In this issue:

  1. Holiday Travel
  2. Honoring Veterans During November
  3. Open Enrollment
  4. Internship Spotlight
  5. Homecoming Wrap-Up
  6. The Maryville Fund
  7. Residence Hall Closures
  8. Fall Finals Care Packages on Sale
  9. Challenge Student-Athletes to Be Their Best!
  10. Study Abroad
  11. January Term
  12. Academic Support Services

Holiday Travel

Dean KempAs you and your student make Thanksgiving and Christmas travel plans, here are some things to think about:

1. Classes are canceled for Thanksgiving Break – Wednesday through Friday, Nov. 25-27. Some students will decide that they would like to leave for the whole week, particularly if they have not been home all semester. Students considering an extended break need to carefully consider the academic cost of cutting two days of classes.

2. Residence halls are closed over the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. Details about these closures are included in this issue of the Scot Knot.

3. The Thanksgiving holiday will be over – and students will be back in class – on Mon., Nov. 30, giving them ONLY ONE WEEK before final exams, Dec. 7-10! For that reason, it is a good idea to help your student stay a little focused on academics during the Thanksgiving break! Finals are coming!

4. Students already have their final exam schedules, so they can make travel plans for Christmas holidays now; however, be sure to caution them to confirm their schedules BEFORE they book flights or rides home. For exam security, professors rarely, if ever, give exams early.

5. November and December are high-pressure, intense times at college. Fall athletes’ seasons are winding down. Academic assignments are ratcheting up. The weather is changing. The honeymoon with Fall semester is over. Students need love and encouragement at this time, and Thanksgiving break is huge. But fall semester is not over until Dec. 10. Don’t let up!

Vandy Kemp
Vice President and Dean of Students
865.981.8111

Dates & Deadlines:


November
24 - Residence Halls Close for Thanksgiving Break, 9 p.m.
25-29 - Thanksgiving Break
29 - Residence Halls Reopen, 1 p.m.

December
4 - Classes End
7-10 - Final Exams
10 - Residence Halls Close for Christmas Break, 9 p.m.
11 - Christmas Break Begins

.


January
3 - Residence Halls Reopen for J-Term, 1 p.m.
4 - J-Term Classes Begin
22 - J-Term Classes End
24 - Residence Halls Reopen for Spring Term, 1 p.m.
25 - Spring Registration
27 - Spring Semester Classes Begin

View all MC calendars
 

Student Development: Honoring Veterans During November

As we welcome more and more veterans and military dependents to Maryville College, we are also eager to mark Veterans Day by honoring their military service. On Veterans Day, Nov. 11, all faculty, staff and students are invited to the Bartlett Hall Atrium from 3:30-4:30 p.m. for a celebration in honor of the day.

On Sat., Nov. 14, veterans in our community, along with their families, are invited to attend the MC Fighting Scots football game against conference rival Greensboro College free of charge. Kick-off is at 1:30 p.m. Prior to the game, a reception for veterans will be hosted by the Student Veterans Association in the MC Military Student Center, Bartlett 204.

Another way that we recognize our student veterans is by making sure that faculty and staff are trained to meet their needs in and out of the classroom, and in November, we offer the national training program called “Green Zone.” Employees who complete the Green Zone training are awarded a “Green Zone” office decal to designate a veteran-friendly space.

Student Development: Open Enrollment

Does your student have health insurance? If not, please be aware that the Health Insurance Marketplace will open on Nov. 1, 2015, and your student may qualify for low-cost or free health insurance under the Affordable Care Act. Tennessee residents can visit this website to set up appointments and learn more, and out-of-state residents can visit this site to schedule appointments near you. Visit the “Get Covered America” website to learn more.

Career Preparation: Internship Spotlight

During her senior year MC, Caitlyn Myers ’15 already had one foot in the working world. As an intern at Clayton Homes, the double major in management and economics joined the Berkshire Hathaway-owned company’s human resources department. Upon receiving her diploma, Myers made the step to working full-time for Clayton Homes as a Retail Human Resources Specialist, continuing to do some of the very work she had done as an intern. Read more about Caitlyn on the MC website.

Advancement: Homecoming Wrap-Up

Homecoming 2015 was held Oct. 16-18, and what a great weekend it was! Check out our Homecoming Wrap-Up to see photos, videos and stories.

Advancement: The Maryville Fund

Want to make a difference right now? Watch this video to see how you can make an immediate impact on students’ lives.

Residence Life: Residence Hall Closures

During the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays, residence halls on campus close, and we require residents to leave campus for those breaks. The departure deadline for Thanksgiving Break is Tues., Nov. 24 at 9 p.m. For Christmas/Winter Break, we ask that all students depart within 24 hours of their last final exam or at the latest by Thurs., Dec. 10 at 9 p.m. These dates, along with reopening dates, are posted on the MC website.

For each of these breaks, we ask that students make sure all trash is removed from the room/suite/apartment, lights are turned off, electronics are unplugged, window blinds are raised and the room is locked. We also require students to return their room keys to the staff in the residence hall. Staff will conduct health and safety inspections before the holidays.

Students who need to stay past the deadline should complete a break housing agreement request. For Thanksgiving Break, we ask that these be completed by Wed., Nov. 18. For Christmas Break, we ask these be completed by Fri., Dec. 4. Students may incur a $15/night charge for being allowed to stay on campus during break periods. Students should also be aware of the break policies listed on the break agreement, as they are different from our standard policy due to having so few staff members available to assist students during the break period.

As always, feel free to contact our office at 865.981.8192 with any questions regarding these upcoming breaks. Happy holidays and safe travels!

Residence Life: Fall Finals Care Packages on Sale

Fall finals are right around the corner, and during this hectic, crucial time, you can support your student with a delicious care package. MC’s Residence Life Department is sponsoring and distributing Fall Finals Care Packages for students, and the deadline to order is Nov. 20. Availability is limited, so order soon online, as the more popular packages do run out! (Visibility on website indicates a particular package is still available for purchase.)

Athletics: Challenge Student-Athletes to Be Their Best!

Upon starting a brand new semester, every college student-athlete is given a fresh opportunity to re-evaluate his or her short- and long-term academic goals. As the semester hits its midway point, student-athletes are reminded that along with team and individual aspirations on the playing venue, excellence in the classroom is just as challenging. Here are some tips on how you can help your student-athlete succeed.

Center for International Education: Study Abroad

Maryville College students have a variety of opportunities to study abroad all over the world, and students may choose to use study abroad to meet the practical experience requirement for their degree. The majority of students who study abroad do so in their junior year. This means they are generally researching and applying for programs one year in advance, during their sophomore year. Program and application information is available on the MC website.

Upcoming Deadlines:

  • Nov. 15 – Fall and Academic Year Programs (2016-17)
  • Jan. 15 – Summer 2016 Study and Intern Abroad Programs
  • March 1 –  Travel Study Programs (2017)
  • April 15 – Spring 2017 Programs

Congratulations to the following Spring 2016 study abroad scholarship recipients:

  • Ragsdale International Scholarship: Kayla Brown (New Zealand), Arieal Burton (Korea), Jisoo Lee (Korea), Allison Luppe (UK) and Madeline McGuire (Germany)
  • Tuck International Study Award: Carter Habeeb (UAE) and Bethany Headrick (Argentina)
  • Baxter Scholarship:  Janelle Calhoun (France)
     

Academics: January Term

January Term is a short academic term – starting Jan. 4 and ending Jan. 22 – in which students take one course in a condensed format. Classes meet every day for at least three hours and use the concentrated time to engage in a variety of specialized learning modalities. Courses offered include those required as a part of the general education requirement, major-related courses, as well as exploratory elective courses that encourage students to explore various disciplines.

Because all first-year students are required to complete a January Term course their first year, it is important to include these dates in planning for the holidays. Spring semester registration takes place on Jan. 25 – the Monday immediately following the end of the January Term. In future years, your student will have opportunities to take part in specialized courses, such as a travel-study course that sends students and faculty abroad. See examples of past January Term courses.

Academics: Academic Support Services

Through the Academic Support Center (ASC), located on the Garden Level of Thaw Hall, MC students are able to utilize a wide range of academic support services. MC’s most popular and largest component of academic support is MC Group Study, which focuses on collaborative and cooperative learning through weekly peer-led study sessions. Sharing opinions, class notes, lecture reflections, as well as joining cognitive powers in preparation of upcoming exams, are just a few of the many different reasons for utilizing this service.
 
The ASC provides learning strategies and 1:1 academic consultations throughout the Fall and Spring semester. The ASC also provides individualized assistance to help improve general study skills and time management through mentoring and academic coaching. Also in the ASC are the College’s Academic Support Center Mentors; these are high achieving, trained academic mentors who serve drop-in support sessions during lunchtime hours throughout the week. Another level of available academic support is Supplemental Instruction, which is a weekly review session for students enrolled in STEM classes.
 
Lastly, the Cooper Success Center is an academic, mentor-led, College staff-supervised guided study hall and tutoring center which operates two evenings a week (after all MC athletic practices let out). The CSC focuses on the specific and demanding needs of the MC student-athlete by providing academic assistance, tutoring and mentoring.

It is always recommended that students new to the College visit one of the specialists in the Academic Support Center and create an academic success plan.

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