Dear Colleagues, In recent weeks I've met some new graduate students at M.U. and reconnected with folks I have not seen in awhile. Many of the folks I've come in contact with are doing well, yet there is a group of folks that are stressin' I've tried to lend my two cents of advice, but I feel to craft a community solution maybe we should dialogue on this list about gettin' through...Survivin' and eventually thriving in graduate school. What advise would you give a new graduate student that is stressed about teaching a predominately white and upper middle class student body. Moreover, a student body that often has a grand sense of entitlement, bias and privilige, that interrupts the teaching and learning process? What advise would you give a fellow student that is experiencing a sense of isolation or alienation in their program or in this community(M.U. and/or Oxford)? What role do you think a graduate student centered organization can play in the following areas: 1. Community building amongst graduate students from different disciplines? 2. Professional and scholarly development of graduate students? 3. Social life of graduate students? 4. Advocacy and empowerment of graduate students? YRB ----------------------------------------------------------------------- LIVE THE WORDS...REAP THE REWARDS! To decide to live at the level of choice is to take responsibility and be in control of your life. Arbie M. Dale “Self worth cannot be verified by others. You are a worthy person because you say it is so. If you depend on others for your value it is other-worth.” Wayne Dyer-Your Erroneous Zones Be prepared, curious and vigilant! Yolanda R. Brown Be the change you wish to see in the world. Mahatma Gandhi Vision looks inward and becomes duty. Vision looks outward and becomes aspiration. Vision looks upward and becomes faith. Author unknown Conventional education makes independent thinking extremely difficult. Conformity leads to mediocrity. To be different from the group or to resist environment is not easy and is often risky as long as we worship success. The urge to be successful, which is the pursuit of reward whether in the material or in the so-called spiritual sphere, the search for inward or outward security, the desire for comfort--this whole process smothers discontent, puts an end to spontaneity and breeds fear; and fear blocks the intelligent understanding of life. J. Krishnamurti ============================================================= The information transmitted is intended only for the person or entity to which it is addressed and may contain confidential and/or privileged material. Any review, retransmission, dissemination or other use of, or taking of any action in reliance upon, this information by persons or entities other than the intended recipient is prohibited. If you received this in error, please contact the sender and delete the material from any computer. _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp