"The Bi-Weekly"
Your Newsletter from your Advisor
This week in "The Bi-Weekly” October 2, 2015
1. Have you made your scheduling appointment yet?! Spring Scheduling updates
2. Time Tickets & Holds (!)- New to Purdue: please read
3. Biology Resource Center (BRC) October break closing
4. Agriculture Career Fair- October 6, All majors welcome
5. Resident Assistant (RA) Application Period
6. Need to prove you’re a student to Health Insurers, Auto Insurers and others?
7. Need an Emergency Loan through Purdue? (up to $400 at a time)
8. Reminder- Changing Majors for Spring- Many require CODO meetings
9. *Did you know*- GPA Calculator
10. What can you do with a degree in Biology? – Health Related
11. News from the Pre-Professional Office
12. NASA Virtual Career Fair
13. Summer Internship
**Upcoming Dates**
October 5: Chinese Placement Testing, 7 pm, SC 030, Form 231 required from your advisor
October 6: Agriculture Career Fair, 9:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m., PMU Ballrooms
October 12-13: October Break, NO CLASSES
October 12: Spring Time tickets and Schedule of Classes available in myPurdue
October 26: Priority Time Tickets for Spring Registration Opens
October 28: Absolute Last Day to drop a Fall semester course
November 9: Junior Time Ticket
November 16: Sophomore Time Ticket
November 23-25, November 30- December 1: Freshman Time Ticket
December 2- January 18: Open registration
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1. Spring Scheduling Updates
Spring scheduling appointments are well under way. Remember that you cannot schedule during walk-in times.
You must meet with your advisor to receive your registration pin number. This number is required for you to be
able to register for classes in myPurdue at your appointed window of time (time ticket). You must meet with your
advisor prior to your registration window, so please make an appointment soon if you haven’t already! The Spring
Schedule of classes and time tickets will be available on myPurdue Monday, October 12.
Please do not email for an appointment. You will only delay the process. You may make your registration
appointment online , by calling (765) 494-1771, or by going to our main desk in Math 231.
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2. Time Tickets & Holds
Time tickets are the exact time when your registration pin becomes active. Once active, your window remains open
until that Saturday at noon to register for classes. Time Tickets can be viewed under Registration link in myPurdue.
Please click on Registration status. Please remember this time indicates just the start of your time to register and
that you can register at any time after this hour through the close of your registration window.
View Holds in myPurdue
Please check for any holds on your schedule under “view holds” in myPurdue. A hold will not prevent you from
scheduling with your advisor, but it will prevent you from registering at your appointed window. You may
encounter any of the following holds that could prevent you from registering:
1. Freshman only – Respecting Boundaries
2.
3.
4.
5.
Emergency Contact information update request
NEW: Financial Obligation hold – student must acknowledge that they must pay their bill and provide their
SSN under federal regulation. This allows the government to assess the tax ramifications of educational
costs.
Failure to meet immunization requirements
Unpaid bills- tuition, lab fees, parking fines, PUSH bills, etc.
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3. Biology Resource Center (BRC) October break closing
October Break, 10/12-13: BRC tutoring center CLOSED
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4. Agricultural Career Fair – Tuesday October 6, 2015
Biology majors are invited to attend the College of Agriculture Career Fair. It will be held in the Purdue Memorial
Union Ballrooms or North and South Ballrooms, Student Lounges, PMU 118 and Krannert Hall Drawing Room
October 6, 2015 from 9:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
The College of Agriculture hosts a career fair every fall and spring semester. Over 100 companies attend, providing
recruiters with the opportunity to educate students about their organizations, advertise positions and/or interview
students for permanent or internship positions. During the fall, a Resume Blitz is held the day before the fair. The
evening prior to the Fall Career Fair, we host an Employer Panel Discussion. This is an open dialogue with 100
students, lasting 60 minutes, followed by a networking session.
 College of Agriculture Fall 2015 Career Fair - Tuesday, October 6, 2015
 College of Agriculture Spring 2016 Career Fair - Wednesday, February 10, 2016
Here is a list of companies for the October 6 Fair that might be interested in biology majors:
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AgReliant Genetics
AgVenture
BASI
Bayer Crop Science
Cargill
Columbian Park Zoo
Covance, Inc.
Dow AgroSciences
DuPont Pioneer
Elanco
Helena Chemical Company
Hormel Foods Corporation
Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant
Indiana State Board of Animal Health (BOAH)
Indianapolis Zoo
JBS United
Land O’Frost
Land O’ Lakes
Merck Animal Health
Merial
Morris Bixby Group
Monsanto
Neogen Corporation
Peace Corps
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Perdue
Rush Enterprises
Syngenta
Tyson Foods, Inc.
It’s vital to prepare for a career fair. Some tips are below; for complete list go to the fair website.
Resume Blitz:
Present your resume – bring copies of your resume detailing your education, experience, skills and
campus/community activities concisely. We recommend visiting with a CCO staff member at their office in Young
Hall, room 132 or attending the Resume Blitz in AGAD Building 121 on October 6th between 11:00 a.m. - 3:00
p.m. to have your resume critiqued.
Research:
 Wiki
 Check the list of attending employers and target companies of your interest. Research organizations ahead
of time.
 Review an organization’s information on their website (A link to the organization’s website is provided in
the above attending employer list.)
 Create a list and prioritize the organizations you are most interested in and visit their booths first.
 Prepare questions to ask that will help you obtain the information you need, in addition to showing your
knowledge of the field and interest in the industry.
Dress for Success:
 Business Etiquette
 Think conservative.
 Wear few/minimal accessories and perfume/cologne.
 For women: a suit - skirt with blazer; a conservative business dress or pant suit.
 For men: a suit or a button down shirt with tie, sport coat, nice slacks, shined shoes.
For more Career Fair tips, visit https://ag.purdue.edu/oap/career/pages/student_resources_etiquette.aspx Take
advantage of this opportunity!
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5. Resident Assistant (RA) Application Period
RA applications are available until November 1, 2015. Qualifications include 40 credit hours, a minimum of one
year living in a college/university residence hall and a cumulative GPA of 2.75 by the end of the Spring 2016
semester. For more information and a list of remaining RA info sessions, see
http://www.housing.purdue.edu/ResidentialLife/residentassistant.html
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6. Need to prove you’re a student to Health Insurers, Auto Insurers and others????
You will be able to print enrollment verifications for health insurers and other organizations by accessing the
Enrollment Certification area in myPurdue or following this link (Please note if the student needs their GPA
information included on the enrollment certification, they must visit the Office of the Registrar (Hovde room 45) so
a signature can be obtained.)
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7. Need an Emergency Loan through Purdue? (up to $400 at a time)
Emergency loans are interest-free loans available to Purdue University students registered in the current semester,
and must be used for educational expenses. Students who meet ALL eligibility criteria may borrow a maximum of
$800 per semester (all summer modules combined count as one semester). Students may borrow up to $400 at a
time.
Loan applicants must visit ODOS in Schleman Hall (SCHL), room 207, between 8:00 – 11:30 a.m. or 1:00 – 4:00
p.m. Monday-Friday, with the exception of Tuesday mornings. Students can call 765-494-1747 with questions about
emergency loans, but must come to SCHL 207 in order to be approved.
Criteria for eligibility: https://www.purdue.edu/advocacy/students/financial/emergencyLoan.html
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8. Reminder: Considering changing your major? Some majors require CODO meetings
It is possible to change your major at Purdue, but please do your research. CODO stands for Change of Degree
Objective. Many majors require certain course/GPA requirements and/or a CODO meeting to successfully CODO
to your new major. Also watch for CODO deadlines. You can find most of these requirements linked here:
http://www.purdue.edu/registrar/currentStudents/students/codos.html
If you are considering changing your major or have questions about CODO requirements, please contact your
advisor.
Education (Social Studies, Elementary, & Special Education) CODO information:
http://www.education.purdue.edu/advising/prospective_st/codo_info.html
First Year Engineering (FYE) CODO information:
https://engineering.purdue.edu/ENE/Academics/FirstYear/CODO#CODOmeetings
Human & Health Sciences (HHS) CODO information: http://www.purdue.edu/hhs/codo/index.php
Liberal Arts CODO information: http://www.cla.purdue.edu/academics/requirements/codo/to-cla.html
Management CODO information: http://www.krannert.purdue.edu/undergraduate/current-students/codo/home.asp
Polytechnic CODO information: https://tech.purdue.edu/office-of-academic-affairs/undergraduate-studies/codos
====================
9. * Did you know*- GPA Calculator
During registration appointments it is common for advisors to discuss your semester courses and GPA. Do you
know how to calculate your GPA? Did you know Science has an online calculator that will calculate your GPA for
you in several ways?
Science GPA Calculator: http://www.science.purdue.edu/Current_Students/gpa-calculator.html
Trying to determine if you need to retake a course to raise your GPA, try out this new online calculator:
http://www.purdue.edu/studentsuccess/academic/resources/gpa_calc.html
To calculate a semester grade point average (GPA) multiply the course credit hours by the number of the grade
received in each course (A+ or A = 4.0; A- = 3.7; B+ = 3.3; B = 3.0; B- = 2.7; C+ = 2.3; C = 2.0; C-= 1.7; D+ = 1.3;
D = 1.0; D-= 0.7; F = 0.0). Sum these values and divide by the total number of credit hours attempted.
Example: 4.0+/- Grading System
COURSES
CREDITS
GRADE
POINTS
SOC 10000
3
A
3 x 4 = 12
CHM 11500
4
C+
4 x 2.3 = 9.2
ENGL 10800
3
B3 x 2.7 = 8.1
PES 11500
1
F
1x0=0
MA 16100
5
D+
5 x 1.3 = 6.5
Sem. Credits = 16
Sem. Grade Points = 35.8
Sem. Grade Points/Sem. Credits Attempted = Sem. GPA
Example: 35.8/16 = 2.2375 = 2.24*
To determine your overall Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA), you will need to determine the number of total
grade points you have earned and the total credits you have attempted beginning with your first semester on campus.
Total Grade Points/Total Credits Attempted = Cumulative GPA
Example: 62.2/29 = 2.144 = 2.14*
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10. What can you do with a degree in Biology? – Health Related
Careers in Human Biology: http://www.uwgb.edu/humbio/careers.asp
Careers in Stem Cell Research:
http://sciencecareers.sciencemag.org/career_magazine/previous_issues/articles/2006_10_06/science.opms.r0600021
Immunology/Infectious Diseases: Lifesaving Opportunities on a Shifting Battlefront:
http://sciencecareers.sciencemag.org/career_magazine/previous_issues/articles/2004_06_25/noDOI.1231516192940
6124432
Immunology & Infectious Disease - Healthy Careers:
http://sciencecareers.sciencemag.org/career_magazine/previous_issues/articles/2006_05_04/science.opms.r0600009
Careers in Biomedical Science: http://www.ibms.org/go/biomedical-science/careers-jobs/careers
NHS Careers: http://www.nhsonline.org/careers/work-with-us.html
NIH Jobs, includes student internships: http://www.jobs.nih.gov/default.htm
NIH Career Blogs: https://oitecareersblog.wordpress.com/
CDC Careers: http://www.cdc.gov/employment/menu_topjobs.html
Monster.com’s all things Healthcare career descriptions: http://allhealthcare.monster.com/
Explore Health Careers: http://explorehealthcareers.org/en/home
University of Illinois’ Health Careers Chronicle: https://www.careercenter.illinois.edu/prehealth
Furman’s links to Medical and Health Career Descriptions: http://facweb.furman.edu/~jsnyder/careers/medical.html
Additional Health Career Exploration links: http://www.khake.com/page22.html
Health Careers (some of which require a Biology degree): http://www.wihealthcareers.org/Career_occ_toc.cfm
Devry’s career guide for Healthcare Management and Technology:
http://www.devry.edu/content/dam/dvu/www_devry_edu/d/healthcare-management-careers-guide.pdf
Information on Osteopathic Medicine: http://www.aacom.org/become-a-doctor/about-om
What is a naturopathic doctor? http://www.naturopathic.org/content.asp?contentid=60
Careers in Dentistry: http://www.ada.org/education.aspx
Considering a Career in Medicine: https://www.aamc.org/students/aspiring/
Considering a Career in Medical Research: https://www.aamc.org/students/research/
The Typical Path for an MD/PhD:
http://sciencecareers.sciencemag.org/career_magazine/previous_issues/articles/2660/a_typical_path_for_a_physicia
n_scientist/
Optometry Career Guide: http://www.opted.org/about-optometric-education/professional-o-d-programs
American Academy of Physician Assistants, What is a PA: https://www.aapa.org/What-is-a-PA/
American Medical Association Becoming a Physician: http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/educationcareers/becoming-physician.page
Careers in Physical Therapy: http://www.apta.org/Careers/
Careers in Chiropractic Medicine: http://www.acatoday.org/level2_css.cfm?T1ID=33&T2ID=203
Careers in Podiatry: http://www.apma.org/education/content.cfm?ItemNumber=1360&navItemNumber=575
Careers in Endocrinology: http://www.endocrinology.org/careers/profiles.html
A Pathologist is… http://www.ascp.org/functional-nav/career-center
Becoming a Medical Examiner: http://education-portal.com/becoming_a_medical_examiner.html
Pathology as a career in Medicine: http://www.asip.org/career/index.htm
Clinical laboratory careers: http://www.healthpronet.org/ahp_month/03_02.html
Clinical Research Careers:
http://sciencecareers.sciencemag.org/career_magazine/previous_issues/articles/2002_04_05/noDOI.1549571737875
1859676
Clinical Research Associates:
http://www.prospects.ac.uk/p/types_of_job/clinical_research_associate_job_description.jsp
Launching your Clinical Research Career: http://www.acrpnet.org/MainMenuCategory/Education/How-Do-I-GetStarted-in-Clinical-Research.aspx
NIH Lifeworks Career index:
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/magazine/issues/summer11/articles/summer11pg24-25.html
What is Public Health? http://www.whatispublichealth.org/what/index.html
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11. News from the Pre-Professional Office
The Pre-professional office within the CCO maintains a listserv for students interested in medical, veterinary, dental,
optometry, and law school. In this newsletterLaw School Fair
Pre-professional Advising Workshops
US Army Healthcare Recruiting and much more.
You may receive this email directly by joining the listserv here:
https://purdue.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_87AVFXETz692Frn
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12. NASA Virtual Career Fair
The NASA Internships, Fellowships and Scholarships Virtual Career Fair will connect you with all NASA
centers:
 Ames Research Center - Palo Alto, CA
 Armstrong Flight Research Center - Edwards AFB, CA
 Glenn Research Center - Cleveland, OH
 Goddard Space Flight Center - Greenbelt, MD
 Jet Propulsion Laboratory - Pasadena, CA
 Johnson Space Center - Houston, TX
 Kennedy Space Center - Kennedy Space Center, FL
 Langley Research Center - Hampton, VA
 Marshall Space Flight Center - Huntsville, AL
 NASA Headquarters - Washington, D.C.
 Stennis Space Center - Stennis Space Center, MS
Engage with NASA representatives and former interns to learn about spring and summer internship opportunities
available across the agency. Network with recruiters from the comfort of your home, dorm, smartphone or tablet.
For more information, please see the attached flier.
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13. Summer Internship Opportunity
►UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME - FIELD ENVIRONMENTAL BIOLOGY PROGRAM
FIELD BIOLOGY PROGRAM AT UNDERC - Your own field research…Classes in the field, tuition, housing and
travel paid, 3 credits/summer, and get paid $3,000/summer!!
UNDERC-East: Spend the summer studying northwoods ecology and conducting your own research in Michigan's
Upper Peninsula.
UNDERC-West: Spend the summer studying the ecology of an intermountain valley in Montana, learn about
environmental history and Native American environmental ethics, and conduct your own advanced research (Prerequisite - UNDERC-East)
Apply now for UNDERC-East and -West for summer 2016! These programs promote an understanding of field
biology and how field research is conducted through 10 weeks in the wilds. It begins with a summer at UNDERC-
East in Michigan's Upper Peninsula and then the opportunity for a second summer at -West in Montana. UNDERCEast is open to 28 sophomores/juniors from any college/university. From the UNDERC-East class, 8 (juniors or
seniors) are selected for UNDERC-West. Each summer, you receive three credits along with tuition, housing, travel
between Notre Dame and the site, and a $3500 stipend.
UNDERC-East (May 16 - July 22): 8000 acres of lakes, streams, wetlands, and forests owned by Notre Dame and a
core site in the National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON) that are home to abundant wildlife (including
wolves, black bear, deer). Course modules include vertebrate ecology, invertebrate ecology, aquatic ecology and
forest ecology with each providing background information, field research exercises, and group research projects
designed by the class. Five or more weeks are spent by each student designing and conducting their own field
research project under direction of faculty or graduate students. Projects have ranged from fish, insect and mammal
behavior and ecology to forest, lake, and stream ecosystem ecology to local Native American ecosystem use.
UNDERC-West (June 4 - August 12): more than a million acres on the National Bison Range and Flathead
Reservation that includes grasslands, montane forests, streams and lakes that are home to abundant wildlife
(including bison, elk, mountain lion, and grizzly bear). Course modules like those at UNDERC-East include
wildlife ecology, and montane ecology, as well as an environmental history/Native American ecology module as
part of the cross-country drive to and from -West. Each student conducts an independent research project in
collaborations with a faculty advisor that is more advanced given the skills learned at UNDERC-East. Projects have
ranged from avian predation to fish and wildlife habitat relationships to invasive plants to Native American
harvesting of plants and wildlife.
Applications are available online (http://underc.nd.edu). Further information can be obtained at the UNDERC
website (http://underc.nd.edu), or from Dr. Michael Cramer, UNDERC-East Assistant Director
(mcramer@nd.edu). Undergraduates with sophomore or junior standing preferred.
Application deadline is Friday, November 6, 2015 and notification of acceptance will be provided by Friday,
December 11, 2015. Acceptance is based on past academic performance and a statement of purpose. Preference is
given to students pursuing a career in environmental sciences. Applicants are required to be present for the duration
of the course.
More information can be found at http://underc.nd.edu
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