Facilities staff and hydrology students expand Witmer House rain garden

The rain garden installed at the Witmer House has received an upgrade courtesy of University leadership, the Horticulture and Grounds department, and environmental science students. Read more in this week’s Go Green blog post.

‘Pitches and Pumpkins’ innovation event

Calling all innovators and Halloween enthusiasts. Join the Ain Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation for “Pitches and Pumpkins,” an event that combines business brilliance and eerie excitement. The event takes place today, October 25, from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Barbara J. Burger iZone and is open to all current Rochester undergraduate and graduate students. Find event details here and register in advance to attend. Email the Ain Center with questions.

Future Faculty workshops

Designed collaboratively by faculty from each of the University’s schools, the Future Faculty workshop series aims to prepare future faculty and to give graduates an edge in the academic marketplace. Register here for upcoming sessions.

• Understanding the Faculty Role, Part 1: Thursday, October, 26, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• Understanding the Faculty Role, Part 2: Transitioning from Grad Student to Faculty: Thursday, November 30, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Graduate School Fair

Have you considered grad school as your next step? Join the Greene Center, in partnership with the 2024 Class Council, at the Grad School Fair on Thursday, October 26, from 5 to 7 p.m. in the Feldman Ballroom, Douglass Commons, to interact with representatives from a variety of schools and professional programs. Explore a vast array of master’s, MBA, and doctoral programs in engineering, healthcare, education, business operations, liberal arts, and more. Register here and check out the participating schools before you go.

Seminar on building credit for graduate students

This workshop is open to all enrolled graduate students seeking knowledge and tools to put healthy financial skills into practice. The session will be led by financial aid counselors from the Financial Aid Office who will coach you on how to build credit in optimal ways. Join in person or virtually to examine the components of a credit report and the factors affecting your credit score. The event will be held in the Admissions conference room in Wallis Hall from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, November 1. A Zoom link will be provided for remote attendees. Registration is required. The workshop does not take the place of professional financial advisement and will not make any specific investment recommendations.

Reminder about financial services solicitations

Workshop on antiracist feedback and messaging

Language use sets the tone for student learning in the classroom and has the power to encourage or suppress student engagement and motivation. Learn antiracist strategies to reduce student achievement gaps by using growth mindset principles for providing feedback and messaging to students in this one-hour workshop offered by the Teaching Center. The session takes place on Friday, October 27, at noon. Register here for the Zoom link.

Open enrollment 2024

Through its Total Rewards program, the University offers compensation and comprehensive benefits such as health care, tuition, retirement, and more that empower faculty and staff to live their best lives. Open enrollment, which is your opportunity to take action on many of the University’s benefits, begins Wednesday, November 1, and ends November 15. During open enrollment, University faculty and staff can change health care plans, elect to contribute to a Health Savings Account (HSA) or Flexible Spending Account (FSA), elect to increase or decrease their plan coverage, and enroll in Group Universal Life Insurance or several other voluntary benefits. Visit the open enrollment website to learn more about what’s new in 2024, and review the 2024 open enrollment planning steps.

Apply by November 1 to advance your nursing career

Reimagine your nursing career with a bachelor’s degree from the School of Nursing. Apply by Wednesday, November 1, for a January start in the RN to BS program, and complete coursework online in as little as four semesters. University employees can receive full tuition coverage through the SON Tuition Grant. Contact the School of Nursing admissions office with questions about the program or application requirements.

Annual ‘Asthma, Allergy, and Pulmonary Update’ conference

The Medical Center’s 27th annual Mary Parkes Center Asthma, Allergy, and Pulmonary Update is a one-day conference designed to provide physicians, physician extenders, nurses, respiratory therapists, and allied health professionals with an update in the fields of asthma, allergy, and selected topics in pulmonology. The conference aims to initiate practice changes by familiarizing learners with evidence-based diagnostic strategies and treatment advances that can lead to enhanced patient care and outcomes. The event takes place at Casa Larga Vineyards on Thursday, November 2. Register here to attend.

‘Sketch and Sip’ with the MK Gandhi Institute

Join the MK Gandhi Institute for Nonviolence on Friday, October 27, from 6 to 7 p.m. for an evening filled with drinks (alcoholic and nonalcoholic) and interactive drawing activities. No drawing skills or materials are required. This event is a “friendraiser” for the institute; a $10 donation is requested.

Documentary features UR Medicine ‘Stop Stigma’ campaign

Appalachia Heart, a documentary by Don Casper and Epic10 Studio, will be airing on WXXI Rochester on Friday, October 27, at 10:30 p.m. The film features the UR Medicine Recovery Center of Excellence’s “Stop Stigma” campaign, which brings educational workshops and art to rural Appalachian communities to diminish stigma and humanize those affected by the opioid crisis.

Play ‘Simon Games’ for a chance to win a full-tuition scholarship

Are you, or someone in your network, considering business school? Candidates interested in Simon Business School’s full-time MBA program, one of the full-time MS programs in accountancy, business analytics, finance, and marketing analytics, or January entry to the Professional MBA program are invited to play Simon Games. The business simulation not only gives participants a taste of business school through experiential learning but also allows prospective students to compete for a full-tuition scholarship. Register today and use code PLAY15 to receive 50 percent off the registration fee, a $15 value. Contact the Simon Admissions team with questions.

Holiday Shopping Fair call for vendors

Apply here to be a vendor for the Holiday Shopping Fair, taking place on Friday, December 1, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Hirst Lounge, Wilson Commons. The fair will feature an assortment of crafts from vendors around the Rochester area. The deadline to apply is November 6 and applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Contact WCSA@rochester.edu with questions.