Bobcat Families
The Georgia College Parent and Family Newsletter
Inside February 2020
- Making the Most of Summer (Yes, already!)
- Spotlight on Intramural Sports
- Housing Corner: Get to Know the Resident Student Association
- Important Dates
- Homecoming 2020
- Student Disability Resources: Letter from the Director
- Student Athlete Spotlight: Softball's Amber Coy
Making the Most of Summer (Yes, already!)
The semester is just gaining momentum, and summer is a long way off. But, believe it or not, now is the time to encourage your student to start thinking about their summer plans and how to make the most of the long break.
Summer Classes
Summer classes can help a student get on the fast-track to graduation, but they can also be the solution to conquering a subject that causes your student the most difficulty. In a normal semester, juggling five classes means those stressful subjects sometimes get tossed by the wayside. By taking just one or two classes in the summer, students can focus intently on math, accounting, biology... whichever subject needs the most attention. Summer classes are intensive and fast-paced, but they're also over quickly. If your student just can't get past that one tricky class, encourage them to rip it off like a Bandaid in the summer. Registration for summer classes begins March 10.
Study Abroad
Summer is a wonderful time to study abroad without interrupting the social and other obligations that might consume a student in the academic year. Studying abroad is one of the most impactful experiences a student can have, and it certainly pays off. Students who study abroad have higher employment rates and find jobs sooner than other students; they also earn higher starting salaries and have higher graduate school admissions. Some application deadlines have already passed, so encourage your student to visit the International Center (located in the Bone House at the corner of S. Clarke Street and Greene Street) to make plans soon!
Internships
Summer internships start to go fast this time of year, and you don't have to be a senior to get a great opportunity. A student can have a meaningful internship at any time, even if they are just exploring a possible career path. Internships can tell a student that a field is just right for them -- or that it is very wrong! Either way, students gain valuable skills and networking opportunities, and many companies end up hiring their interns after graduation. Send your student to the Career Center in Lanier Hall to learn about their internship options.
Summer Jobs
On its own or in combination with any of the options above, getting a summer job can greatly benefit your student. In addition to being a source of income (parents rejoice!), a summer job keeps your student in a routine, keeps their minds and bodies active, and gives them work experience for the future. Having a couch potato for three months doesn't benefit anyone in your household, so encourage your student to start looking for a job that interests them. Though some employers may not be taking applications yet, reaching out early will make a good impression when they do apply.
Spotlight on Intramural Sports
In fact, IM sports have four seasons -- early and late fall, and early and late spring. That means there are two opportunities each semester for students to join a team, so they don't get shut out if they get a late start. The current season has teams playing basketball, volleyball, indoor soccer, dodgeball, and intertube water polo. (Yes, really!)
While IM sports welcome amateur players looking for fun, recreational play, some teams get pretty competitive. The men's flag football team took the National Flag Football Championship this year after defeating South Texas College in the tournament held in Round Rock, Texas, and Georgia College team member Mitch Risley earned the title All-American MVP. Georgia College also holds the national records for most single-game wins by a single player and most championship wins by a single student.
Another great point of pride is that IM sports at GC break down almost evenly by gender: 54% male and 46% female. (The national average is 84% male and 16% female!) Many students' first experience with IM sports is through Greek Cup, the annual competition between fraternities and sororities in a variety of sports, but students don't have to have teammates or even know anyone in a league to get started. Men's, women's, and co-ed leagues give all interested students a chance to find their ideal team. Students interested in finding a league and joining a team can find more information at the IM Leagues section of the WRC website.
Students can take their interest in IM sports even further by working for the department of Wellness and Recreation. "We are the largest student employer on campus", Rosenberger says. Positions include scorekeepers, officials, office workers, supervisors, and other specialized positions in the Wellness and Recreation Center. More information on student employment with the WRC can be found here.
Get to Know the Resident Student Association
Greetings!
My name is Iliana Ward, and I am the president of the Georgia College Resident Student Association (RSA). RSA is a student-led organization that provides advocacy for on-campus resident needs and concerns, community engagement, and leadership opportunities. We work to create spaces for student interaction and to provide leadership opportunities for residents to reach their full potential. To guide us in our journey, we attend state, regional and national conferences where we engage with students from other universities that share our goal of bettering the experience of on-campus residents through housing-related activities.
As we enter the spring semester, we are focused on finding more ways to provide leadership opportunities to residents, promoting a greater sense of community in the residence halls and ensuring that the needs of each of our residents are met. To best support our mission, host several programs through the semester intended to effectively promote leadership and student advocacy, including:
- Murder Mystery movie night featuring the film “Knives Out” - Thursday, January 21st
- Grocery Bingo where students can win various grocery items – Wednesday, February 12th.
- Scavenger Hunt campus-wide event encouraging residents to engage with the greater Georgia College campus – Thursday, March 5th
Thank you for trusting us at University Housing to care for your student!
Student Disability Resources
Dear Families of Students Registered with the Student Disability Resource Center,
Spring semester is moving right along, and soon it will be time for finals. Our students who have testing accommodations will be able to register to take finals in the Testing Center beginning on March 13. The deadline to sign up is April 13. Please make sure your students register to take their finals in the Testing Center if they are eligible! Students will visit https://www.gcsu.edu/testingcenter/testing-services and click on Learning Accommodations Testing -- Students for instructions.
We are very excited to announce the upcoming implementation of our new database, Accommodate. Students will be able to sign in through Unify, make appointments with our office, request professor letters, and manage their accommodations for each class through Accommodate. Once the database is up and running we will announce training dates and tutorials through Bobcats e-mail. Please make sure your students check their Bobcats e-mail account daily. It is the official mode of communication for the University.
Thank you for your continued support of your students!
David J. Anderson M.Ed, CRC
Director of Disability Resources
Bobcat Softball's Amber Coy Named Wooden Cup Semifinalist
Contact
Email: emily.jarvis@gcsu.edu
Website: gcsu.edu/parent
Location: Parks Hall 206
Phone: (478) 445-8566
Facebook: facebook.com/bobcatfamilies