Parent E-Newsletter Spring 2009
Newsletter 006 | Spring 2009
Students Gain a Head Start on Their Academic Careers
Accomplishment, inspirational professors, lifelong learning, lasting friendships, outstanding athletic and cultural activities, and the beautiful antebellum homes and historic buildings of Milledgeville, Georgia, characterize the traditions of Georgia College & State University, Georgia's designated Public Liberal Arts University. Whether your son or daughter is a current or future student at Georgia College, they can gain a head start on their academic career during the summer of 2009. By enrolling in summer courses, they can be a part of many interesting and entertaining activities that will enhance their academic experience. We have several programs that attract first-time, current and graduate students who are eager to experience a true university environment. We invite your student to join us this summer.
CURRENT
STUDENTS
Summer terms feature a number of exciting programs that
are offered exclusively during the summer months for both undergraduate
and graduate students. These courses at Georgia College prepare your
student for leadership. The opportunities that are available will give
your son or daughter the skills that can put them on a career track
toward becoming a leader. They can apply their knowledge by enrolling in
3-week, 4-week or 10-week summer courses.
Registration Is Open Now!
• Maymester (May 11
– June 1)
• Summer I (June 3 – July 2)
• Summer II (July 7 – August 5)
• Full
Summer (June 3 – August 5)
FUTURE STUDENTS
– JUMP START PROGRAM
This selective five-week program
attracts exceptional high school students who are eager to start their
university career. Participants reside on Georgia College's central
campus with trained staff and exclusive faculty mentors from June 13
until July 17. The benefits are limitless: lasting friendships,
inspirational professors, motivating coursework, research opportunities,
and a college readiness course that allows your student to earn college
credit that helps them to become acclimated to campus resources while
developing the social and academic skills needed to meet the challenges
that face college students. The Jump Start Program is an excellent
opportunity for serious students to get a head start on their academic
careers by taking three college courses for seven credits.
For more information, contact Allia L. Carter at (478)445-6283 or allia.carter@gcsu.edu
Important Financial Aid Information
Aid for Summer Semester 2009
Students planning to enroll in Maymester or other Summer mini-terms will need to complete a short application to apply for financial aid including the HOPE Scholarship program. This online application will be available from their myCATS account during the course registration period in March 2009. Students must be receiving aid and/or have a complete file for the 2008-2009 academic year to be considered for summer aid.
Aid Application Procedures - Academic Year 2009-2010
The Financial Aid application season for 2009-2010 has begun! The Georgia College Financial Aid Staff encourages students to review the processes and deadlines to avoid missing out on aid opportunities. Students will be notified at their e-Cats email account if any information is needed as well as when the Financial Aid Office has completed the review of their file.
Federal Aid
• Students and at least one parent may apply for or obtain
their forgotten PIN (Personal Identification Number) with the Department
of Education at www.pin.ed.gov in
order to e-sign application
• Complete the Free
Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at www.fafsa.ed.gov (must be completed
annually). Students should have their and their parent's 2008
Federal Tax Returns available to complete the application.
• Consideration for federal aid programs (grants, employment
and loans) as well as Georgia's HOPE Scholarship program will be based
on this application.
HOPE Scholarship ONLY
• Students choosing NOT to apply for federal aid (FAFSA) may
apply for the HOPE Scholarship program ONLY by visiting www.GAcollege411.org.
• This is a one-time application which will remain active at
GCSU from academic year to year.
Did you know
that GCSU offers a Tuition Payment Plan?
Convenient
Interest-Free
Affordable
Make the most of this payment option by signing up
EARLY!
Click here for all details for
Summer 2009 or Fall 2009.
For more information contact The Office of Financial Aid at (478) 445-5149 or financialaid@gcsu.edu.
Summer is nearing and students are finalizing their break plans. Students living in the Central Campus residence halls can choose to live in Sanford Hall for Maymester, Summer I, and Summer II terms, or any combination of the three. Residents of The Village with 12 month contracts and are free to stay in their apartments until the end of July. The summer housing contract is available online at http://www.gcsu.edu /housing/current/forms.htm.
If your student is coming home this summer, beware – the student you sent to college may have changed. The first summer home is often a difficult transition period for parents and students alike. Students are accustomed to greater amounts of freedom than they were provided during that last year of high school. They often forget you are expecting them to call and check in when they're out late and they may have their own ideas about how often they should clean their room and do the dishes. To avoid a family feud this summer, talk to your student about your expectations ahead of time, making sure to discuss the topics of curfew and household chores. This discussion can reduce re-entry friction and helps to create a relaxing summer break for everyone. Don't forget, this is a typical time of adjustment and you're not alone if you're counting down the days until they return to GCSU.
If you have not
already done so, check in with your student about their 2009-2010
housing decision. Over the past four years, sophomores who have
chosen to remain in campus housing have earned an average GPA of 3.13,
while the average sophomore who moved off campus fell below a 3.00 GPA -
a difference with dramatic implications for the HOPE scholarship.
Spaces at The Village Apartments are still available. To apply,
visit www.gcsu.edu/housing and
feel free to contact our office via e-mail at housing@gcsu.edu or phone at (478)
445-5160 should you have any questions regarding summer or fall
contracts.
You can show your school spirit with your very own Georgia College car tag. Here are easy steps to purchase your own.
Send $25 to the Alumni Association (Campus Box 96, Milledgeville, GA 31061). We will send a receipt and relinquishment form back to you.
Visit your county's tax commissioner's office with your form and they will issue you a tag.
We want you to know that because university tags are considered "specialty," you will be required to pay the specialty tag fee at the time of renewal. If you have already renewed your car registration for the year, you can still purchase a car tag following the same steps.
For more information, contact the Alumni Director Herbert Agnew at (478) 445-5771, herbert.agnew@gcsu.edu.
Georgia College Athletics Hall of
Fame Add Four
MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. - In its third year of honoring former student-athlete and administrative success, the Georgia College Athletics Hall of Fame added four new members Homecoming Weekend, Saturday, Feb. 21. Baseball's Greg Winters, tennis's Jay Torrence and Anna (Haggkvist) Sundstrom and basketball's Leonard Scott returned to Milledgeville and received the honor.
Winters hit for a .396 clip during his career, ranking second all-time at Georgia College. A four-year member of the Colonials from 1993-1996, his 290 hits ranks fourth all-time and is the highest total since the school joined the NCAA Division II in 1992.
Winters was named All-American in 1996, adding three All-Region honors from 1994-96. The last two seasons of his career brought All-Peach Belt Conference (PBC) honors, and he was also selected to the 1995 World Series All-Tournament Team. Always patient at the plate, Winters hit over .400 in three of his seasons, also drawing a school-best 199 career walks.
Torrence is the first men's tennis player to earn a spot in the Georgia College Athletics Hall of Fame, thanks to two stellar seasons for the Bobcats from 1993 to 1994. He was an NCAA All-American in 1994, adding Georgia Tennis Association Player of the Year honors during that season.
He was also a 1994 All-PBC selection and the Rolex Division II Southern Singles Champion. Torrence was named the 1994 GCSU Male Senior Athlete of the Year.
Sundstrom was a two-time All-American for Georgia College, pulling down honors in 1997 and 1998. She played under GCSU Hall of Famer Duward Whelchel from 1996-1999, earning four All-Peach Belt Conference (PBC) trophies.
She was named the NCAA Region Senior Player of the Year in 1999, earning the ITA Rolex Regional Singles title in 1995 and regional doubles champ in 1997. She was also named the 1999 GCSU Female Senior Athlete of the Year.
Scott was a four-year member of the then-Colonial basketball team, competing from 1975-79. The second-leading scorer in Georgia College history at 1,908 points, Scott owns the school mark for rebounds in a career at 868.
Scott averaged 18.0 points per game in his four seasons, tallying 93 double-digit scoring contests, including eight 30-point games. His 43 points against Piedmont in the 1977-78 season ranks first in school history.
The quartet joins previous inductees Jennifer Joiner from softball, Phil Arp, John Kurtz, Rusty Kea and Tom Gorman from baseball, Whelchel, Julia Roudkovskaya and Lilia Biktyakova from tennis, Robert Williams and Julius Joseph from men's basketball, Sherita Ballard from women's basketball, David Robinson and Alex McMichael from golf, Missy (Thomas) Swicord from gymnastics and former athletic director and golf coach Michael Peeler.
Visit www.GCSUBobcats.com to nominate your favorite former Bobcats and Colonials to the GCSU Athletics Hall of Fame. The GCSU Department of Athletics sponsors 10 varsity athletic programs at the NCAA Division II level. As a Division II program, GCSU prides itself on balancing the life of the student-athlete, evidenced by the Bobcats' multiple appearances in post-season competition as well as documented academic success and community-service involvement.
For more information contact Al Weston, Georgia College Athletics at (478) 445-6341 or alan.weston@gcsu.edu.
Career Corner - Career Exploration at Georgia College
While your son or daughter attends Georgia College & State University, please know that their ultimate success and career satisfaction depends on a careful exploration of who they are, where they want to go, and how to navigate through their journey. The Career Center plays an integral part to your child's success.
Our mission is to collaborate with faculty, campus colleagues, and employers to create a bridge between college and career by providing career development programming and services to students and alumni. So, even if your child is a freshman, now is the time the Career Center can assist him/her to explore the possibilities and provide them the tools they need to achieve career success. To ensure their success, we offer a variety of programs and services such as resume assistance, creating a job search strategy, exploring careers and major choices, applying to graduate school, and preparing and searching for internships.
One resource the Career Center has available for students is our online employer, job, and internship database called Career Connection. Career Connection will allow your son or daughter to search and connect with employers who have entered their job and/or internship opportunities into our system. GCSU students and alumni can access Career Connection at www.myinterfase.com/gcsu/ student.
Internships are an excellent way for students to explore their passions and connect classroom learning to a meaningful work experience at the same time. During an internship, a student works with an organization over the course of a semester and is paired with a knowledgeable supervisor who will help develop the intern's skills and knowledge. Internships turn into valuable networking opportunities for students to collaborate with established professionals. It doesn't matter if your son or daughter has varied or specific career interests- there are fun and exciting internship opportunities that await your student!
Students can also gain work experience by becoming a Career Peer Advisor (CPA). The Career Peer Advisor program is a volunteer opportunity created by the Career Center to help GCSU students build their leadership, communication, team work, and interpersonal skills. CPAs are trained to assist students with various aspects of their job search process, as well as, promoting the Career Center on Georgia College's campus. In addition, CPAs benefit from working with the Career Center by not only helping their peers achieve career success, but improving their own career development process.
The Career Center is located on the second floor of Lanier Hall and students can schedule individual appointments Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
For more information, contact Jennifer Cash, University Career Center at (478) 445-5384 or jennifer.cash@gcsu.edu.
When You're Not Sure How to Help
Have you ever had the experience of being worried about a Georgia College student? Of course you have – every parent worries about his or her student from time to time. But have you ever had the experience of being worried about a Georgia College student who is not your child? It's not uncommon for parents to learn about a student in distress through their son or daughter and feel unsure what to do with that information. After all, you probably don't know the student in question. Even if you do, you may be seen as being intrusive if you try to contact the student or his/her family. Worse than that, your son or daughter might consider you "a rat." On the other hand, if you do nothing, you may feel worried and guilty. When you're not sure how to help, the Consultation and Assessment Team (CAT) is a great resource to use. The purpose of the CAT at Georgia College is to provide a collaborative, cross-functional team to assess and respond to individuals who may pose a threat to self or others.
Because different threats require different types of responses, Georgia College has multiple resources in place to assist you. Georgia College Public Safety is always the right choice of contact for situations of immediate danger or severe threat. That office can be reached 24 hours a day at (478) 445-4000. For situations involving a continuum of concern such as a potential threat or a less immediate concern, the CAT is the resource of choice. Cross-departmental team members are available to listen to your concerns for those situations where you don't know quite how to help, but you "just think somebody should know."
The CAT is headed and staffed by different employees depending on their expertise, so that only those needed to assess and manage a situation of concern will be involved. For concerns about a student, your contact is the Associate Vice President for Student Affairs, Dr. Paul Jahr at (478) 445-2091. For situations involving concern about an employee, your contact is Diane Kirkwood, Director of Human Resources at (478) 445-5596. Finally, for concerns about persons not affiliated with Georgia College but potentially impacting the campus community, your contact is the Director of Public Safety, Dave Groseclose at (478) 445-5800.
We, of course, hope that you will never find yourself in a situation where you need to contact Public Safety or the CAT, but we want you to be aware of these resources just in case. And we thank you for the ways that you help us to look out for the Georgia College community of which you and your student are an important part.
For more information, contact Jennifer Strole, Counseling Services at (478) 445-5331 or jennifer.strole@gcsu.edu.
Published March 19, 2009 | Gina O. Peavy | Office of Student Affairs| student.affairs@gcsu.edu ;
