10:00-10:25 a.m. ET Welcome Session
SIS Admissions Team Welcome; Remarks from Dean Shannon Hader and Alumnus Calvin Hayes; Overview of the Day.
Virtual Welcome Day: March 23, 2024
Welcome to the School of International Service (SIS) Admitted Student Virtual Welcome Day event page. We're excited to share the day with you!
Be sure to bookmark this page--or open it in a separate window through the day--so that you can easily follow along with the detailed agenda and join us on Zoom. Additionally, we encourage you to make use of the "Planning Guide" that was included in our previous email to help organize your questions and get the most out of the day's experience.
Welcome to SIS!
What is the student experience like at SIS? Find out from some of our recent alumni.
Schedule of Events
Saturday, March 23, 2024
10:25-11:25 a.m. ET Student Experience Panel
Current SIS students from a range of programs will share their experiences, including how they connect and engage with the SIS community, balance full-time work and part-time school, integrate international experience into their program, pursue internships, and more. Students will open up space for asking questions during the session.
11:25-11:35 a.m. ET Stretch Break
Get up for a stretch break!
11:35 a.m.-12:20 p.m. ET Program Introduction
Meet in a small group with other newly admitted students in your program and hear from faculty about their research and work in the field. You will be automatically assigned into your breakout room or may select to join your program session directly from the breakout room list.
Lunch Break: 12:20-12:35 p.m.
12:35-1:05 p.m. ET Academic Advising
Director of Graduate Academic Advising, Marley Crutcher, will provide an overview of the master’s curriculum that highlights decision-points where you will be able to tailor your program to your own academic interests and professional goals. Marley’s session will provide food for thought that may prompt questions related to your specific program and how to make the best use of the options SIS provides to meet your goals. Take these questions into your advisor’s drop-in session immediately following the group presentation.
1:05-1:55 p.m. ET Resources and Student Engagement Drop-In Sessions
Design-your-own agenda during this session by visiting breakout rooms for Career and Academic Advising Resources; Study Abroad Opportunities; SIS Student Leadership and Engagement; and Finances Q&A (general topics). You are encouraged to move between rooms as needed to have your questions answered.
1:55-2:00 p.m. ET Closing Session
The day's formal programming concludes with open Q&A and closing reflections from the Admissions Team.
Zoom Setup Requirements
In-Session Display Name
Each time you join or re-join the event, you must rename yourself to [First Name] [Last Name] and [Program Acronym] (for example, "Ann Smith, EPHR"). This is critical to help manage the security of the session, as well as assist you in quickly finding your Program specific breakout rooms.
Quick tip: to update your display name inside the session room, hover over your name on the "Participants" window, select "Rename" or "More" then "Rename" and enter the information above.
Breakout Rooms
We will be using breakout rooms throughout the day to provide an opportunity for smaller group discussion.
To ensure that you can quickly see and select your intended breakout room, check that the Zoom meeting window is maximized on your screen (we suggest joining the event from a laptop or desktop rather than a mobile device).
Please also ensure that you are running the most updated version of Zoom.
Stretch Breaks and In-Session Experience
Stretch breaks are built into the day and we encourage you to use this time to step away from your screen!
Inside the event session, we ask that you leave your microphone muted unless invited to speak by the room host to ensure a smooth audio experience for all. Feel free to turn on your video and utilize the chat box to engage with the session hosts and attendees throughout the day.
Additional Opportunities
On-Campus Welcome Day 2
We're excited to welcome admitted SIS grad students to campus for this half-day, in-person program—the second of SIS's two Admitted Student Welcome Day events—designed to introduce you to the graduate student experience. The day features a welcome brunch with SIS alumni, a career exploration panel, current student "Ask Me Anything" sessions, sample classes, and more.
We hope you will join us to meet your future classmates and members of the SIS community, and explore our beautiful campus in Washington D.C.
Experience Campus
Virtual Experience
Can't make it in person? No problem. We have several options for you to get a feel of the campus without actually being there in person.
Video Tours
Hear from faculty, staff, and alumni about what makes SIS unique and how the education you'll receive here is one that will prepare you no matter the career path you choose.
Interactive Map
Browse AU's campus with this interactive map. Click in to see more about each building and the population it serves.