ISSS News 19 October 2009

An electronic news service for international students and scholars, owned by the Office of International Student and Scholar Services at Binghamton University, State University of New York

Editor’s Note: This is a busy period for mid-term examinations. We wish our student subscribers good luck with their examinations and papers!

1. Attention Undergraduates: Interested in BU’s Graduate Programs? Come to an Information Session on Tuesday, October 20

Binghamton University's Graduate School will be hosting an Information Session that will assist you in finding the answers to these questions with over 90 master's and doctoral programs. This event will be in collaboration with the Educational Opportunity Program, Mc Nair Scholars, and Thurgood Marshall Pre Law Society. Join us as we get exclusive tips on the application process, advice from Departmental Advisors, and PIZZA! Tuesday, October 20th at 5:00pm in University Union West Room 325.

2. Attention Graduate and Undergraduate Majors in Engineering, Computer Science, and the Sciences! Engineering Consortium Career Fair 2009* October 23 in New York City

*While the title of this event indicates it's an engineering fair, there will also be many
opportunities for computer science and science majors. Please read for more information!

Binghamton University’s Career Development Center together with twenty-five other prominent Colleges and Universities is pleased to present the Engineering Consortium Career Fair 2009 Friday, October 23 from 10:00am to 4:00pm at Columbia University, Roone Arledge Auditorium, Alfred Lerner Hall, 2920 Broadway (at 115th St.), in New York City. This Career Fair is an opportunity for students and alumni to explore careers in engineering, applied sciences and natural sciences. Over 140 leading employers in fields including biomedical, civil, mechanical, aeronautical, chemical, electrical, computer, environmental, and industrial engineering and computer science will be available to address internship and/or employment opportunities.

The Engineering Consortium Career Fair is open to undergraduate and graduate students. International students are encouraged to attend. Students do not need to pre-register. Student admission is free. Students should bring their student ID and copies of their resume to the fair. Formal business attire is required to enter the Career Fair.

This is a great opportunity to have some delicious Armenian food as well as to learn and dance Armenian dances!!! Bring your friends and enjoy their company.

The 10th Annual Armenian Dances will be held this Saturday, October 24 at the Kalurah Temple, 625 Dickson Street in Endicott. This is a great opportunity to have some delicious Armenian food as well as to learn and dance Armenian dances!!! You can come with friends and enjoy their company.

The event will start at 8pm and last till 12-1AM. There is a $15 admission for all students and $30 for others and it will let you take part in a raffle full of different presents!!!

For more information contact:

Facebook group: The 10th annual Armenian dance
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/event.php?eid=189338059408&ref=mf
and the portal of Armenian Church in Binghamton:
http://stgregoryarmenianchurch.net/
or call: 607 237 6330 & 607 722 8801

Resource Of The Week: Recommendations From The Intern’s Desk – Interfolio
- Erin F, (Human Development ’10) CDCI Marketing Intern, Career Development Center
Interfolio is a new online portfolio system that holds your important documents including letters of recommendation, curriculum vitae, writing samples and unofficial transcripts, and sends them to employers and educational institutions. Once your documents are uploaded, all you do is direct Interfolio where to send materials and which documents to send; Interfolio takes care of the rest. As CDC will no longer provide a credentials service after July 2010, Interfolio is a trusted service they recommend to provide all the services BU has provided in the past, and much more.

The main benefit of utilizing this service is to expedite the application process for jobs/internships and graduate/professional schools. Interfolio allows you to access and manage your documents electronically 24/7 in a secure manner, and provides different pricing packages based on the length of time you choose to use the service (starting at a 1 year account for $19.00). Digital applications are gaining popularity, and with Interfolio you are able to easily send all your credentials electronically. If interested, sign up at www.interfolio.com/signup. Good luck!

The Career Development Center has recently released a new Quick Reference Guide on the topic of developing Global Competency. The Michigan State "Recruiting Trends 2005-2006" report identified "geographic awareness and global understanding" as the primary "new competencies [for job seekers] critical to future success." The report notes that, “as businesses become realigned globally, having employees with an awareness of space…, social and cultural geographic movement, as well as dominant physical assets of a region will be critical to a company’s vitality.”

With global competency cited as the key to success in today’s job market, it is important to identify your strengths in the context of your international awareness. This guide will help you take stock of your experience and understand how to translate these into tangible evidence of your competencies guide and many both on your cover letter and resume as well as during an interview.

Students! Practice Your Interviewing Skills With Alumni Volunteers: Alumni Phone Practice Interview Program

Binghamton University’s Career Development Center and the Office of Alumni and Parent Relations have joined forces to coordinate an extraordinary program affording current matriculated BU students the opportunity to practice their interview skills through mock phone interviews with BU Alumni. Through the Alumni Phone Practice Interview Program, enthusiastic Alumni have volunteered their time to interview students and provide them useful feedback to help develop and polish their skills. With the use of phone interviews on the rise in the current job market, this is an excellent way to get ahead of the competition; not only will students become more marketable in a competitive job search, but it also allows them the unique opportunity to network with experienced professionals who have a genuine interest in helping them succeed.

Engineering Consortium Career Fair – Friday, October 23 @ Columbia University

BINGHAMTON STUDENTS ARE INVITED TO ATTEND the Engineering Consortium Career Fair, hosted by the Columbia University Center for Career Education. The fair allows students and alumni to explore a wide variety of career fields, employers, and types of employment in the engineering/technology sector. Last year the fair attracted over 1,900 students and alumni from top engineering schools and over 140 pre-eminent national and international engineering employers. http://www.careereducation.columbia.edu/engineeringcareerfair

CDC posts new internships and full-time positions on a daily basis! Visit eRecruiting today! Students may view and apply for positions through their eRecruiting account. All matriculated students have an account. Here is a sampling of exciting new positions: Health Internships with Broome County Health; Research Internship with Oceans Research; Recruiting Coordinator – Entry Level HR with Advantage Human Resourcing; Client Communications with Wall Street Services; Economist Trainee with NYS Department of Civil Service.

Students are encouraged to also attend employer information sessions to learn about internship and full-time employment opportunities as well as gather general information about the organization.

The CDC is pleased to recommend Interfolio to provide Binghamton University students and alumni an efficient and paperless system to manage references files. For complete information on this change, please visit the CDC Credentials website.

The Office of Student Accounts reminds all students to check their payment record in BU BRAIN to be sure that their student bills have no outstanding balance for the Fall 2009 semester. Why is it important to check? Because you won't be able to advance register for Spring 2010 (advance registration starts October 28), order transcripts, or receive your diploma if you will graduate in December 2009, unless your account is paid. To check your account, just go to BU BRAIN and view your account.

After the first three billing cycles of the semester, a “hold” is placed on the student’s record if there is an outstanding balance. An outstanding balance that results in a hold on the student’s record must be paid in full in order to participate in advance registration for the next semester.

6. Spring 2010 Advance Registration Coming Soon

The Spring 2010 schedule of classes will be available on line at http://bubrain.binghamton.edu soon. Just select “Spring 2010” as the term once it becomes available, which will be before Wednesday, October 28, 2009. The on line version is the most up to date and accurate source of course information and is the only published version of the Schedule of Classes.

Currently enrolled degree-seeking undergraduate students and all graduate students can register for courses for the Spring 2010 term beginning Wednesday, October 28. Online registration in BU Brain will be available seven days a week until pre-registration ends on Friday, December 11.

Students are assigned starting times (called "Time Tickets" in Banner) for registration according to their total completed cumulative credit. This does NOT include in progress courses. To know the earliest starting time for Spring 2010 early registration for your credit level, visit: http://registrar.binghamton.edu/registration.htm You may log into BU BRAIN to view your personal registration start time.

Financial obligations and missing health forms will block registration: Students with outstanding financial obligations to the university and students who have not submitted a health form to the Health Services office will be blocked from registering. Students may view their account balances and pay any outstanding debts through the BU BRAIN. Please note: release of financial holds will not occur until the next business day.

Accessing your schedule: You can view and print your schedule online by logging into the BU BRAIN. Room assignments shown online are the most accurate and up to date, but know that these assignments are subject to change.

Credit limit: The maximum number of credits an undergraduate may register for each semester is 18 credits. This includes any HPEY or MUSP credits and is enforced, no matter your GPA. If you seek to register for more than 18 credits, please follow your school's procedure for petitioning for an overload.

7. Laws That Every International Student Should Know

Binghamton University Police has placed information on its website that discusses New York State laws and ordinances as they apply to college students. This section includes a discussion of alcohol law and other laws from the penal code that may be used in certain situations. To view the entire document, visit: http://publicsafety.binghamton.edu/workingtogether.htm

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