It’s hard to believe it’s almost time for final exams and Fall 2023 Commencement!
We enjoyed getting to meet many of you at events like our Week of Welcome Coffee Break and Aggieville Adventure, the Lunches with the Deans, the ArtSci Education Abroad Fair and the Health and Helping Professions Networking Nights. And it was especially fulfilling to witness your many talents as you showcased your scholarly work and creative activities at research exhibits, stage performances and more. We look forward to seeing more of you next semester! (Be sure to join our Civil Rights Teach-In Jan. 24, during K-State’s Martin Luther King, Jr., Observance Week!)
For those of you graduating and moving on to the next phase of your life, congratulations! Earning a degree is a lot of work and you should be proud of your achievement. We look forward to seeing all that you accomplish and hope you’ll stay in touch (and consider serving as a mentor to students in the ArtSci Mentorship Program).
We look forward to celebrating our graduates at the Commencement ceremonies December 8 (graduate) and 9 (undergraduate), and to seeing the rest of you back in January!
On behalf of the ArtSci Dean’s Office, good luck on finals and have a great Winter Break!
Chris Culbertson
Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences
Professor of Chemistry
Dec. 8 – Fall 2023 Application for Graduation Closes Dec. 8-9 – Manhattan Campus Commencements Dec. 11-15 – Final Exams Dec. 12 – Deadline to Return I-NR Grades Dec. 19 – Fall 2023 Grades Due by 5 p.m. Dec. 20 – Fall 2023 Grades available in KSIS Dec. 25-29 – Winter Break: Campus Closed Dec. 26 – First Day of January Intersession Jan. 2 – Spring and Summer 2024 Application for Graduation is Open Jan. 12 – Last Day of January Intersession Jan. 12 – Spring 2024 Financial Aid Refunds Begin Jan. 15 – Martin Luther King Jr Day Observed: Campus Closed Jan. 16 – First Day of Spring 2024 Classes. Late Enrollment Fee ($65). Jan. 22 – Last Day to ADD Course(s) without Instructor Permission
Congratulations, graduates! You truly have made a great achievement! If you’re participating in undergraduate Commencement, remember to arrive at Bramlage Coliseum in your purple regalia by 7:30 a.m. Sat., Dec. 9, and head to your department’s ceiling sign on the Bramlage concourse. Bring a printout of your Grad Pass (all nice and smooth) and don’t bring personal items that don’t fit under your robe. More tips are on K-State’s Day-Of Ceremony Guide.
Come see presentations that spark powerful discussions regarding teaching and research as it pertains to current social issues and the legacy of activism at K-State and beyond.
Hint: Some professors give extra credit for attending.
ArtSci Mentorship Program restarts in January
The ArtSci Mentorship Program, open to all undergraduate students in the College of Arts and Sciences, pairs students with professionals who provide insight and guidance for career preparation and pathways and help students develop a professional network. It’s facilitated on WildcatLink, where you can activate your account by signing in with your K-State eID. Watch for more information in January. The deadline to sign up is Jan. 29 in order to onboard everyone before the program launches Feb. 5. If you have questions, contact the program coordinator, Zac Malcolm, malcoz@ksu.edu.
With final exams around the corner, you’ll be spending a lot of time studying, and home might not be the best spot for that. K-State has many great spots for studying!
A favorite study spot for many students, including Dayne Balmer, junior in environmental science, is the Great Room in Hale Library.
In fact, beautiful Hale Library offers a variety of quiet and functional study spaces, from the Great Room and Historic Farrell Library reading rooms to collaboration rooms with large monitors and white boards. Explore them all on Hale’s Study Spaces page.
Tell us your favorite place to study! Email marcia@ksu.edu a photo of yourself in your favorite spot (like our friend Dayne here), along with your name, grade level, major and what to call the spot, for a chance to win an Arts and Sciences swag bag and be in the newsletter!
Delaney Sullivan, master’s student in English, received a Graduate Student Council Award for Graduate Student Teaching Excellence. She wins $500 and will be one of K-State’s nominees for similar regional awards.
K-State’s Model United Nations team competed against more than 1,400 students from 77 colleges and universities at the American Model UN International Collegiate Conference Nov. 18-21 in Chicago. Topics debated were natural disaster resiliency and financing of clean energy.
Three ArtSci students won awards:
Andrew Navarro, junior in political science, pre-law, with a minor in Spanish.
Jacob Hofman, senior in political science, pre-law, and economics with a minor in statistics.
Maria Velazco, freshman in sociology and international studies with a minor in business.
Model United Nations is a simulation of the UN General Assembly and other multilateral bodies. In Model UN, students represent UN member states and debate current issues. K-State’s Model UN competes in annual conferences in Chicago and elsewhere.
¡Viva San Fermín!: K-State student visits home of the Running of the Bulls
Madison Quinn, junior in Spanish and advertising and public relations with a minor in marketing, shares her experience studying in Spain as part of a K-State summer abroad program. Read about her visit to Pamplona and the route of the world-famous, centuries-old event in her blog post published by K-State Education Abroad.
Professors to know!
Go places with media and communication professor Andrew Smith!
Dr. Smith was recently chosen from applicants across the country to participate in a faculty and administrative education abroad workshop in Barcelona, Spain, and he regularly teaches photography and digital storytelling courses for the K-State in Italy summer program and has taken students to London to learn mobile journalism (and will again next spring).
Dr. Patell is a popular Chemistry I and II lecturer who impacts well over a thousand undergraduate students a year. She’s known for her highly organized lectures, carefully optimized to help students learn the unique concepts covered in first-year chemistry. This is just one of her many teaching awards.
It was great to visit with first-generation students at our Nov. 6 Lunch with the Deans! We enjoyed getting the students’ input, and they got great tips and insight from our deans and special guests Dr. Rana Johnson, vice president for diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging, and Rebeca Paz, assistant director of the First-Generation Student Center.
Arts and Sciences Enrollment Help Days Nov. 8 and 14
The Dean’s office advising team will host Enrollment Help Days to help students enroll in spring 2024 courses. The sessions will be from 9 a.m.-noon Wed., Nov. 8, and 1-4 p.m. Tue., Nov. 14, in 318 Calvin Hall. Arts and Sciences students are welcome to drop in but they must have already met with their academic advisor and have an approved course schedule. These sessions are for students who have questions about how to enroll or are having difficulty with the process.
Important dates
Nov. 11 | Veteran’s Day Observance but classes are in session
Nov. 19-26 | Thanksgiving Break: No Classes all week
Dec. 8 | Graduation Application Closes
Dec. 8 | Last Day of Classes
Dec. 9 | Arts and Sciences Commencement
Dec. 11-15 | Final Examinations
Dec. 20 | Grades available in KSIS
Financial Assistance: FAFSA delayed
Due to federal delays, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, which must be submitted to apply for federal grants, work-study funds and loans, does not open until December. Therefore, K-State has moved its priority deadline to March 1.
Congratulations to our graduating seniors and graduate students! The Fall 2023 Undergraduate Commencement ceremony for the College of Arts and Sciences will be at 8:30 a.m. Sat., Dec. 9, at Bramlage Coliseum. Graduate Student Commencement is at 1 p.m. Fri., Dec. 8, at Bramlage Coliseum.
Graduating seniors, please note:
Wear purple regalia.
Arrive by 7:30 a.m. to line up with your department.
Park in the west lot.
Remember to bring your printed Grad Pass!
Place tassels on the right and pin honor cords on the left shoulder.
Do not carry in personal items, including purses, cameras, etc.; they will not be permitted on the floor.
Wear comfortable shoes; you’ll be standing quite a while and using stairs.
Mon., Nov. 6 | noon-1 p.m. | 301 Calvin Hall
Free pizza with the deans! If you didn’t pre-register but want to come, email Kate Williamson, kate89@ksu.edu, before 11:15 a.m. to see if there’s space for you.
CANCELED – Grad Brunch & Pics with Willie – CANCELED
Join K-State Dance for this annual show to keep your spirit warm! Featuring original choreography by K-State faculty and guest artists in jazz, modern, and tap styles.
Thu., Nov. 9 | 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
The social work program, in the department of sociology, anthropology and social work, will host a Social Work Career Day, where you can network with social service agencies and learn about career options. Lunch will be provided. Advance registration is required.
A panel of English alums will talk about their paths to careers in publishing, librarianship, grant writing, law and academic coaching. This event is open to all students including non-English majors. For more information, email english@ksu.edu.
Alumni dish on getting career-ready and being a professional!
ArtSci Alumni Career Panel members Trevor Starks ’13, Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology; Logan Stacer ’18, Communication Studies; Matt Casey ’08, Economics; Lisette Corbeille ’16, Psychology and Women’s Studies
We hosted an Alumni Career Panel and Networking event Oct. 26. Four recent Arts and Sciences alums with impressive careers talked about their college-to-career journeys and gave advice for current students and recent grads. Watch our Facebook Live video.
International Education Resources
Celebrate K-State International Education Week Nov. 8-17
Take advantage of K-State International Education Week, Nov. 8-17, to become more internationally and interculturally aware and learn about K-State’s many Education Abroad opportunities. Several activities are planned to inform the K-State community about international initiatives that make our campus a rich and diverse global arena. K-State joins the U.S. Departments of State and Education in celebrating this week to promote programs that prepare future leaders for a global and inclusive environment.
See what an Education Abroad group trip can be like
Michael Wesch, professor of anthropology, took a group of students to Vietnam last spring. Although short, the trip allowed them to immerse themselves in the Cao Dai religion. Watch Dr. Wesch’s video on YouTube.
The college’s Diversity Committee invites applications for the Arts and Sciences Diversity Lecture Series Grant, due Nov. 15. Awards are typically $500-1,000.
All first-year students are encouraged to participate in Wildcat Dialogues, an intercultural learning and leadership event. Plan to attend at 7-9 p.m. Wed., Nov. 8, and help create a community of belonging for all. Reserve your spot by Sun., Nov. 5.
Mental health and other support
With final exams coming up in one month, it’s natural to feel stressed out. Know the resources that are available to all students, including you, and don’t be afraid to seek assistance. (Please note: some office names may have recently changed.)
Geology students find unsafe levels of nitrate in Barton County wells
K-State and Barton Community College students, led by K-State’s Matthew Kirk, associate professor of geology, partnered on a year-long analysis of private water wells in Barton County and found nitrates at levels considered unsafe for human consumption.
The students are part of the Kansas Groundwater GEOPAths undergraduate research program supported by the National Science Foundation and K-State’s geology department.
K-State Physicists collaborate with 2023 Nobel laureates
The physics department, where every undergraduate can participate in research, has close ties with this year’s winners of the Nobel Prize in Physics. Researchers in the department’s J.R. Macdonald Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics Laboratory have been collaborating with the Nobel laureates on attosecond research for years.
The three Nobel laureates—Pierre Agostini, Ferenc Krausz, and Anne L’Huillie—created new tools for exploring the world of electrons inside atoms and molecules. They demonstrated a way to create attosecond pulses of light that can be used to measure the rapid processes in which electrons move or change energy. (An attosecond is so short that there are as many in one second as there have been seconds since the birth of the universe.)
K-State researchers have contributed significantly to attosecond science, which seeks to understand and control light-matter interactions at timescales commensurate with electronic motion in atoms and molecules. Such interactions play a critical role in chemical and biological processes like photosynthesis, cell replication and energy flow, and vision.
Dear ArtSci Students,
