TRUMBULL COLLEGE DEAN’S NOTES: February 26, 2024
I hope you all had a good weekend. The sunset was lovely on Friday evening. Two weeks until Spring Recess! We all need it! Of course, until that two-week break, these two weeks are always very busy for everyone. Be kind to yourselves and one another – we’ll get there. Please know – I’m here – if you want to talk through anything. Have a good week and take care.
Keeping this in from last week: I understand that when coursework picks up, other things slip, like getting enough sleep, eating well and exercising. These are the most important times of the term to take care of yourselves. Check out the amazing resources available to you at the Good Life Center and over at Poorvu with Academic Strategies. And YC3, of course.
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, March 1st (10-11:30am & 3-4:30pm).
PLEASE NOTE: I will be in an all-day meeting on Thursday, February 29th. I will be checking e-mail periodically, but please get in touch with Alice if you have time-sensitive questions.
ACADEMICS
Double credit: If you are interested in petitioning to earn double credit in a single-credit course, please read the relevant section in the YCPS, and then consult with me. The deadline is Midterm (March 8th at 5pm), but I recommend that you submit this Petition well before that date.
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. You can confirm which courses you are enrolled in by checking your Degree Audit “Class History” (click the three dots on the upper right of the page). Degree Audit also 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.
Enhanced Support for Data Science Literacy: Yale College recently introduced new ways for you to attain to explore quantitative methods while fulfilling your QR distributional requirement. Yale is committed to providing you with the resources and support necessary to attain an advanced level of proficiency in data science literacy. Key changes include new advising tools, core courses (S&DS 100, 123, and 230) offered every semester, additional discussion sections for S&DS 100 and 123, enhanced “data science connector courses”, and online support modules. Check out the new advising page at https://diss.yale.edu and the flier on our bulletin boards.
February 28 Last day to withdraw from a course offered in the first half of the spring term (submission deadline 5pm)
February 28 Last day to convert from a letter grade to Cr/D/F option for a course offered in the first half of the spring term (submission deadline 5pm)
February 29 Courses offered in the second half of the spring term begin.
March 5 Applications for 2024 Non-Yale Summer Abroad close (submission deadline 11:59pm)
March 8 Midterm.
March 8 Spring recess begins after last academic obligation.
March 8 Last day to withdraw from a spring full-term course without the course appearing on the transcript.
March 8 Deadline to apply for double credit in a single-credit course.
March 8 Withdrawal from Yale College on or before this date entitles a student to a rebate of one-quarter of the term’s tuition (Undergraduate Regulations).
March 25 Classes resume, 8:20 am
HOUSING-RELATED DEADLINES
All deadlines for group formation and room selection are detailed at https://housing.yale.edu/undergraduate-housing/room-draw/timeline. Check Room Draw Policies and FAQs for details. Still have questions? Email %20alice.kustenbauder@yale.edu">undergraduatehousing@yale.edu (always feel free to cc Alice).
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
Yale College Writing Center: https://poorvucenter.yale.edu/undergraduates/writing-center
Whether you are working on a reading response, research paper, application essay, or a creative piece, the Writing Center offers one-to-one consultations to help you at any stage of the writing process.
Professional Writing Tutor: Adam Reid Sexton at Trumbull. 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! https://poorvucenter.yale.edu/residential-college-writing-tutors
Writing Partners. Writing Partners are Yale College or graduate students who are talented writers who love helping others. Writing Partners can meet with you to talk through ideas or give feedback on your draft on a first-come, first-served basis. Drop-In hours are in-person at Poorvu or over Zoom. You can also schedule a Zoom appointment. https://poorvucenter.yale.edu/undergrad-writing-partners
Fellowship Writing Partners. Planning to apply to a scholarship or fellowship program and would like to team up with a Writing Partner as you prepare your materials? Fellowship Writing Partners have been through the process themselves and will meet with you at least three times to help plan, revise, and polish your materials! Request a Fellowship Writing Partner here.
Weekly Writing Partners. Taking a writing intensive course or working on a long-term writing project and want to meet with the same Writing Partner each week? Request a Weekly Writing Partner here!
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 Karin Gosselink (karin.gosselink@yale.edu) for an appointment.
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. To request a mentor please email 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. Poorvu North is a collection of rooms in Kline Biology Tower accessed down the stairs opposite Steep Café. Questions? Contact us at academicstrategies@yale.edu.
STEM Navigators: Introductory Genetics Lab Techniques. Are you unfamiliar with biology genetics & development lab techniques and would like more exposure/explanation of concepts from the course? Our STEM graduate mentors are here to help! Come to this workshop for clarification on the most confusing and tested lab techniques in introductory genetics & development courses! Monday, February 26, 5-6pm, Poorvu CTL Room 120A
Assistive Tech Overview. Assistive Technologies is a segment of the Disability Peer Mentor Program. DPMP aims to create a sense of community and a network of support within the disabled communities at Yale. To learn more about DPMP or to request a mentor, follow our Instagram @yaledpmp. Monday, February 26, 6-7pm, Poorvu CTL Room 120A
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, February 26, 7-9pm, Poorvu CTL Room 120A
STEM Navigators & OCS: Tackling Technical & Behavioral Interviews. First job interviews, now we’re getting technical. Find out how to nail these tough technical interviews for programming positions everywhere at this interactive workshop! In collaboration with Yale Office of Career Strategy. Tuesday, February 27, 5-6pm, Poorvu CTL Room 120C
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, March 3, 2-5pm, Poorvu CTL Room 120A
CAREER STRATEGY
The Office of Career Strategy (OCS) offers career advising, professional school advising, employment and internship opportunities, and career development resources. The office works with students and alumni to clarify career aspirations, identify opportunities, and offer support at every stage of career development. Check out OCS events, opportunities, and services at https://ocs.yale.edu/channels/student.
OCS Upcoming Events
ESPN - Information Session. Monday, February 26, 4-5pm, Online Event (click for link)
Harris Williams Information Session. Harris Williams is a global investment bank specializing in M&A and private capital advisory services. We are hiring summer analysts in Boston, Minneapolis, and San Francisco for 2025. While this session is most applicable for current sophomores, we will also discuss timelines for 2025 full time recruiting. Monday, February 26, 6-6:45pm, Online Event (click for link)
Sage Corps Information Session. Sage Corps is an international internship program that sends students to intern abroad with startup companies. In a short presentation and Q&A, we will cover types of placements, destinations, funding and hear from a Yale program alum who went abroad this past summer. Tuesday, February 27, 6-7pm, Online Event (click for link)
Cove Hill Partners Information Session. Cove Hill Partners is $3bn private equity firm focused on partnering with outstanding management teams to build market-leading consumer and technology companies. Several of our private equity associates & analysts will debate the benefits of pursuing a consulting vs. banking career and which best prepares you for a PE associate job. Wednesday, February 28, 6-7pm, Online Event (click for link)
DRW Information Session. DRW is a diversified trading firm with over 3 decades of experience bringing sophisticated technology and exceptional people together to operate in markets around the world. Learn about our internship and new graduate opportunities and discuss the hiring process with recruiters & full-time technical employees. Food & SWAG provided. Wednesday, February 28, 6:30-8pm, Davies Auditorium, 15 Prospect St (click to RSVP)
Intro to Achievement First. Join Achievement First professionals as they dive deep into the ins and outs of a successful education job search and discuss their open Teacher-in-Residence and Lead Teacher opportunities in New York, Connecticut, and Rhode Island! Friday, March 1, 12-12:30pm, Online Event (click for link)
Centerview Partners LLC Information Session. With offices in New York, London, Paris, Menlo Park, and San Francisco, Centerview Partners is a leading investment banking and advisory firm. Friday, March 1, 3:30-4:30pm, The Study Hotel, 1157 Chapel St
MIT European Club - European Career Fair. Europe-based companies recruit top talent from some of the United States’ best universities. The ECF is one of the largest events of its kind in the US, with around 100 attending organizations and over 2000 attendees. Saturday, March 2, 9am-4pm, MIT Johnson Race Track (Cambridge, Massachusetts)
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. Visit https://funding.yale.edu to learn more.
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, which will help you determine the kind of project you want to pursue. Read about Yalies who have previously won fellowships.
Fellowships & Funding Upcoming Events
Yale-China Fellowship: Pizza Lunch. Select Yale graduates are chosen to spend two years teaching in China, where they not only become familiar with China but also make it their home. Join this pizza lunch with former Fellows to learn about their Yale-China experiences and beyond. Visit yalechina.org/ycf to learn more and apply (deadline March 25th). Wednesday, February 28, 11:30am-1pm, Yale-China Office, 442 Temple St
[Deadline] The Alan S. Tetelman 1958 Fellowships for Study Abroad, from the endowments of Jonathan Edwards College, provide support for original undergraduate research projects abroad in the natural and applied sciences. Currently enrolled first-years, sophomores and juniors are eligible to apply. Awards are for STEM-research to be conducted outside of the United States. It is expected that applicants will have some previous research experience at Yale or elsewhere. Apply through the Yale Student Grants Database by Thursday, February 29, 3pm
STUDY ABROAD
Yale Study Abroad helps students choose from hundreds of study abroad options including Yale Summer Session Abroad, Non-Yale Summer Abroad, and Year or Term Abroad.
Study Abroad Deadlines. All deadlines are 11:59pm ET on the date listed below. Visit the Study Abroad website for more details and list of designated programs.
Summer 2024
Credit for Non-Yale Summer Abroad: March 5
Petition for Summer Programs not on Yale’s Designated List: March 5
Full Year 2024-2025 Abroad
Credit for Full Year Abroad: April 2
Petition for Full Year Programs not on Yale’s Designated List: April 2
Balliol College, Oxford University: Junior Year Abroad Program for English Majors: April 2
Fall 2024 Abroad
Credit for Fall Term Abroad: April 2
Petition for Fall Programs not on Yale’s Designated List: April 2
International Study Award (ISA) Info Session. Are you interested in learning more about financial aid for Study Abroad? Watch a recording of the recent ISA info session (Click here and select the SSO login option). The ISA website is also a great resource to learn how the ISA is calculated, what it covers, what to do if you need to pay a deposit before you receive your ISA, and more. Please contact isa@yale.edu with any questions about the ISA and using that funding to pay for your study abroad experience.
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. Get a passport photo at the Yale ID Center (55 Lock Street).
The current estimated wait time for U.S. passport processing is 6-8 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.
YALE SUMMER SESSION
Yale Summer Session (YSS) offers a broad range of courses, taught by Yale faculty, for Yale College credit in New Haven, online, and abroad. Visit https://summer.yale.edu to learn more and browse Summer 2024 course offerings.
OTHER
Opportunity for Seniors: Woodbridge Fellowship. Established in 2005 by President Richard C. Levin, the Woodbridge Fellowship introduces recent Yale College graduates to the work and administration of Yale. The fellowship provides valuable professional experience for potential careers in higher education and non-profit organizations, particularly for recent graduates belonging to minority communities currently underrepresented in university administration. Fellowships are full-time paid positions in the offices of university leaders, who take active interest in fellows’ professional development.
For more information on available positions and to submit applications, please visit our website.
To hear from current fellows, attend the upcoming information session on Wednesday, February 28, 3-4pm in WTS B74 (register here).
Yale Sustainable Food Program. On the farm, in the classroom, and around the world, YSFP grows food-literate leaders. Get connected by subscribe to YSFP’s newsletter or joining one of this week’s events:
> On February 26th (today), 4pm: College Tea with Zewiditu Jewel, co-owner of the vegan donut shop Cloudy Donuts, and President of The Brown Collective, a culinary food group promoting Black-owned businesses. Silliman Head of College House, 71 Wall Street
> On February 28th (Wednesday), 4:30pm: Growing Wheat Well: Why Context Matters from Mexico to Montana. Kroon Hall, 195 Prospect St (please register; food will be served at the end)
Apply for Center for Language Study’s Fall 2024 Programs. The Directed Independent Language Study (DILS) Program gives students the opportunity to study a language that is not currently taught in a Yale classroom. The Fields Program gives students the opportunity to pursue advanced-level language study within the context of their academic area of focus (generally in areas other literature if the language is taught at Yale, since advanced coursework in literature would likely be available).
Both are non-credit programs, open to all enrolled Yale students. In each program, students work with a Language Partner—a native speaker of the target language (not a formal instructor)—in two 1-hour sessions for 12 weeks. The sessions aim to develop linguistic and cultural competence through active conversation and practice of what you are studying independently. With a limited number of slots available, a selection committee reviews all applications for their merit and appropriateness, and notifies students of its decisions within four to six weeks after the application deadline.
Details on each program and how to apply can be found at these links:
* Directed Independent Language Study (DILS): https://cls.yale.edu/dils
* Fields Program: https://cls.yale.edu/fields
All applications must be received by the deadline, Friday, March 1st 1pm (this includes applications for continued study from current DILS or Fields students)
Job Opportunity: Pathways Summer Scholars Programs is seeking Yale students to serve as Teaching Assistants or Residential Advisors. Every year, the Yale Pathways Summer Scholars Programs welcomes over 150 local public high school students to campus free of cost to take part in STEM and Arts & Humanities classes with Yale faculty and students. Students will have the unique opportunity to learn about coding, neuroscience, engineering, art-making, art history, college essay writing, and more. Join us this summer in inspiring the next generation! For more information and to apply, search “Pathways” at www.yalestudentjobs.org:
Teaching Assistants (TAs). TAs help with logistical needs of the program, plan activities, serve as mentors and chaperones to students, and aid instructors in the classroom. To get a better sense of what Summer Scholars looks like, check out last summer’s Closing Ceremony videos for the STEM and Arts & Humanities programs! Prospective TAs must be able to commit to a one month-long commitment, July 1-August 2. This is a full-time position with an hourly wage; we’ll be working from 8:30am to 4:30pm five days a week.
We’re looking for folks with maturity, enthusiasm, organizational skills, a sense of humor and a genuine interest in young people and outreach. If you have worked or volunteered in education, tutored young people, or anything else that’s related, we want to hear it in your application. Previous work with youth is preferred but not required, and content knowledge in STEM or Arts & Humanities is not required.
Residential Advisors (RAs). During the STEM program, about 40 rising high school seniors are granted the special opportunity of living in one of the Residential Colleges, returning home on the weekend between each one week-long session. RAs live with students in the Residential Colleges and their primary responsibility will be to supervise and mentor residential students. They will also be asked to help with logistical needs, plan activities, and participate in college readiness programming. Each RA will be responsible for about 10 students. Prospective RAs must be able to make a three week-long commitment, July 1-19. This is a full-time paid position; with shifts starting at 3pm. Room and board are provided for the duration of the program in addition to a $1600 stipend.
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
Wellness Wheels and Wellness Signs. Interested in learning more about astrology and how it can build connections? This workshop helps students understand the importance of wellness in their life, by using a fun concept to introduce the wellness wheel; a tool that will help you not only organize your life but prioritize areas of wellness by your astrology sign. Tuesday, February 27, 2- 2:45pm, Good Life Center in Schwarzman (click to register)
Wellness Wednesday. Join YC3 for Wellness Wednesday! Each month we will explore a new wellness topic. We will explain the science behind this topic and give you ways to incorporate it into your day-to-day life! This month’s theme is focused on Decision Making. February 28, 2-4pm at Good Life Center in Schwarzman
From the Yale Library
Next Steps with Zotero. Learn how to get the most out of Zotero’s advanced research management features for your unique needs, including removing duplicate citations, filtering citations with tags, creating annotations, and integrating Zotero with Microsoft Word and Google Docs.
Monday, February 26, 6:30pm, Online Event (click for link!)
Tuesday, February 27, 3pm, Online Event (click for link!)
Demystifying the Literature Review. Learn how to conduct a literature review for your research papers, independent projects, and fellowship applications. In this 45-minute workshop, students will learn: why a literature review is important, ways to get started conducting a literature review, and techniques to synthesize your sources. Wednesday, February 28, 12:30pm, Online Event (click for link!)
Hi Barbie! A Photobooth with Heidi & Dan. Drop by for a Barbie-inspired photobooth with Heidi & Handsome Dan! Wednesday, February 28, 2pm, Thain Café, Bass Library
Cookies & Questions. Get answers to your most pressing library and research-related questions (and a free Insomnia cookie!) from a Library Peer Mentor. Wednesday, February 28, 9pm, Thain Café, Bass Library
Tour of Sterling Memorial Library. A one-hour walking tour of Sterling Memorial Library, where you will learn about the building’s history, collections, as well as useful library services for students, staff, and faculty. Friday, March 1, 2pm, Meet in the SML Nave & bring your Yale ID