Information for 2008-2009

New Student Orientation

The Office of Graduate Studies hosts a New Graduate Student Orientation every September at the beginning of the academic year. Orientation for the 2008-2009 school year will take place the afternoon of Wednesday, September 17. The afternoon's sessions will be followed by a barbeque in the evening to which families are also invited.

Wednesday, Sept 17th Graduate Student Orientation Schedule (Interactive Campus Map)

• 8am-5pm - Immunization Clinic in Tutor Lounge, Myers Hall
  • All students can complete required immunizations
• 1-3pm - Dragon Expo, Campus Tours, Dragon Card ID Pictures at the Creese Hall Patio and Lobby
• 1pm - International Student Registration in Mandell Lobby, MacAlister Hall
• 2pm - Immigration Workshop in Mandell Theater, MacAlister Hall
  • Mandatory for all international graduate students
• 2pm - Domestic Student Registration in Mandell Lobby, MacAlister Hall
• 3pm - Welcome: Getting Started with your Career, Graduate Student Academic Standards and Ethics, Student/Advisor Relationship in Mandell Theater, MacAlister Hall
  • Recorded webcast of Welcome, Adacemic Standards and Ethics, and the PhD Student/Advisor Relationship, 3-5:30
  • Recorded webcast of the Master's Student/Advisor Relationship, 4:15 to 5:30
• 5:30pm - Graduate Workshops (Two Sessions) in various campus locations
  • Recorded sessions will be posted online soon after Orientation - we are working with IRT to upload these and expect to complete the process by the end of Week 2
• 7pm - Graduate Student Association Picnic and Reception at Buckley Green, Rush Alumni Gardens and Buckley Field

Orientation begins with registration, campus tours and a Dragon Expo featuring information tables hosted by offices and groups providing university services. International students must report for registration from 1-2pm in order to attend their mandatory Immigration Workshop at 2pm. Domestic students are requested to arrive between 2pm and 3pm. A day long Immunization Clinic will be open from 8am to 5pm for all students to complete their required immunizations.

All new students will be welcomed together at 3pm by various campus officials, focusing on "Getting Started with Your Career." University policies will be covered, as well as an explanation of Drexel's academic standards and ethics, and a discussion of the student/advisor relationship. These sessions will be webcast live for those who cannot attend in person (link provided above in schedule). Then snacks will be provided before breakout workshops are offered. Participants will be able to choose two sessions to attend from among topics like tips for success, financial aid, a guide for ethnic minority students, Drexel health care, exploring Philadelphia, and more. Workshops will be recorded and posted online after orientation, so in the end all students will be able to "attend" all the presentations. (We are currently working with IRT to upload the recordings and expect to have them available by the end of Week 2.)

The day will conclude with a picnic and reception at 7pm sponsored by the Graduate Student Association, where new and continuing students will be able to socialize. Families are welcome to attend and participate in the games and activities that will be a part of the evening. Food will be distributed on Buckley Green, games will be available on the Green and Buckley Field, and an adult reception will be hosted in the Rush Alumni Gardens.

If you plan to attend orientation, and we at Graduate Studies hope you will, please pre-register with us by RSVPing by Monday, September 15th to grorient@drexel.edu with your full name (first and last), college of study (Arts and Sciences, Nursing, Engineering, etc.) and eight digit Drexel ID number. Also let us know if you will be bringing any guests to the barbeque.

New Teaching Assistant Orientation (Updated with new EDUC 775 Fall Quarter meeting locations)

An additional orientation for teaching assistants is also held at the beginning of each academic year to help prepare new TAs for their role in the classroom. The dates for this year's orientation are Tuesday, September 16 and Thursday, September 18. Meetings begin at 8:30am - on Tuesday in Patten Auditorium in Matheson Hall and on Thursday on the 3rd Floor of Matheson. Students should plan to be on-campus all day for both days of orientation; breakfast and lunch will be provided. For this year's sessions, you will need to review the TA Manual before orientation begins. An email was sent to all new TAs with the syllabus and schedule for EDUC 775.

All new TAs are required to attend all parts of orientation and several follow-up workshops during the fall quarter. These all comprise the class EDUC 775, a special, free, one-credit course that is mandatory for all incoming teaching assistants (updated orientation schedule/EDUC 775 syllabus). Workshop sessions during the fall will run from 1-3pm on Fridays during Week 2 (October 3), Week 3 (October 10), Week 4 (October 17), and Week 9 (November 21). The Week 2, 4 and 9 meetings (October 3, 17 and Novermber 21) will take place in Disque 103. The Week 3/October 10 meeting locations are still being arranged.

Required forms for fall quarter workshops include the Observation Report and the Mid-Term Evaluation.