policy on plagiarism It is incumbent upon you to know the University’s policy on plagiarism. Read Article 1 & Article IV in the Code of Student Conduct (Pages 9 and 16). http://www.udc.edu/docs/student_affairs/Code_of_Student_Conduct_8_4_09.pdf

What is plagiarism? From: http://www.plagiarism.org;plagiarism-101/types-of-plagiarism.

6

Plagiarism is not always “black and white.” Learning to recognize the various forms of plagiarism, the better you avoid the mistakes. Submitting another’s work, word-for-word, as your own. Contains significant portions of text from a single source without alternations. Changing key words and phrases but retaining the essential content of the source. Paraphrases from multiple sources, made to fit together. Borrows generously from the writer’s previous work without citation. Combines perfectly cited sources with copied passages without citation. Mixes copied material from multiple sources Includes citation to non-existent or inaccurate information about sources. Includes proper citation to sources but the paper contains almost no original work. Includes proper citation, but relies too closely on the text’s original working and/or structure. Plagiarism Check Websites (free and fee based) Grammarly.com Writecheck.com/plagiarism_check PlagiarismBlocker.com Dustball.com/cs/plagiarism.checker Smallseotools.com/plagiarism Plagiarismchecker.com Plagtracker.com Turnitin.com Learning Resource Division (LRD) You should become very familiar with all of the services available from the LRD. Looking for articles? We have hundreds of collections. The Learning Resource guide contains a full list of resources organized by name. Browse with the tabs or type a term into the search box to find the collection you need. They also have separate lists grouped by subject. To find information, go to the top of the webpage under Learning Resource In order to access databases off-site, you must have your OneCard activated by the Librarians located in Building 41, at the 5th floor Circulation Desk and have it renewed every semester.

7

“How to apply for Scholarships and Internships” Scholarships Types of Scholarships available o

http://www.udc.edu/school_business_and_public_admin/scholarships

Application Criteria o

http://www.udc.edu/school_business_and_public_admin/scholarships

Amount/s available per scholarship o

http://www.udc.edu/school_business_and_public_admin/scholarships

Understand the criteria for the various scholarships Know how to request a recommendation letter  Build a good relationship with your professors.  Provide supporting documents such as requirements for the recommendation letter, criteria for the scholarships, your resume, extracurricular activities, etc.  Follow-up with the person you have asked for a recommendation letter within 5-7 days. Internships/Assistantship Understand the types of internships available Research the organization Understand the application criteria Pay attention to due dates Know when to apply – Fall semester for Spring/Summer appointments http://www.udc.edu/docs/graduate/Financial_Support_for_Graduate_Students.pdf

Graduate Assistantship Application. http://www.udc.edu/docs/graduate/Graduate_Assistantship_Application.pdf

Finding the right internship http://www.udc.edu/career_services/finding_job_or_internship

Graduate U.S. Government Fellowships http://www.gradschools.com/financial-aid/graduate-fellowships-scholarships/fellowships-forgraduate-students 8

Student Employment Program (Both Domestic and International Student) http://www.udc.edu/financial_aid/federal_work_study_student_employment_programs

“Career and Professional and Development Tools” Career & Professional Development Center/Firebird Jobs Location and Office hours http://www.udc.edu/career_services/about_us

What do they do http://www.udc.edu/career_services/about_us

Resume/cover letter – written vs. online o Go to the Career and Professional Development website for information on preparing a resume and cover letter Appearance – tattoos, hair color, body piercings, etc. Dress for Success Handshake Researching the job Interviewing process Follow-up - Thank you notes Networking Join professional organization as a student member The New York Times Corner Office http://projects.nytimes.com/corner-office

To read interviews from CEOs and learn about how they hire and other great advice Other Graduate Resources http://nagps.org/benefits-resources/resources/

“Study and Time Management Tips” http://collegelife.about.com/od/academiclife/a/timemanagement.htm Within the first few days of starting college, many students quickly learn that managing their time is one of the most challenging -- and difficult -- aspects of being in school. 9

With so much to do and keep track of, strong time management skills can make all the difference. 1. Get -- and use -- a calendar. It can be a paper calendar. It can be your cell phone. It can be a PDA. No matter what kind it is, though, make sure you have one. 2. Write down everything. Write down everything in one place. (Having multiple calendars just gives you more to do amidst an already tight schedule.) Schedule when you plan to sleep; when you are going to do your laundry; when you're going to call your parents. The crazier your schedule gets, the more important this becomes. 3. Schedule time to relax. Don't forget to schedule in time to relax and breathe. Just because your calendar goes from 7:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. doesn't mean you can. 4. Keep trying new systems. If your cell phone calendar isn't big enough, buy a paper one. If your paper one keeps getting torn, try a PDA. If you have too many things written down each day, try color-coding to help simplify. Very few college students make it through their programs without some kind of calendaring system; keep trying until you find one that works for you. 5. Allow for flexibility. Things inevitably come up that you weren't expecting. You may not have known that your friend's birthday is this week, and you certainly don't want to miss the celebrations! Leave room in your calendar so that you can move things around a little when needed. 6. Plan ahead. Do you have a large research paper that is due the last week of the semester? Work backward in your calendar, and figure out how much time you need to write it, how much time you'll need to research it, and how much time you'll need to pick your topic. If you think you'll need six weeks for the entire project, work backward from the due date and schedule the time into your calendar before it's too late. 7. Plan for the unexpected. Sure, you just might be able to pull off two papers and a presentation during midterm week. But what happens if you catch the flu the night you're supposed to be pulling the all-nighter? Expect the unexpected so you don't have to spend more unplanned time trying to fix your mistakes. 8. Schedule in rewards. Your midterm week is a nightmare, but it will all be over Friday by 2:30 p.m. Schedule a fun afternoon and a nice dinner out with some friends; your brain will need it, and you can relax knowing that you're not supposed to be doing anything else. Everyone knows that good time management skills are important for students if you're going to do well in school. But what skills are needed for good time management? The 5 skills listed below just might be the most important time management skills you'll learn during your time in school. Sure, they seem easy on the surface -- but executing 10

them on a daily basis can be harder than it looks. If you're having trouble, just try one a week until they've all become habit. The 5 Most Important Skills for Time Management for Students http://collegelife.about.com/od/academiclife/a/Skills-For-Time-Management-ForStudents.htm 1. The ability to say "no." Party this weekend? Cool club to join? Overnight trip on Saturday? Quick pizza with your roommates that turns into 3 hours of just hanging out? Helping that cutie you have a crush on with the chemistry homework? Learning to say "no" can often feel nearly impossible during your time in college -- but saying "yes" to everything can often be impossible, too. Learning how to say "no" is difficult but important for good time management. 2. Spacing things out. Translation: Don't procrastinate. Do you know you have an ugly midterm/paper/lab report/research project due in, say, one month? Don't wait until the last week to get started. Space things out a bit so you manage your time and workload in a steady flow instead of one gigantic wave. 3. Using social time wisely. College is amazing because there is always something fun going on that you want to be a part of. Unfortunately, college is also incredibly challenging for this exact same reason. Instead of feeling like you're missing out on something whenever you try to do your homework, work your on-campus job, etc., remind yourself that there will be something fun to go do once you're done. And then you won't have to feel guilty about enjoying yourself, since you'll be all caught up. 4. Prioritizing and reprioritizing -- constantly. No matter how on top of things you are, life just happens sometimes ... which means, of course, that you'll get sick, your computer will crash, your friend will have some kind of drama, and you'll lose your cell phone. Good time management often requires the ability to prioritize and reprioritize and reprioritize again as things come up. And having good time management skills also means that, when things shift around, you'll be able to deal with it instead of suddenly finding yourself in a crisis. 5. Keeping your health/sleep/exercise in check. Sure, you have about 25 hours worth of work to do each day -- and that doesn't count the time required to sleep, eat, and exercise. Yet filling in those 3 little things can really make all the difference in your ability to manage your time well in school. Staying up a little too late here or there? Maybe not eating a healthy dinner every night of the week? Usually okay. Making those actions not just exceptions but patterns in your college life? Bad idea. In order to stay on your game, you have to be physically and mentally able to play your game. Practicing a little self-care can really go a long way to making sure you can take care of all you need to do with your limited time while in school.

11

“11 Email-Etiquette Rules Every Professional Should Know” http://www.businessinsider.com/email-etiquette-rules-everyone-should-know-2014-9 Research has found that the average U.S. employee spends about a quarter of his or her time at work combing through the hundreds of emails each employee sends and receives each day. And yet, according to career coach Barbara Pachter, plenty of professionals still don't know how to use email appropriately. Because people send and receive so many messages each day, many end up making embarrassing mistakes that could be detrimental in a professional interaction. For example, you can easily miss a spelling error while typing out an email on your smartphone, or you may come off as too casual or unprofessional in tone or content. Pachter outlines modern email etiquette rules in her book "The Essentials of Business Etiquette." We pulled out the most important ones you need to know. 1. Include a clear, direct subject line. Examples of a good subject line include "Meeting date changed," "Quick question about your presentation," or "Suggestions for the proposal." "People often decide whether to open an email based on the subject line," Pachter says. "Choose one that lets readers know you are addressing their concerns or business issues." 2. Use a professional email address. If you work for a company, you should use your company email address. But if you use a personal email account — whether you are self-employed or just like using it occasionally for work-related correspondences — you should be careful when choosing that address, Pachter says. You should always have an email address that conveys your name so that the recipient knows exactly who is sending the email. Never use email addresses (perhaps remnants of your grade-school days) that are not appropriate for use in the workplace, such as "babygirl@..." or "beerlover@..." — no matter how much you love a cold brew. 3. Think twice before hitting "reply all." No one wants to read emails from 20 people that have nothing to do with them. Ignoring the emails can be difficult, with many people getting notifications of new messages on their smartphones or distracting pop-up messages on their computer screens. Refrain 12

from hitting "reply all" unless you really think everyone on the list needs to receive the email, Pachter says. 4. Use professional salutations. Don't use laid-back, colloquial expressions like, "Hey you guys," "Yo," or "Hi folks." "The relaxed nature of our writings should not affect the salutation in an email," she says. "Hey is a very informal salutation and generally it should not be used in the workplace. And Yo is not okay either. Use Hi or Hello instead." She also advises against shortening anyone's name. Say "Hi Michael," unless you're certain he prefers to be called "Mike." 5. Use exclamation points sparingly. If you choose to use an exclamation point, use only one to convey excitement, Pachter says. "People sometimes get carried away and put a number of exclamation points at the end of their sentences. The result can appear too emotional or immature," she writes. "Exclamation points should be used sparingly in writing." 6. Be cautious with humor. Humor can easily get lost in translation without the right tone or facial expressions. In a professional exchange, it's better to leave humor out of emails unless you know the recipient well. Also, something that you think is funny might not be funny to someone else. Pachter says: "Something perceived as funny when spoken may come across very differently when written. When in doubt, leave it out." 7. Know that people from different cultures speak and write differently. Miscommunication can easily occur because of cultural differences, especially in the writing form when we can't see one another's body language. Tailor your message depending on the receiver's cultural background or how well you know them. A good rule to keep in mind, Pachter says, is that high-context cultures (Japanese, Arab, or Chinese) want to get to know you before doing business with you. Therefore, it may be common for business associates from these countries to be more personal in their writings. On the other hand, people from low-context cultures (German, American, or Scandinavian) prefer to get to the point very quickly. 8. Reply to your emails — even if the email wasn't intended for you. It's difficult to reply to every email message ever sent to you, but you should try to, 13

Pachter says. This includes when the email was accidentally sent to you, especially if the sender is expecting a reply. A reply isn't necessary but serves as good email etiquette, especially if this person works in the same company or industry as you. Here's an example reply: "I know you're very busy, but I don't think you meant to send this email to me. And I wanted to let you know so you can send it to the correct person." 9. Proofread every message. Your mistakes won't go unnoticed by the recipients of your email. "And, depending upon the recipient, you may be judged for making them," Pachter says. Don't rely on spell-checkers. Read and re-read your email a few times, preferably aloud, before sending it off. "One supervisor intended to write 'Sorry for the inconvenience.' But he relied on his spell-check and ended up writing 'Sorry for the incontinence.'" 10. Add the email address last. "You don't want to send an email accidentally before you have finished writing and proofing the message," Pachter says. "Even when you are replying to a message, it's a good precaution to delete the recipient's address and insert it only when you are sure the message is ready to be sent." 11. Double-check that you’ve selected the correct recipient. Pachter says to pay careful attention when typing a name from your address book on the email's "To" line. "It's easy to select the wrong name, which can be embarrassing to you and to the person who receives the email by mistake."

Other Information Financial Aid Office: Building 39, A Level (Suite 100) o (202) 274-5060 http://www.udc.edu/financial_aid/contact_financial_aid Types of Financial Aid o http://www.udc.edu/financial_aid/federal_work_study_student_employmen t_programs

14

Financial Aid for Unemployed Workers & Their Families o https://www.udc.edu/financial_aid/apply_aid FAQ (Criteria for eligibility etc.) o http://www.udc.edu/2012/financial_aid/faq_financial_aid Applying for Financial Aid o https://www.udc.edu/financial_aid/apply_aid Repaying Financial Aid o http://www.udc.edu/financial_aid/repaying_aid_financial_aid Payment Options Student Accounts Building 39, A Level (Suite 100) (202) 274-5168 http://www.udc.edu/student_affairs/office_of_student_accounts Tuition Management (TMS) Installment Payment/ Agency Payment https://udc.afford.com/ Students can only create an account and register only after being accepted as a student. Additional Information for International Students & Students interested in Study Abroad Program Office of International Programs and Exchange http://www.udc.edu/docs/international/OIPE_Guide_October_2010.pdf International Education Week http://www.udc.edu/oipe/international_education_week http://eca.state.gov/programs-initiatives/international-education-week/ Fulbright Foreign Student Program http://exchanges.state.gov/non-us/program/fulbright-foreign-student-program Basic tax information for F1 Holders https://www.udc.edu/admission/Basic_Tax_Information_for_F1_Visa_Holders.pdf Full Time Enrollment o The US immigration regulations require international students to be enrolled full time each semester. 15

o UDC students must fulfill the full time enrollment requirement during the Fall Semester and the Spring Semester each academic year. o UDC students are not required to enroll in Summer Session to maintain status. o Full time enrollment consists of a minimum of 12 credits each semester for Undergraduate students, and a minimum of 9 credits each semester for Graduate students. o With the Student & Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) in place, it is more important than ever that students enroll in a full course load each and every semester as required. Reduced Course Loads o Students taking less than the required number of credits are considered to be taking a reduced course load. o The SEVIS regulations allow a reduced course load under certain circumstances, and require that any reduced course load be pre-approved by the school’s International Student Advisor. o For more information, see the OIPE Guide, page 9, 10, 11 http://www.udc.edu/docs/international/OIPE_Guide_October_2010.pdf Health Insurance http://www.udc.edu/student_affairs/student_health_insurance Housing Arrangements Resident Student Association: http://www.udc.edu/housing/resident_student_association http://www.udc.edu/docs/housing/New_Student_Housing.pdf Housing Application http://www.udc.edu/docs/housing/occupancy_agreement.pdf Student Conflict Resolution Process Student Handbook, Resolution chart on page 21 http://www.udc.edu/docs/student_affairs/2012_2014_student_handbook.pdf Applying for Graduation http://www.udc.edu/registrar/application_for_graduation

16