TRUMBULL COLLEGE DEAN’S NOTES: November 27, 2023
Hope you had a restorative November Recess and had fun at The Game! Congrats to our Football players! Also, congrats to our Men’s Soccer players on their awesome run and our Volleyball players who will be competing in the NCAA tournament this week! Go Gigi, Chidera & Arya!
After The Game, I had fun meeting up with Trumbull alums from the last five years, who visited our TC Common room for a pizza gathering. That, plus the win, was a great way to kick off November recess. I didn’t get as much done as I wanted to but that’s often how it goes…I hope that’s reassuring for you all. I did rest, which was productive – this morning’s alarm was a little rough, I have to say!
We spent half the break at my parents’ house in Southington, CT. I made our Thanksgiving meal, which means everyone grazed for about five hours – it was fun. Sahej got a lot of attention from his grandparents and his Masi (my sister).
And now for the final stretch of the term! I know…the next ~three and a half weeks are going to be very busy. However, right after that, we’ll have another, more restorative break! Hang in there. As I say every term: While it is true that Yale can be particularly challenging at times, you’ve made it this far and the end of the term is in sight. You can do it!! For those of you who feel nervous, try this strategy: Repeat to yourself often, “I can do it!! I am a good test taker/I can write this paper/I can complete this project/I can give this presentation…” I know it’s cheesy, but it works!
Keep an eye out for end-of-term messages from me in the coming days/weeks. Also, please know that I’m available to talk between now and the end of finals. I’ll shift to more Zoom appointments and open Zoom hours during reading period and finals, so you know. See below. Have a wonderful week and enjoy the sunshine and warmer weather!
Meeting with me
To make an appointment, please use the Calendly scheduling tool, https://calendly.com/dean_c. Please reach out to Alice with any scheduling issues. For in-person meetings, please come to the office. We’re right here in Trumbull G104, which you can access across from Entryway A or through Entryway G. Zoom meetings (including open Zoom office hours) will be through my Zoom page: https://yale.zoom.us/my/skchandhoke.
My OPEN ZOOM office hours for each week are listed on the top of my Calendly page. When you click on the Zoom link, you will be placed into a waiting room. I will speak to students (one-on-one) in the order they “arrive”. My upcoming open hours are on Friday, December 1st (10-11:30am & 2:30-4pm).
Please note that I teach on Wednesday mornings during the fall term.
ACADEMICS
Yale Degree Audit: Yale Degree Audit (YDA) is a tool that tracks your progress toward the bachelor’s degree. You can access Degree Audit through Yale Hub. Degree Audit displays the Yale College degree requirements that you have already completed and those that are still pending. A “Look Ahead” feature shows you how future course enrollment might apply toward your degree. If you believe that academic information in your degree audit is incorrect, contact our office.
UPCOMING DATES AND DEADLINES
November 30 Last day to relinquish on-campus housing for the spring term without charge
December 8 Classes end; reading period begins
December 8 Last day to convert from a letter grade to the Cr/D/F option for a full-term course and/or a course offered in the second half of the fall term
December 8 Last day to withdraw from a full-term course and/or a course offered in the second half of the fall term
TUTORING
Advising Resources: http://advising.yalecollege.yale.edu
Sc/QR Tutoring: https://poorvucenter.yale.edu/undergraduates/stem-tutoring-programs/small-group-and-1-1-tutoring
Language Tutoring: http://cls.yale.edu/foreign-language-tutoring
Writing Center/Tutors/Partners: https://poorvucenter.yale.edu/undergraduates/undergraduate-writing-and-tutoring; https://poorvucenter.yale.edu/undergraduates/writing-center
Trumbull Writing Tutor: Adam Reid Sexton is the Trumbull College Writing Tutor. Adam teaches three courses in the English department (The Craft of Fiction, Reading and Writing the Modern Essay, and Writing About Music) and is a Critic in the graduate School of Art. During summer 2022 he taught Writing About Music for Yale in London. Adam is also a writer; his next book, Difficult Listening, is due to be published soon.
To meet with Adam, please reserve a half-hour by logging on to https://www.yalewco.com/index.php, and be sure to email him the document you want help with by 7am on the day of your appointment. Include the instructor’s prompt, your focus for the meeting, and when the paper is due. Adam looks forward to working with you!
Yale Academic Strategies Program/Office of Educational Opportunity
https://yaleconnect.yale.edu/PoorvuAcademicStrategies/club_signup
https://poorvucenter.yale.edu/academic-strategies-program
Our mission is to help all Yale undergraduate be active, empowered learners at Yale. Though peer academic mentoring, interactive workshops, and connections to resources, we hope to provide you with the tools that can propel you towards your goals.
STEM Navigators. Want to learn the best practices for succeeding in introductory STEM Courses? Join STEM Navigators, a mentoring network that provides you with information, events, and support to guide you through these crucial first courses. Sign up via this link: STEM Navigators sign up
Disability Peer Mentorship Program (DPMP). DPMP pairs students with peers of similar backgrounds to create networks of support for people with disabilities at Yale. The diverse experiences of disability in our community include physical & mobility disabilities, chronic illnesses, mental illnesses & psychiatric disabilities, neurodiversity & learning disabilities (including ADHD, dyslexia, autism), sensory disabilities & processing disorders (including vision impairments, blindness, and d/Deafness), and other conditions. You do not need to have a formal diagnosis to participate. Disability Peer Mentors help individual students develop critical self-advocacy skills, connect them to institutional resources, and find community around disability identity. Request a DPMP Mentor here.
First-year students can also request mentorship and guidance about Student Accessibility Resources through the SAS Peer Liaison Program.
Meet with our Learning Specialist. Have a learning difference or other condition that affects how you accomplish your academic work? We can talk with you about new approaches for meeting Yale’s academic challenges. Contact our new Learning Specialist, Geoffrey Canales (geoffrey.canales@yale.edu), for an appointment.
For First Years: College Transition Videos. Did you know that diving into your syllabi can help you succeed in your classes? What to learn the keys to performing well on p-sets? Learn about these topics and more through our college transition videos: https://poorvucenter.yale.edu/undergraduates/academic-strategies/first-years-workshops-videos-events.
Individual Mentoring. Get organized for the semester by meeting with an Academic Strategies Mentor. Mentors will help you develop a weekly study routine, offer strategies for approaching complicated readings and p-sets, and help you develop a plan for prepping for those first exams. Our online mentoring schedule goes live Monday, September 18. If you’d like to schedule a meeting before then, please email us at academicstrategies@yale.edu.
Workshops. Our famous workshop sessions are available in person and online! Register via the YaleConnect links below. FYI: Poorvu CTL M104A is upstairs from the York Street Entrance to Sterling Memorial Library. Poorvu CTL 120 A, B, C, and 121 are the classrooms on the first floor. Questions? Contact us at academicstrategies@yale.edu.
Senior Thesis Power Hours. The Academic Strategies Senior Thesis Power Hours are designed to help students stay motivated and accountable while working on their senior theses. They will be held throughout the semester to give students a chance to help each other with solidarity and accountability in the development and writing of their senior theses. The sessions are facilitated by an Academic Strategies Peer Mentor. Monday, November 27, 7-9pm, Poorvu CTL Room 120A
STEM Navigators & OCS: Starting Your STEM Resume. How do I prepare my resume as a STEM student? You’re in luck, because STEM Navigators is partnering with Yale’s Office of Career Strategy to teach you exactly how you can start and perfect your resume in its beginning stages, which is important for future job searches - or for future employers to recruit YOU!
Join the Office of Career Strategy and STEM Navigators for this workshop that will give you tips on creating a strong resume. Tuessday, November 28, 4-5pm, Poorvu CTL Room 120B
STEM Navigators Empowering Students: How to Secure Your Summer Research Internship. Come to this NEW STEM Navigators-sponsored workshop to learn how to optimize your applications to summer research internships! Tuesday, November 28, 5-6pm, Poorvu CTL Room 118A
So You Don’t Feel Like Doing Your Work. Have trouble staying focused and on task? Learn how to get motivated and keep engaged with your work while giving yourself the time you need to be healthy and grounded. Tuesday, November 28, 7-8pm, Poorvu CTL Room M104A
STEM Navigators: How to Study for the MCAT. Are you thinking of pursuing a career in medicine? A huge part of preparing to apply is taking the dreaded MCAT - how exactly can you tackle this 7.5 hour long exam?! Come to this workshop and start making your study plan! Wednesday, November 29, 4-5pm, Poorvu CTL Room 120B
Exam Study Strategies. Reduce exam stress by learning new strategies for preparing and studying for midterms and finals. This workshop offers suggestions for preparing for and taking problem-based, short answer, and essay exams. Wednesday, November 29, 8-9pm, Online Event
Imagining Your Summer Interested in summer study abroad, fellowships, or internships, but don’t know how to get started? Hear from students who have done these things to help you identify some possible summer opportunities. You will leave with a clearer idea of what is possible and the resources you can access to make your vision happen. Now is the perfect time to start planning! Thursday, November 30, 4-5pm, Poorvu CTL Room 120B
Preparing For Your Upcoming Senior Thesis. Learn how to plan your writing and research, and how to access support resources for your senior project. Thursday, November 30, 7-8pm, Poorvu CTL Room M104A
Exploring Summer Opportunities for Transfer Students. Join this workshop to learn more about professional development as a transfer student! Learn about study abroad and summer internships, as well as gain insight on how to apply for these experiences with confidence! Hear from other transfer students who have engaged with these opportunities and ask them questions. Friday, December 1, 2-3pm, Poorvu CTL Room 120C
Wait – Someone Will Pay Me to Do That?! (Arts and Humanities). Oh, the places you’ll go! Dr. Seuss might well have been talking about YOU if you come to this session. This workshop aims to demystify undergraduate fellowships/funding for Arts and Humanities students. You will learn from other Yale students about some of the big resources for Arts/Humanities funding, and together discuss how to find opportunities, how to talk with faculty and staff about your dreams; and why to make this a part of your Yale education. Friday, December 1, 4-5pm, Poorvu CTL Room M104A
STEM Navigators Study Hall. Snacks? While studying and meeting peers? Come complete your p-sets, study, and meet your peers in your STEM courses. Snacks and peer mentors are here to help you with any questions about majors, summer opportunities, or classes to take in the future! NOTE: Tutoring NOT provided by mentors! Sunday, December 3, 2-5pm, Poorvu CTL, Room 120B
CENTER FOR INTERNATIONAL & PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE: https://cipe.yale.edu
Check the CIPE weekly digest for what’s going on this week, including deadlines, events, and opportunities. Follow CIPE on Instagram and Twitter.
Yale students have a free subscription to the Daily Chatter, a great resource for keeping up with global news presented from a non-partisan perspective.
OFFICE OF CAREER STRATEGY (OCS)
Students can engage with the Office of Career Strategy (OCS) in ways that align best with their personal academic and professional path. OCS can help you brainstorm career paths, apply for positions, network with ease, negotiate offers, and consider graduate school.
For the most up-to-date information, sign up for newsletters from our Career Communities, Affinity/Identity Communities, and Applying to Graduate School Communities.
OCS Upcoming Events
Endeavor Global - Information Session | Monday, November 27, 1:30-2:30pm | Tsai CITY Studio, 17 Prospect St
Endeavor Global: 1:1 Coffee Chats | Monday, November 27, 2:30-4:30pm | Tsai CITY Studio, 17 Prospect St
STAY Alumni Tea – Leadership and Introversion – Johnnie Bird | Monday, November 27, 4-5:15pm | Location provided upon confirmation. Register here (capped at 45 people):
SpaceX Spring/Summer 2024 Engineering Internship - Information Session | Tuesday, November 28, 6-8pm | CEID Lecture Hall, 15 Prospect St.
Life After Yale: Black Yalies in Law Panel | Wednesday, November 29, 7-8pm | 211 Park St, Founder’s Room
Get to know Slate School - Coffee Chats | Thursday, November 30, 4:30-6:30pm (RSVP by selecting a 20-minute timeslot) | Maison B. Cafe (formerly known as Maison Mathis).
STUDY ABROAD
Study Abroad Upcoming Events
Information Session: Exeter College Summer Programme, University of Oxford | Friday, December 1, 3:30-4:30pm | 55 Whitney Ave, 3rd Floor, Room 305. Join us for an in-person information session to learn more about the six-week Summer Programme at Exeter College from the Director of the program, Greg Lewis. Our aim is to challenge and inspire you through engagement with Oxford’s world-class reputation for academic excellence. Over the summer, we will give you an authentic experience of undergraduate collegiate life and invite you to share in Exeter’s distinguished 700-year history with a talented and diverse cohort of students from around the world.
Thinking about studying abroad? Head to the “Get Started” tab to search programs that fit your personal and academic interests, check application deadlines, review costs and funding options, get advice on your plans, and more. Learn about fulfilling distributional and major requirements with study abroad coursework here.
Thinking about studying abroad for a semester or year but worried about the time you’ll be missing at Yale? You’re not alone. Check out So You Want to Study Abroad by Edmund Zheng! Edmund’s article addresses this common concern based on his experience of returning to Yale after a semester abroad.
Need to Get or Renew Your Passport? Don’t wait to ensure you have the necessary travel documents! All passports should be valid at least 6 months beyond the end date of your anticipated study abroad program. Even if you are not yet sure that you will study abroad, you should have a valid passport at least three months in advance, if possible.
U.S. citizens should visit the U.S. Department of State’s website for information about applying for or renewing a passport. You can apply at the Yale Station post office in New Haven or the New Haven Free Public Library. You can also get a passport photo from the Yale ID Center (55 Lock Street). Passport photo services at the Yale ID Center do not require an appointment.
Current estimated wait times for U.S. passport processing are 10-13 weeks, and expedited processing is estimated at 7-9 weeks. This process starts once the State Department receives your application and does not factor in mailing times. For additional information, visit our Travel Planning & Logistics page.
FELLOWSHIPS AND FUNDING
Yale and outside funding options can help support research, study abroad, public service, unpaid internships, and self-designed projects, in New Haven and around the globe. Postgraduate fellowships support independent projects, graduate study, and much more. The Office of Fellowships and Funding helps students identify funding opportunities and navigate the application process.
Customize your Fellowships and Funding Newsletter for timely opportunities in your areas of interest: https://funding.yale.edu/connect/newsletter-review-subscription
Fellowships/Funding Upcoming Events
Yale College Postgrad Fellowships - Info Session #4 | Wednesday, November 29, 11am–12:00pm | 55 Whitney Ave, 3rd Floor, Room 369. Attend this information session to learn about Yale College Postgraduate Fellowships for research, study, and projects after Yale.
How to Write a Research Proposal | Wednesday, November 29, 7-8pm | Online Event. Attend this information session for information on how to write a research proposal in STEM disciplines at Yale. Hosted by Dean Sandy Chang on behalf of the Yale College Science & QR Center.
Imagining Your Summer | Thursday, November 30, 4-5pm | Poorvu Center, 301 York St, Room 120B. Interested in summer study abroad, fellowships, or internships, but don’t know how to get started? Hear from students who have done these things to help you identify some possible summer opportunities. You will leave with a clearer idea of what is possible and the resources you can access to make your vision happen. Now is the perfect time to start planning!
Light Fellowship Information Session #6 | Friday, December 1, 2:30-3:30pm | 55 Whitney Ave, 3rd Floor, Room 369 The Richard U. Light Fellowship Program fully funds Yale undergraduate, graduate, and professional school students pursuing intensive language study in Chinese, Japanese, and Korean for terms ranging from a single summer to a combined summer plus academic year. Learn more about the Light Fellowship. Attending a Light Fellowship Information Session is a requirement in order to be eligible for the Light Fellowship.
Fellowships/Funding Approaching Application Deadlines
Wednesday, November 29, 1pm ET: James C. Gaither Junior Fellows Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (Deadline for Yale Nomination)
Saturday, December 2, 11pm ET: Yenching Academy
Fellowships/Funding Resource of the Week
Not sure where to begin the fellowships process? Refer to this step-by-step guide on How to Apply for Fellowships.
The first step in planning a strong fellowship application is to identify your short-term or long-term personal and academic goals. Identifying your goals will help you determine the kind of project you want to pursue. Read about Yalies who have previously won fellowships.
OTHER
Yale Playwrights Festival: Deadline for Script Submission DEADLINE 4PM TODAY
Yale College students are invited to submit a one-act and/or full-length script(s) in progress for consideration for the 2024 Yale Playwrights Festival, February 23-24, a weekend of live readings for a live audience. The selection committee is looking for unpublished, previously unproduced works-in-progress. Scripts may be any length, but should be far enough along to benefit from the mentorship of working writers in and out of Yale and then from a rehearsed reading in front of an audience. (But not so far along that it’s ready for production). Additional details & submission instructions are at https://advising.yalecollege.yale.edu/event/yale-playwrights-festival-deadline-script-submission.
Announcing the Yale GIS Accelerator. The Yale GIS Accelerator is designed for those who have a project and dataset, and need support to learn principles of GIS and spatial data management. Registration selection will be based on the necessity of geospatial analysis for their current and proposed projects. Apply by December 1, 2023. Please review the instructions and application form.
Program Dates: January 8 - January 12, 2023
Location: Hybrid, Marx Library Classroom and Online
Unable to commit 1-week during this training period? Please add your Yale contact information to the interest list. We will notify you if we organize another Yale GIS Accelerator.
Pre-requisites No prior experience with GIS is expected from Accelerator participants. However, working knowledge of Windows is assumed. Mac and Linux users can prepare by learning how to use File Explorer to find and manage files in Windows, launch programs from the Start Menu, unzip downloads, and copy/paste text.
Please send your inquiries to miriam.olivares@yale.edu.
SOM Silver Scholars Program - Opportunity for Seniors. The Silver Scholars Program at the Yale School of Management allows students to earn a Yale MBA degree within three years, directly after graduation, spring-boarding them toward their career goals and leadership positions. The program is designed for exceptional students with strong leadership potential. These students enroll in our full-time MBA program where they make up about 5% of the student body. Rather than the traditional summer MBA internship, Silver Scholars complete a year-long internship, extending their experience to three years. All Yale College students receive a 50% tuition discount and an application fee waiver.
The admissions committee seeks applicants with a combination of intelligence, maturity, and curiosity who aim to be future leaders in their field of interest. Candidates from all majors are welcome to apply; we enjoy the diversity of interests and backgrounds that Silver Scholars bring to the broader MBA class at Yale SOM.
If you would like to speak with an admissions representative, please email maria.derlipanska@yale.edu to schedule an appointment.
Application deadlines for the 2023-24 application cycle:
Round 2: Application Deadline January 4, 2024, 5pm ET (decisions announced by March 26, 2024, 5pm ET)
Round 3: Application Deadline April 9, 2024, 5pm ET (decisions announced by May 16, 2024, 5pm ET)
SOM Master’s in Asset Management - Opportunity for Seniors. Do you have a quantitative skill set and an interest in finance or investing? Or do you have a background in computer science or engineering and are considering different fields to apply your expertise?
The Master’s in Asset Management program is a quantitatively intense nine-month program that was developed by the late David Swensen ’80 PhD, Yale’s former chief investments officer and the pioneer of the “Yale Model” and Tobias Moskowitz, Dean Takahashi ’80 B.A., ’83 M.P.P.M. Professor of Finance and a principal at AQR Capital Management. Focusing on ethical and responsible investing, they designed a unique program dedicated to the merging of academic theory and practice.
Students in this program will receive training in all aspects of asset management, including investment selection, asset allocation, portfolio management, and risk management, with a focus on forward-looking quantitative methods and new technologies in this rapidly changing field.
We are pleased to offer the following to Yale College students:
- One-to-one consultations with an admissions officer to answer questions about the program or the admissions process. To request a consultation, please email assetmgmt.admissions@yale.edu
- Application fee waiver
- Exemption from the standardized test (GMAT, GRE) requirement for anyone with a 3.7 GPA or higher. The admissions team would welcome the chance to speak with anyone with a lower GPA who is concerned about the test requirement
- Special consideration for two of our premier scholarships – the Swensen Scholars in Asset Management and our Dean’s Scholarship
Interested in learning more? Attend a Master’s in Asset Management event or visit our website.
Walden Peer Counseling. Walden Peer Counseling is one of the oldest anonymous and confidential hotline and walk-in peer counseling services in the US. Staffed exclusively by Yale undergraduates, we are available to talk about anything that’s on your mind. We are open every weekday and weekend night during the academic year when classes are in session; the hotline operates from 8pm to 8am every night. Our office, in the Welch B basement, is open from 8pm to 1am Sunday through Thursday. The number for the hotline is (203) 432-TALK (203-432-8255).
From YC3
Taking Care of the College Brain Thursday November 30, 10-11:30am at The Good Life Center in Schwarzman. This 90-minute program begins with an overview of the neuroscience of the late adolescent/early adult brain. We then identify unhelpful thinking styles to which neurobiology can make us vulnerable. We wrap up with an emphasis on ways to move away from these thinking styles and thereby lower stress and anxiety and boost self-esteem. Please register.
From the Yale Library
First Steps with Zotero | Online Join us for 30 minutes to learn about Zotero, free software to help you manage your research.
Wednesday, November 29, 7pm | Register: https://schedule.yale.edu/event/11436165
Therapy Dog Thursday | Marx Library Join us for a chance to meet Heidi, a 4-year-old yellow Labrador Retriever, whose sole job is to be a calming, comforting presence.
Tuesday, November 30, 2pm | More info: https://schedule.yale.edu/event/11314470
Latte With A Librarian | Thain Café, Bass Library Meet with a librarian for a drop-in research consultation. Any student who asks a library or research-related question will receive a FREE Yale Library travel mug.
Thursday, November 30, 12noon-1:30pm | More info: https://schedule.yale.edu/event/11204765
Next Steps With Zotero | Online For experienced users of Zotero, or anyone who has already attended ‘First Steps with Zotero’ and is ready to learn more. Topics include removing duplicates, adding tags and notes, creating a shared library, and integrating with Microsoft Word.
Friday, December 1, 12 noon | More info: https://schedule.yale.edu/event/11154544