Talking Stick - July/August 2011 - 51

CONTINUED

RES LIFE

opportunities for non-U.S. citizens, both as principal investigators or coinvestigators. The next GSSS program was done in collaboration with the University of Florida Career Resource Center. A career counselor who specializes in graduate students’ unique career needs spoke to residents about the academic job search. He focused on networking, the logistics of visa sponsorship, and different cultural expectations that may relate to the students’ searches. The GSSS concluded with a ﬁnancial planning expert who gave a very focused presentation for students who, though not making much money now, will soon need to plan how to use their income. He talked about options for sheltering, investing, and saving. Like previous presentations, this workshop was also tailored to address the unique circumstances of oncampus graduate students who may or may not plan to stay in the U.S. upon completion of their degrees. The sessions were very successful, averaging around 20 participants, and each session ended with the sharing of a meal, which included food from a local green-certiﬁed restaurant and offered Japanese, European, Indian, and Latin cuisine. After each program, faculty members and students were able to enjoy more intimate conversations related to their own research endeavors, job search, or other topic. Again, the combination of a more formal presentation and an informal opportunity to share a meal added depth and dimension to students’ learning experiences. Finally, in response to the residents’ reported need for access to a quiet space within their village, at the end of every semester each community’s commons area was reserved for reading days and ﬁnals week. These areas are equipped with wireless Internet and were open until 1:00 a.m. so that graduate students had a peaceful and convenient

environment in which to study, work on projects and papers, and prepare for exams. A balanced and holistic community development approach with a focus on academic needs is critical in graduate and family housing. While campus partners offer excellent academic support services, graduate students balancing multiple roles are all too often unable to take advantage of these opportunities. Bringing academic resources to graduate students’ living area allows them to better manage their time between family, work, and

academic responsibilities. In this way, on-campus housing programs can best attract and retain graduate students while facilitating their timely graduation and future success. TS
Mary C. Jordan
is the coordinator of academic residential programs at the University of Florida in Gainesville. is the residence life coordinator for graduate and family housing at the University of Florida. is a graduate student at the University of Toledo in Ohio.

Thomas Germain

Megan C. Miller

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Talking Stick - July/August 2011

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