Introducing: “To Be Me” Diversity Series

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This fall, NOVA Online is introducing the “To Be Me” Series that celebrates student cultural diversity and gives students, faculty, and staff the opportunity to share and learn from the unique experiences of the many cultural groups represented at NOVA. This will serve as a way for individuals to connect, invite others into their experience, and acknowledge the differences within groups and find the commonalities between groups.

Culture encapsulates so much more than just race and ethnicity and expands to include age, military status, family style, employment status, etc. So we will acknowledge groups, such as first-generation college students, students with disabilities, active duty military students, senior citizen students, and many other student populations! We will even take your suggestions about who to feature each month.

How it works:

Each month we will highlight a specific student group and let students share short phrases, funny anecdotes, little known facts, misconceptions, etc. about all the struggles and triumphs that come along with belonging to these unique groups. Postings will be every other Friday on the NOVA Online blog,  Twitter, and Facebook. The first Friday of the month, we will introduce the cultural group of the month and, throughout the next two weeks, students can post comments on the NOVA Online blog,  Twitter, or Facebook posts. All comments to the postings should end in #tobeme. The following post will contain a summary of the themes from student responses along with resources for students, faculty, and staff specific to that population.

***Please make sure all comments are appropriate for an academic setting. Please refrain from posting obscenities, profanity, and otherwise offensive remarks***

In light of Career Development Month, we’re highlighting the unique experience of our employed students to kickoff the To Be Me Series. This month we will focus on those students who are juggling a job and the demands of school simultaneously.

Please share your experiences and tell us What it’s like to be…an employed student.

RESOURCE REVIEW: Ferguson’s Career Guidance Center

Happy National Career Development Month! A great resource to help you explore career options is Ferguson’s Career Guidance Center database provided by NOVA’s library.

Ferguson’s offers 3 major resources:

 Job and Industry Profiles picture  Job Hunting and Workplace Skills  Career and Industry Resources picture
Use the Job and Industry Profiles section to find detailed profiles of more than 3,000 jobs in over 94 industries. Use the Job-hunting and Workplace Skills section to learn valuable information for finding employment including tips on: etiquette, teamwork, resume writing, and leadership. Use the Career and Industry Resources section to find resources devoted to college and career advancement including scholarships, fellowships, internships and apprenticeships.

Ferguson’s Career Guidance Center offers everything above and more, including a career interest assessment. So, whether you are just starting out, you are interested in advancing your career, or you would like to change fields this database has something for you. Happy searching!

Need more guidance? Contact your career services counselor .

Happy National Career Development Month!

November is National Career Development Month. To kick-off NCDM NOVA Online will be offering an Exploring Career Options. This 45 minute webinar will focus on using various online resources to research career options. The relationship between programs of study at NOVA, college majors, and career options will be discussed.  Resources presented will provide information on nature of work, educational requirements, job outlook, and wages. The webinar is free, but registration is required.  Both live and recorded sessions are available.

In addition to this and other webinars that will be offered throughout the month, follow NOVA Online staff on Twitter to receive a daily inspirational quote. Join the conversation on Facebook.  Visit the Virtual Student Union to learn more about career development and related resources. Return to NOVA Onlineife regularly for tips, stories, and to stay connected.

Advising Week is here!

Advising week for Spring 2015 is November 3 – November 7. Jump start advising week by participating in a Getting Ready for Your Next Semester webinar. This one hour webinar for NOVA students will focus on answering key questions students have about preparing for their next semester. Topics covered will include program identification, course selection, college resources, schedule planning, and registration/payment tips. The webinar is free, but registration is required.

Remember, advising week is a great time to connect with your advisor about your academic and career goals. It is also a good time to discuss any concerns you may have about achieving your goals. Check NOVAConnect to identify your advisor. If you have not been assigned an advisor, have not declared a program of study, or are not pursuing a certificate or degree at NOVA contact an NOVA Online Counselor for assistance.Advising_Week_Flyer