So you know what?  It's time to take a breather!!  I give my exam on Saturday morning, and then we have a short week next week.  And about time, too!  The program office will close on Wednesday, November 25^th at 2pm and reopen on Monday, November 30^th at 7:30am.  For students, you are outta here on Tuesday night.  Be sure to use this time to take a breather for yourself!

We host the Thanksgiving meal at our house every year and it is something I really look forward to.  Everyone is so busy that this is the only time of year when we are all able to be together.  I hope that you will be able to spend time with your friends and family as well.  And if you are away from home, call some friends and make your own celebration for Thanksgiving.  But above all, take this time to rest and be ready for the final 3 weeks of the fall semester.  Remember, January is just around the corner...

GASB is the acronym for the Graduate Accounting Student Board.  GASB is the student organization for the Master of Science in Accounting and the Master of Science in Taxation programs at Kelley.  If you want a chance to get in on the ground floor and have a hand in GASB's formation (actually, reformation), now is the time.

Jane Lambert and I met with GASB first in early October.  We had about 26 volunteers, which is way above the response we have had in previous years.  We met again last week with (whom I believe) will be the leadership of GASB.  And they have been busy.  They have a rough draft of the bylaws, how the organization will be structured (President, Vice President, etc.), and the subcommittees needed to fulfill their goals regarding networking both within the school and with the accounting community in Indianapolis.

Even if you don't want to assume a leadership role in GASB, there are plenty of opportunities for you to get involved.  Do you have a contact in the accounting community who would be a great speaker for the MSA luncheons?  Do you have an idea for a volunteer opportunity that would shine a spotlight on the graduate accounting programs?  Ultimately, do you want your voice to be heard?

GASB will have a pizza night on Wednesday, November 18th that will provide the opportunity for you to find out more about GASB.  Don't miss out on the chance to meet more of your classmates, make some connections and have free pizza!  And you are always welcome to come to a regular GASB meeting.  GASB meets the first Friday of each month.  Hope to see you there!

I was reading Shannon's blog about the super stretchy laptop cover (which is very cool, by the way) and I realized that it had been a while since I submitted a blog.  Been a while?  Try almost 8 months!!  The keepers of the blog are no doubt quite unhappy with me (I think I feel the evil eye even now), and I can't blame them.  But how in the world did over half a year pass under my very nose?  I'll tell you--WE'VE BEEN BUSY!!

Enrollments are up, so my usually placid summer of cleaning out files and catching up on emails was replaced with advising appointments and screening applicants for the MSA and MST programs.  And you know what?   I love it!  Admissions for the summer/fall 2009 terms were up 18% for the graduate accounting programs which means I get to do more of my favorite thing--meet with students.  It seems that more students are taking advantage of my calendar and scheduling their advising appointments early.

Graduate students will begin registering for spring classes the first week of November.  If you have never met with me, I send you a handy spreadsheet with your schedule plan via email right after your appointment.  We can even work out a long-term plan.  MBA Students:  do you want to see if you have what you need for your major?  I can help you with that.  Have you scheduled your advising appointment yet?  Well, what are you waiting for--time's a wastin'...

If you are interested in learning more about our trip in Summer I 2010...stop by the Study Abroad Fair on Wednesday, September 2nd from 11 am - 2 pm in the Taylor Courtyard or contact Jaime Clougher at jcloughe@iupui.edu.

The Cathedral!  We climbed to the top!

Artwork on the Cathedral.

Kelley students at the Council of Europe.

Inside the Council of Europe.

Delicious food!  Hosted by the University of Strasbourg.

Smart Car!

Outside of the European Parliament

On to Paris!!

Top of the Eiffel Tower!  It was windy! :)

Seine River

Pont Neuf

The Louvre

Final Dinner...til next time!

The Mercedes Benz plant was really interesting.  At this particular factory they make two models of cars - A Class and B Class.  I've been on a few plant tours and this was the most facinating of all of them as the entire manufacturing process is automated using robots.  While there are quite a few workers, I've never seen so many robots used in a factory.  It was clear that the quality is improved by the use of the robots which increases the value of these cars.  And because of that high quality and value, I will not be able to afford one! 

After a quick lunch back in Strasbourg at the Euro Cafe (quiche, salad, and Coca Cola light - otherwise known as Diet Coke - all so tasty!) we headed over to the Kronenbourg Brewery, which was founded in 1664.  The tour of the brewery was very entertaining as we had an excellent tour guide!  What I found to be the most interesting were the "galleries" that were used keep the beer cold before modern refrigeration was invented.  Deep below the brewery in the cellars there is a large room with many hallways connected to it.  They would bring ice from the nearby mountains and dump it in the large room.  The galleries would then fill with cold air to keep the beer fresh.  I'm convinced they could still be used as it was nice and chilly in the cellar! 

When we arrived back in the city, David, Nathan, and I headed straight for the Cathedral!  After finally finding the stairs, we climbed to the very top!  I'm so thankful that we did and it really didn't take more than 15-20 minutes with stopping to take pictures throughout the ascent.  The view from the top was breathtaking.  Despite a cloudy day, we could see for miles!  The church bells rang while we were up there and startled us...and the pigeons...which was pretty amusing if you can imagine me running away from them as they fluttered above my head.:)  The descent was followed by a delicious dinner of spaghetti...I admit that I needed a taste of home this evening.

I hope to post some pictures in the future!  Stay posted!

Au revoir!

Since yesterday it has been a complete whirlwind of activity!  An hour after checking in, we went on a walking tour of the city seeing La Cathedrale, Gutenberg's monument, the Chamber of Commerce, and numerous unique shops & restaurants.  La Cathedral took centuries to build and is beautiful!  It's one of the tallest buildings in the city and  the only way to reach the top is to climb the stairs.  David, Professor Bonser-Neal and I plan to embark on that adventure tomorrow as you can see for miles at the top of the highest tower!  After our walking tour we went on a relaxing boat ride that also provided a tour of the city and some interesting history along the way.  Afterward for dinner we tried some Alsatian cuisine...I had a "traditionale tarte" which is kind of like a flat bread pizza without the tomato sauce.  Delicious!

Today we hit the pavement and mass transit to the various European government organizations that are centered in Strasbourg.  Both the Council of Europe and European Parliament are positioned in this city.  The Kelley students attending the trip had a plethora of knowledge regarding these organizations because they are currently taking POLS Y350 - Politics of the European Union,  I'm pretty confident that the guides  and speakers were impressed with their questions!  As a newcomer to this, I definitely learned  so much about how the Council and Parliament interact and the role that each plays.  The Parliament focuses more on the European economy while the Council focuses on human rights.  Of course, there is MUCH more, but that's the basics.

While touring today, there was another group of business students from Boston College.  We noticed them because they were speaking American English.  It's funny how quickly you can distinguish your language when 99% of the people around you are not.  Makes me really appreciate our international students at IUPUI even more.  Being immersed in a culture where you know bits and pieces of a language can be a struggle.  Patience is key and I appreciate everyone here in France that has been patient with me as I try to communicate with them. :) 

Ok...after a fabulous dinner with our University of Strasbourg colleagues...it's time to turn in.  Another eventful day at Mercedes Benz and Kronenbourg Brewery awaits for tomorrow!  Oh yeah...and that hike up to the top of the Cathedral!

Au revoir! 

This is my first blog, so feel free to give me a few pointers if you have a mind to.  Let me start by introducing myself.  My name is Jane McDonald, Assistant Director for Student Services in the IU Kelley School of Business.  On a personal note, I've been married just over a year and my husband and I have four furry children; two cats, Rocky and Looney and two dogs, Gracee and JG. It has been an interesting year or so watching them get adjusted to each other, to say the least.

OK, back to Kelley.  As the Assistant Director for Student Services, I do various things for the school.  Foremost, I am proud to serve as one of five academic advisors for the school.  While we each may see any student who "walks through our doors" interested in business, I specifically work with the honors students, student athletes and probation students.  Another responsibility I hold for the school is that I serve as the Kelley Ombudsman.   I'll save the description of this role for a future blog topic.  Another responsbility I have is working the the Director of the program, Jane Lambert with hiring and training/orienting our adjunct faculty.  The last responsibilities that I will mention here are that I work with setting up the schedule of classes for future semesters and enrollment management. 

A misconception I think some students have is that if they see an advisor without a student, then that advisor must be free to see them.  On the contrary, as you can see from my example above, advisors have many responsibilities.  While advising is the most important and we set aside a significant amount of time to see students, we do have other responsibilities to attend to around student appointments.  I must say, I work with some pretty awesome advisors and we believe that you, the student, deserve our direct attention on your situation and concerns.  That is why advising appointments are so important, so you have our undivided attention!

Speaking of advising appointments, Priority Registration is upon us for summer and fall registration.  Now would be the perfect time for you to schedule an appointment with the advisor of your choice.  Please call our front desk staff at 274-2147 to schedule your appointment to day.

Until next time,

Jane McDonald

After meeting the educational requirements, the other part of exam is the preparation.  There are several kinds of prep material--just Google "CPA Review Materials" and there are over 427,000 hits!  But there is one precious commodity that you will not find on the Internet--your course notes.  If you're like me, you have notebooks and folders and binders full of pages and pages of notes.  HANG ONTO THEM!!  Those notes are an invaluable resource for you as you prepare for the exam. 

In case someone hasn't told you, CPA exam prep is not for the faint at heart.  To really do well, you need to immerse yourself in the material and basically live it every day, right up until you take the exam.  Yes, it's hard work.  Yes, it's a sacrifice.  But when you find out that you have just passed the last section, there's nothing like it!

So for those of you who are graduating soon (or for those fortunate enough to be finished with classes,) remember:  Those notes are gold!! 

Oh, and by the way, did I mention that we will have a CPA prep course on campus this summer...

One of my roles in Kelley is coordinating the scholarship process for new and continuing students.  It's absolutely amazing the number of scholarships that are given to just Kelley students each year.  You can see what was given out in 2007:  Kelley Scholarships   At the same time, I'm always surprised at the percentage of students that don't apply.  It's free money!!  I know that if I was eligible, I'd apply! :)  Last week, current Kelley students that are eligible for 2009-2010 scholarships were invited to apply and their applications are due this Friday, February 13th.  If you received this letter...submit your application.   

IUPUI also has an Office of Student Scholarships that is a great resource for continuing students.  There is ONE application for all of the scholarships...that's pretty nice. The deadlines can vary, so just make sure you check out the Continuing Student Scholarship Application. 

Lastly, make sure you file the FAFSA.  What's that, you say?  Well...it's the Free Application for Federal Student Aid.  It's how you can find out if you are eligible for federal grants and/loans.  If you are eligible, then you decide what you want to accept.  In regard to loans...never accept more than you need.  You have to pay it back after you graduate. :)  This is one application that applying early definitely helps.  The priority deadline is March 1, 2009 so complete the FAFSA soon!   

Unfortunately money doesn't grow on trees.  I googled it...trust me...I'm paying back my student loans. :)  Take the time to apply for some extra cash for school and maybe they'll show you the money! 

The cool thing about registering for the fall is that I get to register at the same time!  I have recently been accepted to Indiana University's Higher Education and Students Affairs (HESA) doctoral degree.  I will be starting in the fall and am pretty pumped.  I am currently looking up all of the classes that I get to choose from, and once again, I get excited thinking about all of the degree requirements and finding out what I need to do to reach the goal of getting an Ed.D (Doctorate of Education) degree.  I feel like a freshman all over again.  There are so many things to learn and people to meet.  I am excited that some of the classes will be taught in Bloomington which is a beautiful campus.  Now I will feel that pressure that all of you feel when you are given assignments and have papers to write.  But it is important to stay focused and do your best!

Enjoy this nice weather!  And MEET WITH AN ADVISOR before you register!

Instead of a taxi to the hotel we took a bus.  The bus was extremely empty.  There were a total of 4 people on the bus including the driver.  We were able to see beautiful scenary on the way to our hotel.  The ride took about 55 minutes however there was also traffic. 

After settling in and unpacking we decided to go exploring. We stumbled on a small market near our hotel. This market was less aggressive than the markets in Beijing.  It was also extremely small and difficult to walk through.  We also decided to get something to eat.  We saw a sign for Outback Steakhouse and decided to enter the restaurant for dinner.  We had delicious burgers for dinner.  The meal was quite pricey however definitely worth it. 

Tomorrow we will go visit the Big Buddha and Saturday we will go to Hong Kong Disneyland. TTFN!!

Jaime & Hayward

We had lunch at a restaurant in the 1st market we visited.  It was on the top floor and we had a wonderful booth seat along the window with an amazing view of the city.  The buffett had everything you could imagine and the price included beer and wine.  Fantastic!  I also enjoyed the best dessert I've had thus far on the trip.  It was a little round chocolate ball with colored sprinkles.  It was super soft and very yummy.

After our shopping excursion we went back to the hotel to drop off our purchases. We grabbed a taxi to take us to McDonald's for a quick bite to eat and then we headed to the other side of town to see the Chinese Acrobat show.  The show was awesome.  There were so many people in the performance.  It was very different than I imagined.  I thought there would be a great deal of gymnastics to music however it was more of a performance with some very dare devil like tricks.  It was breathtaking and nerve wracking.  Amazingly entertaining!!

Tomorrow we fly to Hong Kong!

Jaime & Hayward