Resources this Fall

The MPA Program is grieved at the loss of Dr. Zijie Yan on Monday. The events that occurred were distressing and people may be processing the situation in different ways. We are grateful for the many members of our community who have taken the time to check in ond others and offer support. We hope you will continue to do so. Ongoing resources are available as the community moves forward:

•  The University has set up a hotline for students, faculty, staff, parents and the community to address concerns and questions. It can be accessed by calling 919-918-1999. For updates on alerts, visit alertcarolina.unc.edu.
• Instructor Tracy Miles recommends the National Child Traumatic Stress Network for information on best practices in talking about trauma, conveying information to children if they wonder wat happened, or related information.
• Also, while it was not an event of mass violence, information on PTSD after mass violence may be helpful given the unknowns at the time and the feelings people may share. The National Center for PTSD has resources on their website.
• Please also check out:

Presidential Management Fellows Applications Opening Soon!

The PMF Program Office is happy to announce the dates for the upcoming PMF Class of 2024 Application, which are as follows: opening Noon (Eastern Time), Tuesday, September 12^th and closing Noon (Eastern Time), Monday, September 25^th, 2023. These dates have been posted at https://www.pmf.gov/become-a-pmf/2024-application/.

We have also updated and released the “2024 PMF Applicant Handbook” and posted it to the PMF website. The Handbook can be found under the “Become a PMF/Resources” section at https://www.pmf.gov/become-a-pmf/resources/. The Handbook details the annual application process, eligibility requirements, required documentation, and provides an overview of the assessment process, all with the goal of preparing applicants to submit successful applications.

The PMF Program would also like to invite our academic stakeholders (e.g., career services staff, deans, department heads, faculty, etc.) to participate in the annual PMF Academic Stakeholders Meetings for the upcoming PMF Class of 2024 Application via online webinars to be held on August 23^rd and September 5^th, 2023. To accommodate summer schedules, this year we are offering the following two options (one in August and one in September) for academia. Please register using the links below and you will receive a confirmation email with details for accessing the Zoom for Government meeting (including a call-in option for those who cannot access the platform). These 1-hour webinars will provide an overview of the PMF Program, describe the upcoming 2024 application and assessment process, review the 2024 timeline, and as time permits, will provide an opportunity for Q&A.

Tuesday, September 5^th from 3:00-4:00pm (Eastern Time): https://academiainfosession090523.eventbrite.com

NOTE: The above webinars are intended for academia stakeholders only; separate webinars for graduate students/applicants are covered below. These webinars will not be recorded for later publishing or viewing. A copy of the “PMF Presentation for Academia” for the above webinars can be found at the bottom of the “Academia/Resource” section at www.pmf.gov.

Additionally, during the months of August/September 2023, we will be hosting a series of informational webinars for potential applicants about the upcoming PMF Class of 2024 Application. The informational webinars will provide a general overview of the PMF Program, details about the 2024 application cycle, and if time permits, allow for any questions. Please note that several of the webinars have a specific focus related to strategic recruitment goals, but all will cover the basics outlined above and are open to all disciplines. These webinars will not be recorded for later publishing or viewing.

The full list of webinars for potential applicants can be found under the “News & Events” section on the PMF website at https://www.pmf.gov/news-events/pmf-info-sessions-for-2024-application-prospective-applicants/ and under the “Become a PMF/2024 Application” section at https://www.pmf.gov/become-a-pmf/2024-application/. Please encourage your graduate students to register using the provided links. Space is limited to 500 participants each and dates, times, and thematic focus are subject to change.

Finally, we have updated many of our resources for academia and applicants. For an overview of what’s new for the upcoming 2024 Application for academia, visit: https://www.pmf.gov/academia/overview/. A few of our updated resources include:

• The 2024 PMF Applicant Handbook, posted under the “Become a PMF/Resources” section and “Academia/Resources” section at www.pmf.gov.
• The PMF Brochure for Applicants, posted under both of the “Resources” sections above at www.pmf.gov.
• The PMF Program Required Application Documents and Alternative Letter, posted under both of the “Resources” sections above at www.pmf.gov.
• The Academia Checklist, posted under the “Academia/Resources” section at www.pmf.gov.

Please be sure to check our website for updates. General information about the PMF Program, eligibility, how to apply, and resources, can be found under the “Become a PMF” section of our website at https://www.pmf.gov/become-a-pmf/overview.aspx.

Institute for the Study of the Americas Orientation

The Institute for the Study of the Americas (ISA) is holding our annual Graduate Student Orientation on Wednesday, September 6th at 5:30pm in the 4^th floor of the Global Education Center (GEC). This is an opportunity for graduate students with an interest in Latin America or Latino/a communities in the US to meet other graduate students and learn about funding opportunities and other initiatives sponsored by our organization. We look forward to seeing you!

Writing Center Opportunities for Graduate Students

The Writing Center offers a range of support for all graduate students as well as specialized English language support to students whose first language is not U.S. English. Note that most programs will be delivered via Zoom, and additional programming may be added later in the semester.

Please share this information with your students and colleagues, and contact Dr. Gigi Taylor with questions or concerns.

Opportunities for All Grad Students:

Overview of Resources

See this page for an overview of graduate writing support, graduate-specific writing handouts, teaching support, and resources that graduate teaching assistants can share with their students.

Fall 2023 Kick Off Workshop Series

This workshop series is designed to quickly orient students to their new context, offering strategies to help them engage in their graduate studies and their community more successfully. All workshops meet virtually Tuesdays, 12:30-1:30 p.m. Participants will receive the zoom link after registration.

• August 29: Cross-cultural communication
• September 5: Reading Efficiency
• September 12: Principles of Citation and Avoiding Plagiarism
• September 19: Four Habits of Successful Writers

Dissertation Boot Camps

Boot camp is a week-long opportunity for students currently writing dissertations to set writing goals, practice disciplined writing habits, learn new strategies, and connect with other dissertation writers. It’s offered several times per year and is intended to help graduate students make significant progress in their writing and their sense of community.

• Virtual boot camps: Sept. 11-15, Nov. 6-20, Dec. 11-15
• In-person boot camp: Oct. 9-13

Intercultural Speaking Group

Speaking Group welcomes American and international participants from the campus and the community. Groups meet for an hour every week to discuss topics of culture, university life, or language learning strategies and resources. Our goal is to create a comfortable space to converse, to share cultural perspectives, and to build global relationships in our local community.

Fridays, 3:00 – 4:00 PM. Register here.

Location: Alternates between the FedEx Global Education Center and Zoom. Watch the schedule page for updates.

Opportunities for International Grad Students:

Facilitated Writing Groups ​

Ideal for students at any stage—from their first semester to their defense. Small groups of graduate students and scholars meet weekly to share drafts and receive feedback on any kind of writing: semester papers, dissertation chapters, journal article manuscripts, grant proposals, class blog posts, reading reflections, conference posters, etc. Groups can be disciplinary or multidisciplinary, and discussions are facilitated by specialists in academic writing and the English language. Open to degree-seeking UNC graduate students, postdoctoral scholars, faculty, and visiting students and scholars.

Schedules and locations are determined by participants’ availability. Register here.

Academic Writing for Graduate Students

This course will provide an introduction to the stylistic features of academic writing at the graduate level. It will focus on the important linguistic features and on common strategies for organizing information. Emphasis will be placed on students developing familiarity with the writing style of their own academic disciplines. Course text: Academic Writing for Graduate Students. Degree-seeking UNC graduate students and postdoctoral scholars have priority registration. Others will be placed on a waiting list until space is available.

(Zoom): Tuesdays, 4-5:30 p.m., September 8 - October 10. Register.

US English Pronunciation

This course will provide instruction on the phonetics of American English and will allow for ample practice time in pairs with English native speakers and in small groups. Lessons will focus on segmental units such as vowels and consonants as well as supra-segmental units including syllables, stress and pitch. Required text: Clear Speech: Pronunciation and Listening Comprehension in North American English (4th Edition). Degree-seeking UNC graduate students and postdoctoral scholars have priority registration. Others will be placed on a waiting list until space is available.

(Zoom) Fridays, 1:25-2:15 p.m., September 8 - December 1. Register.

Presentation Practice & Feedback Sessions

Are you preparing for an important presentation? Schedule a 45-minute individual appointment to practice your presentation and get feedback on the slides and your presentation style. These appointments open now.

Data Science Day is Sept. 29!

Join us Friday, Sept. 29 for a cross-campus celebration of data science, focused on AI and health. Our keynote speaker is Rachini Moosavi, chief analytics officer at UNC Health. We'll have lightning talks on data science as well as a poster session by graduate students and postdoctoral researchers.

The event is free, but registration is required. Please register for the event which will be held at Innovate Carolina Junction from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. All Carolina faculty, staff and students are invited to attend for a portion of the event or the whole day!

Learn More About the Call for Poster Abstracts

We are currently accepting poster abstracts from graduate students and postdoctoral researchers in the field of AI and health from all 15 schools, including the College of Arts and Sciences and all research centers and institutes at UNC-Chapel Hill. The deadline for poster abstracts is 5 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 5.

Nominate a Teacher or Mentor for a University Teaching Award

Is there a faculty or staff member, coach, or teaching assistant who has significantly impacted your learning and promoted your success in a meaningful way? If so, please take a moment this summer to nominate that individual for a University Teaching Award.

Each year, UNC recognizes members of our Carolina community for outstanding teaching and mentoring, and for having a profound impact on others. Nominations can be made through the portal at this website: uta.oasis.unc.edu.

Have questions? Please contact the co-chairs of the University Teaching Awards Committee for 2023-2024, Rachel Gurvich (gurvich@email.unc.edu) and Lisa Woodley (lwoodley@email.unc.edu), or Erin Malloy, Director of the Center for Faculty Excellence (Erin_Malloy@med.unc.edu).

Here are the award categories:

Distinguished Teaching Awards for Post-Baccalaureate Instruction: for faculty members in recognition of exceptional teaching of graduate students, inside and outside of the classroom.

Mentor Award for Lifetime Achievement: for a faculty or staff member, coach, or leader of student groups, acknowledging lifetime contributions to teaching, learning, and mentoring beyond the classroom. Nominations for this award should focus on the candidate's long-term impact on students.

Thank you for nominating Carolina’s outstanding teachers and mentors! The deadline for this year is September 29, 2023.

2023 Conference for North Carolina's Nonprofits

November 2-3, 2023 - Winston-Salem, NC

Topics include Leadership Development, EDI, Fundraising, Financial Management, and more! Donna Murray Brown, Vice President of Strategy and Development with the National Council of Nonprofits, will be the keynote speaker.