GLS eNews April 13, 2020

GLS Weekly Update - April 13, 2020

Please note that GLS House is closed until further notice. GLS staff are working remotely and may be reached via email. Join us for some virtual porch sitting every Thursday from 5-6 PM via Zoom.

In this edition:

• Message from Director Anne Whisnant
• GLS Student Named to DUU Executive Committee
• Virtual Porch Sitting Featured in Duke Today
• Graduate School to Host Professional Development Events This Week
• Online Resources for Graduate Students
• Online Workshop: Expressive Writing for COVID-19
• GLS Bulletin Board: Upcoming Application and Proposal Deadlines

Message from the Director

Hello GLS Community, 

Well, my husband and I awoke this morning to tornado warnings, and by 7:45 a.m. we were dealing with a large poplar tree down across our driveway (it’s been cut up and removed now), so my update today will be short. But I hope this finds you all well as we on the GLS staff go into a fifth week of living-working-teaching-from-home.  

I don’t know about you, but this is beginning to wear on me: the fear, the uncertainty, the separation from our friends, colleagues, students, and communities. As one of our faculty members, Professor Amy Laura Hall, said in a recent Facebook post, it is disheartening and dispiriting to have to view our fellow humans as a source of danger when all we’re doing is waiting in line at Costco.  

And yet, we persist. One inspiration in the last week or so has been the ongoing, excellent work of our graduating master’s students, who are making heroic efforts to complete their master’s projects and maintain good cheer during their “Zooming” exit exams. We especially appreciate the support and engagement of their supervisors and third readers during this time as well.  

As master’s exams have been proceeding, we have been telling students of our plan to go ahead with some kind of “virtual hooding ceremony” in place of our originally planned commencement event on Saturday, May 9th. Our appointed speakers were willing to go forward, and we felt certain that we could (and should) duly celebrate our graduates even if we could not all gather at the WaDu. This morning, however, we have received guidance from the university that an effort has been launched to set up a consistent platform for all departmental and school digital celebrations. While we do not yet know details, it may turn out that we are not able to arrange out own virtual ceremony exactly as planned. Stay tuned for more information! 

Another development we’d like to share is that due to a number of people contacting us about changed personal circumstances due to the coronavirus situation, we’ve re-opened our application process for Fall 2020 admissions with a new deadline of May 15th. If you know of people who’ve thought about doing a MALS degree, send them our way! 

Finally, thanks to everyone who has come to porch sitting these last three weeks! I’ve been heartened at the terrific turnout (10+ people every week) and especially thrilled that some of our physically distant alumni have joined in. We’ve introduced pets, laughed, vented, listened, and supported each other in wonderful ways. I invite you all to drop in this Thursday from 5:00 to 6:00 pm eastern time! We’ll send a reminder with the Zoom link on Thursday. 

Warm regards,

GLS Student to Serve on DUU Executive Committee

Congratulations to Thea Liu, a first-year GLS student, who was named Vice President of Graduate and Professional Student Affairs for the 2020-2021 academic year. The role is part of the Executive Committee of the Duke University Union (DUU). Check out the video below to catch a glimpse of Thea and learn more about the DUU.

GLS Virtual Porch Sitting Featured in Duke Today

Our popular virtual porch sitting sessions have made the news! Check out this excellent article about online gatherings within the Duke community in Duke Today. Virtual porch sitting has provided a wonderful opportunity for GLS students, alumni, and staff to gather for conversation and mutual support during these difficult times.

GLS students, alumni, and staff enjoy a chat on "the porch."

Be sure to join us this Thursday and every Thursday through the end of the semester. The fun starts at 5 PM, but feel free to drop in anytime during the hour. Click the the button below and join us to chat! Pets welcome!

Graduate School to Host Professional Development Events This Week

This week The Graduate School is holding two informal online gatherings to provide support, structure, and feedback for grad students as they keep working toward their professional development goals. See the TGS website for times and other details.

Online Resources for Graduate Students

• The Duke Student Assistance Fund was established better support master's students who may be experiencing difficulty providing for their basic needs during this extraordinary time.
• Blue Devils Care is a new mental telehealth service that can provide support wherever you may be located currently. You can access the service by using the key DUKE2020.
• COVID-19 updates for students are available on Duke's Coronavirus Response website.
• The Career Center now offers online drop-in advising for graduate students on Wednesdays and Fridays. View the schedule here.

Opportunities Around Campus and Beyond

Visit the GLS Bulletin Board for a list of funding, volunteer, and other opportunities beyond GLS.

Upcoming deadlines:

 April 15 • 2020 AGLSP Conference Story Slam • call video submissions

Important Dates for GLS Students

• Graduate classes end - Wednesday, April 15
• Graduate reading period - Thursday-Sunday, April 16-April 26
• Last day of semester - Saturday, May 2