Sat. May 11 – Extended Testing Center Hours

As you prepare for finals, please note...

All NOVA Testing Centers (*except MEC) will be open from 9 am – 5 pm on Saturday, May 11th. 

As always:

·         ESL Placement tests must be started 3 hours prior to closing.

·         Placement tests must be started 2 hours prior to closing.

·         ELI and all other exams must be started 90 minutes prior to closing.

·         All exams are collected 15 minutes prior to closing times.

More Testing Center Info.



Testing Center Hours



Outdoor Fun: Third Annual Be Fit McLean Outdoor Adventure Expo

If you are looking for an adventure this weekend, take time to visit the ‘Be Fit McLean Outdoor Expo’.  The event will be held this weekend, Saturday, April 27, 2013, 10:00am to 4:00pm, rain or shine, at the Old Firehouse, 1440 Chain Bridge Rd., McLean, VA 22101  

With summer right around the corner, get inspired as you learn about the latest trends in outdoor health and wellness activities.  Enjoy live music, as you explore exhibitor booths demonstrating outdoor activity products and services to promote your outdoor fun, health and wellness.   

Take advantage of this exciting opportunity to learn and lead the outdoor fun with your friends this summer!   

For directions and more information, please visit the McLean Center website. 

“The Myth of China’s Might and What it Means for America"

Guest Lecturer:

Professor Jeremy Haft, Georgetown University

April 23      11am-1pm

Woodbridge Auditorium

Open to all students and faculty

Professor Haft has been doing business in China for the past 15 years, inspecting and working with hundreds of factories in light and heavy industries. His new venture is focused on agriculture.

His view is the opposite of what one typically hears- that China is rising, America is declining and out debt to China is a national security risk. Actually, he says America has a big competitive edge over China in all respects. We are not in a race to the bottom on who has cheaper labor. America is currently creating and sustaining jobs across our economy through China trade and investment.

Exports are booming to China because of Chinese demand, not currency exchange rates. China needs what we make—even factoring in the costs of American labor, health care, etc. Aside from exports, the other big bi-lateral job creating/sustaining driver is China’s investment in America. China’s own policy (which they refuse to reform), actually prevents foreign currency (like dollars) to be spent domestically. So, China can’t invest its giant currency reserves at home for infrastructure and things like hospitals and schools. So, the scenario we often hear about that Chinese leaders have leverage over America because they can dump their holdings of treasuries, is a fantasy.

China is trying to diversify out of treasuries into assets, and that is also good as these investments create and sustain American jobs.

So, we should be encouraging MORE Chinese investment in American T Bills (which helps keep our interest rates low) and assets (which helps support and create jobs in the USA).

31 Ways to Find Inspiration for Your Writing

Jack London once wrote, "You can’t wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club."

Are you looking for inpiration for your writing? 

Leo Babauta's 31 suggestions to inspoire your writing on writetodone.com may just be just what you need to get your writing juices flowing.  Here are a few of them:

• Read a blog or two
• Check out google.com
• Read a book
• Watch a movie
• Chat with a friend
• Listen to music

What inspires you to write?

Final Exams: Start Preparing Now!

Between final projects, papers and preparing for exams, finals can be a stressful time. By beginning finals preparations earlier rather than later, you can save yourself from unneeded stress and anxiety.

These tips can help you pull together all of the resources you already have, and allow you to make the most of your time leading up to final exams.

• Now is the perfect time to take a look at all of your classes and what you have left to complete. Do you have a final project or paper, both? To make the most of your time and to make sure you aren’t left scrambling at the very end of the semester to turn in all of your assignments, make a list of everything left you have to complete. Take your list and schedule time for each item on a calendar making sure to allow for enough time to complete each task. Also include time to review previous material to help prepare for your final exam.
• Instead of rushing and stressing at the very end of the semester, taking the time to map out what you have left to complete and when you have time to work on can help you keep a steady pace working towards the end of the semester. This will likely alleviate some of those panicky and stress filled moments many students experience as finals approach.

• Communicate with your classmates now to see if others are interested in studying together as a group.  Organizing the study group now will allow everyone to find time in their schedule. Finding a place that is convenient for everyone to meet to study can be a challenge.  Save gas and travel time by taking advantage of virtual meeting spaces like Google Hangouts.

• Find out what type of exam will your final be. Will it be comprehensive or only test you on the most recent material you have covered? Will the exam contain mulitple choice, fill in the blank or essay questions? Knowing what material will be covered in the exam and the format of the test will also be helpful when strategizing how to study.

• Review, review, review! Review notes, chapter summaries, outlines, study guides, flashcards, worksheets and previous exams and quizzes. These are sources where potential questions on your final exam can be found. You already have these resources at your disposal, start refreshing your memory now!

• Beginning your finals preparations early will also allow you ample time to ask your instructor any questions that you might have. Your instructor will appreciate your questions now instead of frantic phone calls and emails at the last minute when they may be very busy and not able to dedicate as much time to your inquiry.

For more finals tips and strategies follow us on Twitter and check out our Facebook page.

Plan For Finals... With ELI!

Register For One of These Webinars

Get Involved: Athletics at NOVA

(Pictured above NOVA Women’s Basketball Team winners of the 2012 Virginia Community College System (VCCS) Championship.)  

Are you looking for a way to become actively involved at NOVA?  If you are an ELI student, you are welcome to participate in on-campus activities along with your on-campus peers!  In addition to many clubs and organizations, we also have an active Athletics Department that is currently expanding intercollegiate and recreational opportunities for our students. 
During the 2012-13 academic year, NOVA became a full member of the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA). With membership in the NJCAA, NOVA joins more than 500 two-year colleges.  This is very exciting and promotes opportunities for NOVA students to compete for National Championships. In addition, the NJCAA awards prestigious academic and athletic All-American Distinction to deserving student-athletes.

Our current roster of teams that are members of the NJCAA include; women’s volleyball, men’s soccer, women’s basketball, men’s basketball and men’s lacrosse.  If this is not enough, an additional women’s sport is slated to be added in the future!  NOVA also has an ice hockey program that will retain membership in the American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA).    

Membership in the NJCAA provides the College’s sports teams with the opportunity for post-season play and the student-athletes gain additional exposure for possible recruitment by four-year colleges and universities. NJCAA membership requires full-time enrollment and progress toward degree requirements for participating student-athletes.

Not interested in playing, there is still an opportunity to get involved.  You can support your school and join in the fun cheering on the teams! 

To get out and get active, visit and explore the Athletics Website on a regular basis for updates on games, interest meetings and more!  For additional information, contact Brian Anweiler, Student Activities Coordinator,   703-845-6206 or banweiler@nvcc.edu. 

Maintaining Your Focus During Busy Times

How often do you feel blindsighted by distractions - visual or auditory - that prevent you from maintaining focus on the things that matter such as prioritizing tasks, making time for friends and family and/or taking time out to de-stress? Below are some tips to help you stay on task and minimize internal and external distractions:

Be selective about what you are targeting. Since the brain forms a mental image of what you focus on, by focusing on important tasks and priorities, you are more likely to tune into them on a regular basis. If your target is something distracting however, it may divert you from important priorities.

Explain what you see to others to heighten your understanding of why it is important to accomplish certain tasks and/or to remind yourself of what is important in your world right now.

• How often is the time you spend in aimless activities productive? For example, if you are searching for a product on the web, how useful will it be to your productivity and growth? Are you looking to improve your way of functioning in the world or merely searching aimlessly and not knowing what you are looking for? The latter activity in and of itself can be an unnecessary distraction from adding things to your life that enhance your overall purpose.


• Keep a positive attitude during challenging tasks and struggles to improve your energy and alleviate the distractions that negative thinking can present. If you are struggling with a difficult task, reminding yourself that "I will push through this and do my best", rather than "this is impossible" will make the activity less stressful and burdensome, while filtering out negative thoughts that can cause distraction.


• Even during the gloomiest of times, look for ways to best handle the situation even it means taking personal time do reflect such as a nature walk or a yoga class, rather than letting yourself fall prey to the pressure of the situation.


• Engage in activities that are mentally stimulating to improve your attentional flow, that feeling of being so engrossed in what you are doing that you lose track of time!


• Avoid too much multitasking. When you are sending a text while answering a call, it can overload your language circuit, thus potentially causing you to make unnecessary mistakes or forgetfulness later on. Ever misplace your keys because you were texting and e-mailing at the same time? Be sure to take breaks in between tasks to ensure optimal focus and performance on tasks.
• Reduce external distractions in the form of computers, iphones, or ipads. We are so driven by technology nowadays that we can forget the importance of connecting with close friends and family and/or taking time to enjoy the outdoors and exercise without paying attention to that e-mail that you are expecting any minute!


• Keep in mind that by reducting external distractions and getting away from the computer for awhile, you can improve and personalize your connections with the people who you are close to and develop new ones in the process.

Just being aware of the many distractions that are pressing down on you and having the awareness to minimize them to tend to what matters can enrich your life during hectic times! For more information on this topic, visit this link.

ELife Annual Spring Fling

You are invited to join the Extended Learning Institute for our Annual ELife Spring Fling.

When: Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Where:  Loudoun Campus – LR Student Lounge

What Time: 11am-2pm

 

Meet the ELI staff and have fun as you enjoy games, free food, AND participate in an activity decorating Toms Toms Shoes (supplied by ELI) to donate to a local shelter.  

Whether you are a current ELI student or have ever considered taking an online course, this is a great opportunity to get connected with our Student Life events. To learn more about ELI events that are happening throughout the semester, please visit, http://eli.nvcc.edu/studentlife/ or our Virtual Student Union http://elife.nvcc.edu/vsu/

We look forward to seeing you there!

Save the Date for the 2013 Alexandria Campus Job Fair

If you are looking for a job, the Alexandria Campus Job Fair is the perfect opportunity to network, explore job and internship opportunities, gain interview experience and learn about the endless employment resources that are available for job seekers. 

Get prepared and empower yourself by attending the pre-fair workshops which are scheduled to meet:

·       Tuesday, April 16, 11am-1:00pm Resume Skills Workshop
·       Wednesday, April 17 2-3:30pm – Interviewing Skills

To register for a workshop, please click here.

To promote your skills and background, it is important to plan and prepare for this event! If you are unable to attend a workshop, to prepare for the job fair,  consider visiting the following links:

http://www.careeronestop.com/ResumesInterviews/ResumesInterviews.aspx

http://www.career.vt.edu/interviewing/interviewappearance.html

Promote Your Future and Plan to Attend!! 

For more information or to register please click here.

Tax Day- Don't Forget!



As a gentle reminder, with the hectic pace of classes, work and other obligations and deadlines, an important date to remember in the midst of all of the mayhem is April 15, 2013, the day the filing deadline for income taxes.  A tidbit of historical fact tells us that the original filing deadline was March 1st way back in 1913 and was then moved to March 15th in 1918. 

Extensions were granted based on inclement weather that prevented taxes from being filed on time.  If you have not already done so, it is a good idea to make an appointment with a professional accountant or use an online tax program like Turbotax.  For more information on tax day, visit the following link. 

ELI Registration: Getting Ready for Your Next Semester

If you are planning to enroll in summer or fall semester classes, ELI invites you to attend our webinar, Getting Ready for Your Next Semester.  This 45 minute webinar for NOVA students will focus on answering key questions you may have about preparing for your next semester.  Topics covered will include program identification, course selection, college resources, schedule planning, and registration/payment tips.

This informative online webinar is scheduled for the following dates and times:

·       Wednesday, April 10, 2013, 12:15 pm – 1:00 pm

·       Thursday, April 11, 2013, 7:00 pm – 7:45 pm

·       Wednesday, April 17, 2013, 12:15 pm – 1:00 pm

·       Tuesday, April 30, 2013, 12:15 pm – 1:00 pm

Sign up today -- students must register in advance.  For more information or to register, please click here.  Next, please click on the webinar date that you plan to attend and enter your name and other requested information. 

If you have questions or if you are looking for resources to help promote ypur academic success, the ELI Student Success Coaches are also here to help you.  Your success coach can help with study strategies and academic resources to include time management, free online success workshops, study skills and more.  To contact your Success Coach, please send an email to ELISuccess@nvcc.edu or please call 703.764.5076.

Alexandria Campus Job Fair - April 23

COME TO THE NOVA ALEXANDRIA CAMPUS JOB FAIR!!!

April 23, 2013

10 am - 12:30 pm

Location: BISDORF AA 158

REGISTER FOR THE JOB FAIR

DID YOU KNOW…Research shows that networking is STILL the best way to land a job?

Come to the Alexandria Campus Job Fair to network, seek job and internship opportunities, and learn about employment resources available to you! (And remember, companies will be looking to employ individuals from a variety of majors!)

ARE YOUR RESUME/INTERVIEWING SKILLS A LITTLE RUSTY???

Prepare in advance by attending a resume or interviewing workshop being held before the fair.

REGISTER FOR AN INTERVIEWING OR RESUME WORKSHOP

This Saturday - Cherry Blossom Meet-Up

Cherry Blossom Meet Up

Due to the cold weather, Washington DC’s annual Cherry Blossom Festival has past but peek bloom has yet to hit. 

Join us on the National Mall on Saturday @ 11 am

ELI Students, Staff, & Faculty will convene at the MLK Monument and walk over to the Tidal Basin to enjoy the beautiful trees.  Please RSVP to ELILearn@nvcc.edu. 

For more information on this annual event: http://www.nationalcherryblossomfestival.org/category/events/

Plan Ahead! Fall 2013 Advising Week

If you are a student at NOVA, Fall 2013 priority registration for continuing students will begin on April 16, 2013!  To kick-off the upcoming fall registration, NOVA Campuses are sponsoring Advising Week, April 8-12, 2013. 

If you do not attend on-campus classes, ELI will be offering an advising webinar, Getting Ready for Your Next Semester.  To register, please click here. 

The webinar will be offered:

·       Wednesday, April 10, 2013, 12:15 pm – 1:00 pm

·       Thursday, April 11, 2013, 7:00 pm – 7:45 pm

·       Wednesday, April 17, 2013, 12:15 pm – 1:00 pm

·       Tuesday, April 30, 2013, 12:15 pm – 1:00 pm 

If you are unable to attend an ELI webinar, we invite you to contact our counselors at elicounselors@nvcc.edu, if you would like to set up an appointment.

For students that also attend on-campus classes, Advising Week is the perfect opportunity to meet with an advisor in an effort to preview and select courses to create your schedule and develop a plan that will promote your academic goals and success.  For additional information, look around your campus for Advising Week posters or visit your campus counseling center.  To locate the Advising/Counseling Center on your campus, please click here.

If you will be new to NOVA, open registration will begin on May 3, 2013--feel free to participate in Advising Week or attend ELI’s webinar, Getting Ready for Your Next Semester. 

For more information about Advising and Counseling at NOVA, please click here.

5 Brain Foods to Keep You Thinking Smart!

With all of the stressors that college students face, it’s easy to rely on comfort food as a coping mechanism to stave off the cravings that can often arise when stress levels are high. However, several surprising foods that are both tasty and nutritious can go a long way in improving your overall brain functioning as well as supplying you with valuable nutrients. The following are some to consider in boosting your brain power:

• Wild Salmon – an ideal source of Essential Fatty Acids which helps in boosting your mood, memory, synaptic networks as well as lower your risk for Dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

• Cacao Beans – With a reputation to elevate mood, cacao beans are known to improve cognitive functioning and serve as a powerful antioxidant due to the effects of the chemical Theobromine. If you choose to get your chocolate from a candy bar, it is best to look for a high percentage of dark, unprocessed chocolate in the range of 75-100% cacao and avoid heavily processed chocolate.

• Matcha – Stone ground green tea powder of the utmost quality is know to have calming, yet stimulating effects on the brain and has been known to help monks stay focused when participating in 12-hour meditation lessons. The amino acid, L-Theanine is the chemical responsible for Matcha’s long term focusing effects.

• Blueberries – The bilberry extract in blueberries are good for eye function in the long term as you well know and this is pertinent to all of the extensive reading that students have to do.

• Coffee beans – Known to decrease the risk of Alzheimer’s and Dementia, coffee is one of the most powerful antioxidants out there and is known to enhance cognitive functioning on long term tasks. However, if you have a heart or medical condition that requires you to avoid it, you may want to substitute Roobios Tea, a tea that originated in South Africa that has been proven to reduce the effects of aging on the brain.

For more information on this topic, visit the following link:
http://www.brainready.com/

Promoting Your Success: ELI Testing Tips

To promote a successful testing experience, the ELI Success Coaches encourage you to follow the tips outlined below:   

Be Prepared – Begin reviewing/studying well in advance.  If you need assistance locating helpful study resources, contact your Success Coach at elisuccess@nvcc.edu or call 703.764.5076. For a sampling of helpful study resources, please click here.

 Campus Testing Center: 

• Do not wait until the last minute to take your exam(s).  If you are able, we advise that you take your exam early.  Not only will you avoid long lines, you many also avoid a last minute unforeseen emergency that could prohibit you from getting to a testing center.  An exam must begin no later than 90 minutes before the posted testing center closing time. Regardless of the day, be sure to allow plenty of time. 
• Do not forget to bring your completed Exam Pass  for each exam and a photo ID.  You may print your exam pass from the “Taking Exams and Using Exam Passes” portion of the Syllabus button in your Blackboard course site.
• Be prepared to stow your personal items, not permitted during your exam, including your cell phone (that must be turned off), in the manner required by the testing center (generally in a locker). Simply placing your phone on “silent” is not enough. You are not permitted access to anything other than your exam while testing, unless expressly stated in the exam instructions.
•  If your exam is not working properly in Bb (ex. unable to type in a textbox, audio files not working, images missing) or if you feel your exam did not submit properly, please notify testing center staff immediately so they may help you troubleshoot the problem. The testing center staff is well versed in the “tricks” of Blackboard
• If you are taking multiple exams, you will be required to go through the line for each exam that you are taking.

ProctorU 

Some courses offer online testing through ProctorU. Courses offering this option will be listed in Blackboard under the links, “Taking Exams and Using Exam Passes”, “Syllabus” or “Announcements”. 

• If you choose to use this online proctoring service, schedule to take your exam(s) through ProctorU at least 72 hours prior to testing to avoid a late fee.
• If it is your first time using ProctorU, sign in 15 minutes early to set up your computer.
• Be sure to have your photo ID ready.

In addition to being rested and well-prepared, be sure to have a healthy meal or snack before taking your exam(s). The better prepared you are, the more relaxed you will be and the better your testing outcome.

As an ELI (NOVA) student, you are expected to follow the code of conduct for all NOVA students outlined in the NOVA Student Handbook

Good luck on your exams!