blog posts

• Online MS Blog is Live

  Feb 2, 2010 4:00 pm632 views

  Hi NRES Online MS Students, We've heard your requests for a forum on which you can pose questions and communicate with us and each other. Enter the NRES Online MS Blog (http://go.illinois.edu/NRES_Online_MS_Blog). It is a place where both current and prospective students can get ask questions and interact. Hope to see you there, Piper

• New Career Bulletin is Out

  Feb 3, 2010 8:25 am261 views

  The latest bi-weekly NRES Career Bulletin is posted at http://nres.illinois.edu/students/nres_career_bulletin. Enjoy, Piper Hodson NRES Student Services Coordinator

• Degree Requirements Clarified

  Feb 16, 2010 3:45 pm370 views

  Yes, what you've heard is true; there is no longer a requirement that you must earn four hours of graded 500-level lecture or lecture-discussion credit in order to earn the M.S. However, the requirement that you must earn 12 hours of 500-level credit remains in place. Read the full entry for more information about this change and what is required.

• New Career Bulletin is Online

  Feb 17, 2010 5:06 pm241 views

  The newest issue of the bi-weekly NRES Career Bulletin is now online at http://nres.illinois.edu/sites/nres.illinois.edu/files/2010-02-17.pdf.

• Final exam clarification

  Feb 17, 2010 10:58 pm2056 views

  The degree requirements state that you must complete a "Final exam" and directly after that it states that students doing a Special Project must present and defend their project at the final exam. Is the defense the entirety of the final exam or is there a written portion covering the full scope of NRES in addition? If the latter is true, is there a recommended reading list and/or subjects to brush up on? Thanks.

• Planning to Graduate in May?

  Mar 4, 2010 3:30 pm332 views

  Very important information if you are planning to graduate in May: You must e-mail kclaus@illinois.edu ASAP to be added to the pending degree list.

• Latest NRES Career Bulletin

  Mar 17, 2010 1:45 pm229 views

  The latest edition of the bi-weekly NRES Career Bulletin has been posted at http://nres.illinois.edu/sites/nres.illinois.edu/files/2010-03-17.pdf.

• Registration is starting soon!!

  Mar 31, 2010 10:39 pm2038 views

  Hello! I just wanted to send a quick reminder that summer registration will be starting shortly. I have received many emails and calls recently about this, so I thought I would clarify the steps! For degree seeking students you should check your student account in Enterprise Web for Student system (where you pay your bill, get your records, etc) and see when your timeticket first allows you to register. Every student received an email as well in their U of I email account as a reminder of this, too. This "time ticket" gives you the first date and time you can begin to pick courses. Let us know if you are unsure of this and we can assist you (Karen Claus, Piper Hodson, Peggy Day--registrar, myself and others). For those of you that are newer to NRES, summer enrollments are usually lower (many of you this is your busy time of the year), so there are also less courses to choose from. As the program continues to grow and as there is increasing interest in summer courses, the NRES Department may add more courses to the summer term in future years. Please note the following courses are available for summer 2010 that you may look up in the course catalog for dates and times: --NRES499 Ecology of Migratory Birds, Dr. Ward --AGED500 Intro to Illinois Woodlands for Teachers, Dr. Snow --CPSC 499 Plant Pathology, Dr. Niblack (this one has 4 labs at UIUC on 4 designated Saturdays, so please be sure you notice this as only the lectures are online--you would need to be able to come to the labs on the UIUC campus.) Please let us know if you have any questions, or concerns. We will be happy to assist you. Sincerely, Heather Miller Program Director Office of Continuing Education

• Apologies, Other Registration Information, and Career Bulletin

  Apr 2, 2010 4:53 pm231 views

  Sorry for the multiple e-mails that went out with the difficult to read text. I was trying to get it to look reasonable and only realized too late it was sending it as an e-mail each time I tried. My apologies. Here is (hopefully) a more legible version of other registration information. And the newest NRES Career Bulletin is available at http://nres.illinois.edu/students/nres_career_bulletin. Have a terrific weekend, and I apologize again for the multiple e-mails.

• New NRES Career Bulletin

  Apr 15, 2010 2:27 pm262 views

  The newest NRES Career Bulletin has been posted: http://nres.illinois.edu/sites/nres.illinois.edu/files/2010-04-14.pdf.

• Virtual Drop-In Hours for The Career Center

  Apr 19, 2010 4:29 pm296 views

  The Career Center for the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is piloting online "virtual counselor drop-in" sessions. If they find that these are successful and popular, the Center is likely to offer them in the future, which would be a tremendous benefit for those in online degree programs. If you have some free time Wednesday morning, I'd encourage you to sign up for one of the three sessions (probably the first or second will be the most useful for you) and provide feedback about how it worked for you. See below for details.

• New NRES Career Bulletin

  Apr 30, 2010 5:31 pm294 views

  The newest NRES Career Bulletin has been posted: http://nres.illinois.edu/sites/nres.illinois.edu/files/2010-04-28.pdf.

• Did you know fall classes start in less than 4 weeks?

  Jul 28, 2010 12:50 pm303 views

  Summer is speeding by, and the fall semester will soon be upon us. If you are thinking of taking courses in the NRES Online M.S. program this fall, it's time to start thinking about registration and your progress in the program. Find the resources you need in this post. Please read it carefully for important advice about how to progress smoothly through your degree program.

• Travel Grant Applications Due Monday

  Sep 17, 2010 4:47 pm256 views

  This is a reminder for those of you seeking financial support for your research-related travel that the applications for the Graduate College Conference Travel Grant and the NRES Educational Opportunities Grant are due on Monday.

• Latest NRES Career Bulletin Has Been Posted

  Sep 17, 2010 4:53 pm258 views

  The latest NRES Career Bulletin has been posted at http://nres.illinois.edu/students/nres_career_bulletin.

• New Staff Introduction

  Oct 5, 2010 4:37 pm269 views

  Good afternoon! I'm very pleased to announce that we have a new part-time staff member who will be supporting the online M.S. program. Candace Branigan has joined us and will be helping us improve the frequency of communication with online students and providing assistance in the administration of the program. So when you receive an e-mail from candaceb@illinois.edu, please know that it is official and you should read it. Have a terrific afternoon, Piper Hodson Student Services Coordinator Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Resources for admitted students: http://nres.illinois.edu/current_online Resources for non-degree students: http://nres.illinois.edu/future_online

• Faculty Available to Serve as Research Directors

  Oct 13, 2010 11:57 am230 views

  Good afternoon, For those of you who are nearing 16 credit hours (or who have already surpassed it but not completed the Committeee Appointment Form), it is time to appoint your Research Director and committee. The rest of this blog post contains a treasure trove of information about how to complete that process. Hope everyone is enjoying their fall classes! Piper Hodson Student Services Coordinator Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Resources for admitted students: http://nres.illinois.edu/current_online Resources for non-degree students: http://nres.illinois.edu/future_online

• Latest NRES Career Bulletin Posted

  Oct 15, 2010 2:50 pm2174 views

  The latest NRES Career Bulletin has been posted at http://nres.illinois.edu/students/nres_career_bulletin. Have a great weekend, Piper

• November 12th NRES Career Bulletin Posted

  Nov 14, 2010 12:07 am237 views

  The latest NRES Career Bulletin has been posted at http://nres.illinois.edu/students/nres_career_bulletin. Have a great weekend, Piper

• New Travel Grant Available

  Nov 16, 2010 4:41 pm230 views

  The Graduate College now offers a "Masters Capstone Project Travel Grant" for which NRES online MS students may be eligible. The grant is designed to support the research of students completing a terminal masters degree (meaning that special projects may be eligible). Follow the link to the full story for more information.

• Happy Thanksgiving and Latest NRES Career Bulletin

  Nov 24, 2010 1:50 pm259 views

  Happy Thanksgiving! The newest NRES Career Bulletin has now been posted at http://nres.illinois.edu/students/nres_career_bulletin. Wishing you an enjoyable and relaxing holiday and safe travels, Piper

• Happy Holidays and Student and Alumni Profiles

  Dec 17, 2010 8:16 am330 views

  Happy Holidays! For prospective students considering the Online MS Program, one of the most useful features of the NRES web site is the profiles of current students and alumni.

• Cancellation and Refund Deadline is Friday

  Jan 11, 2011 3:15 pm175 views

  I hope this finds you excited to start spring 2011 courses next week! If you have registered for U of I courses for the spring semester but have changed your mind, please note that you have to cancel your registration of full semester courses by 5:00 pm Friday, January 14th for a full refund of tuition and fees. Follow the link to the full story for more details.

• NRES Career Bulletin

  Feb 4, 2011 5:15 pm188 views

  I hope this finds you all safe and warm! The latest edition of the NRES Career Bulletin has been posted at http://nres.illinois.edu/students/nres_career_bulletin.

• Lots of Jobs

  Mar 4, 2011 3:15 pm185 views

  There are almost 6 pages of jobs in the latest NRES Career Bulletin, and that's without counting graduate, post-doctoral, and internship/summer opportunities! Check out the Bulletin at http://nres.illinois.edu/students/nres_career_bulletin.

• Online Advising Meetings Available

  Mar 15, 2011 5:00 pm293 views

  NRES is planning some online advising meetings to help students get answers to their questions. Read the article for more information.

• Online Advising Session is Friday 5:00-6:30

  Mar 29, 2011 8:58 am137 views

  Thanks for all of your responses to my previous post! We will host an online advising session on Friday, April 1st from 5:00 to 6:30 pm (Central Time). I (Piper Hodson, NRES Student Services Coordinator) and Dr. Ellsworth (Faculty Coordinator and Academic Advisor) will be there. To access the meeting, go to https://sas.elluminate.com/m.jnlp?password=M.19C11EA0056D5D3BC3797830F6AFA1&sid=407, type in your name, and click Login. Feel free to join any time from 5:00-6:30. I'm sure you all know Elluminate better than me, but you can find a getting started guide at https://www.elluminate.com/resources/training/104-Elluminate_Live__Participant_Quick_Reference_Guide.pdf. If you click to read the rest of this post, you the URLs will be hyperlinked (this blog system won't do it in the text that gets sent to your e-mail). Hope to see you Friday! Piper Hodson NRES Student Services Coordinator

• Registering for Fall

  Apr 14, 2011 1:42 pm388 views

  As registration time tickets are kicking in, I know that you are anxious to get registered for the fall semester. Unfortunately, we can't put the courses running through the Office of Online and Continuing Education into the system until June. I will send a message to the group again when the courses are ready for registration. Your time ticket doesn't expire, so you should be able to register without a problem when that happens. If you click to read more, you'll find more information on the NRES courses being offered to help you plan.

• Petitioning Non-Degree Coursework

  Apr 14, 2011 2:45 pm181 views

  The Graduate College recently changed its policy on when you can petition your non-degree coursework. If you still need to do that, you can do it now. Read more for details.

• Human Dimensions Career Talk Tuesday

  Apr 15, 2011 5:34 pm145 views

  On Tuesday, April 19th at 6:00 pm, NRES is hosting Caitlin McCoy, Environmental Social Scientist for Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant, to talk about careers. You can hear the talk and join in the conversation by logging into the NRES Virtual Office. Read more for details.

• Career Resources Available Today

  Apr 19, 2011 8:59 am151 views

  The latest NRES Career Bulletin has been posted at http://nres.illinois.edu/students/nres_career_bulletin, and don't forget the "Conversation with Caitlin McCoy" career talk this evening at 6:00 pm in Elluminate. Read more for instructions for how to join the conversation.

• Register for Summer Soon

  Apr 22, 2011 1:50 pm185 views

  Registration for the summer term has begun, and seats are starting to fill up with non-degree seeking students. Don't miss out on the course(s) you want. Register at https://apps.uillinois.edu/StudentFacSelfService.html. Read more for available courses and more information.

• Happy Spring!

  Apr 28, 2011 9:42 am182 views

  Don't forget to forward your Illinois.edu address when you are not enrolled!

• Fall NRES Courses Available for Registration

  Jun 6, 2011 9:11 am247 views

  The fall 2011 NRES courses are now available for registration to degree-seeking students. Other departments' courses are not yet in the system. Non-degree registration is scheduled to begin at noon on June 8th. Don't forget, NRES 472 Environmental Psychology starts tonight and is still available for enrollment, though you need to contact Peggy Day at 217-244-2507 for assistance getting registered and everything set up for the course.

• Hope You are Staying Cool and a Note About NRES 416

  Jul 15, 2011 8:45 am256 views

  A Note About NRES 416

• ACES Online - On Campus

  Jul 26, 2011 8:38 am161 views

  Don't Forget to Complete the ACES Online - On Campus Survey by July 29!

• Fall 2011 courses for the NRES online MS program

  Aug 15, 2011 2:45 pm200 views

  Classes begin a week from today! Have you registered, yet? Find information in the rest of this message and at http://nres.illinois.edu/current_online/courses.

• Latest NRES Career Bulletin

  Oct 25, 2011 1:58 pm750 views

  The latest NRES Career Bulletin is available at http://nres.illinois.edu/students/nres_career_bulletin.

• Research Funding Opportunity

  Oct 25, 2011 2:00 pm124 views

  The Mianus River Gorge Preserve offers a grant to fund a graduate-level research study that investigates environmental challenges in urban and suburban ecosystems.

• Great Advice for the Program Final Examination

  Nov 16, 2011 8:59 am118 views

  Inside Higher Ed published an article on preparing for a thesis defense that is also terrific advice for preparing for the NRES Online MS oral examination at the end of the program. Check it out at: http://www.insidehighered.com/advice/2011/11/16/essay-offering-advice-defending-dissertations-and-theses.

• Spring 2012 courses for NRES online MS program

  Jan 9, 2012 11:14 am199 views

  Classes begin January 17. Have you registered, acquired your books and verified your technological capabilities? To find information on course options, ordering textbooks, and who to contact with questions regarding spring 2012 enrollment check out the following information.

• Cancellation and Refund Deadline is Friday

  Jan 11, 2012 8:49 pm107 views

  Classes begin January 17! If you have registered for U of I courses for the Spring semester but have changed your mind, please note that you have to cancel your registration of full semester courses by 5:00pm on Friday, January 13 for a full refund of tuition and fees. For further details click the link below.

• Information about NRES 500

  Jan 12, 2012 4:59 pm216 views

  Hello NRES online MS students! We have a great NRES seminar series planned for Spring 2012, and we are thrilled to be able to offer it to our on-line MS students! We have invited a lot of dynamic speakers to present their research on a terrific mix of topics. I think everyone will learn a lot! Seminar schedule The seminar schedule for fall is available on-line: http://nres.illinois.edu/seminars/upcoming The on-line seminar schedule also includes a link to each speaker's website. I would encourage you to visit the websites to learn a bit about each speaker, and perhaps read some of the speaker's recent publications. See the full article for more information about NRES 500.

• Online Advising Session: Capstone Options January 24, 5:00 pm

  Jan 20, 2012 9:45 am1025 views

  You may have heard about the changes to the NRES Capstone Experience. NRES has expanded its offerings to give you 3 options to choose from to complete your Special Project. There will be an online advising session to explain your choices on Tuesday, Jan 24 from 5:00 – 6:00 pm (Central Time). Read the article below for more information.

   

  NRES will be hosting an online advising session on Tuesday, January 24 from 5:00 – 6:00 pm (Central Time) to explain the new Capstone Experience course offerings (NRES 503, NRES 505, and NRES 507) and to discuss how these changes relate to the previous course offering (NRES 501). You now have three options for your Special Project. Anyone who has completed 16 hours or more in the NRES M.S. program may want to attend this informational session. Even if you have not completed 16 hours, it is never too early to begin to think about your project!  Piper Hodson, Student Services Coordinator, Dr. Ellsworth (Faculty Coordinator and Academic Advisor), and Renee Gracon, Online Advising Specialist will be there to discuss the changes and answer your questions. To access the meeting, go to: https://sas.elluminate.com/m.jnlp?password=M.19C11EA0056D5D3BC3797830F6AFA1&sid=407  Type in your name and click Login. Feel free to join any time during the session.

  If you are interested in attending the advising session, you may submit questions in advance by typing into the comment section below. That way we can better tailor the session to meet your needs.

  We look forward to meeting with you on Tuesday night.

  Renee Gracon

  NRES Online Advising Specialist

   

   

   

   

   

• Don't forget Tuesday Night's Advising Session - Capstone Project Options

  Jan 22, 2012 11:53 pm1151 views

  Don't forget the online Advising Session, Tuesday January 24 at 5:00 pm (Central Time). The session will focus on your Capstone options. Read more below.

  There are several new changes to the MS program, including a wider variety of choices related to your Special Project. Don't forget to tune in Tuesday night to hear more about NRES 503, NRES 505, and NRES 507 - your Capstone Options. Click on the link to view the session: https://sas.elluminate.com/m.jnlp?password=M.19C11EA0056D5D3BC3797830F6AFA1&sid=407, or cut and paste the URL into your browser.

  If there is a special question that you would like to have addressed, please send it to gracon1@illinois.edu no later than 10:00 pm Monday night, or use the Comment button below.

  For those who would like to attend, but have conflicts, be sure to look for the link later this week which will give you information on how to access the archived recording of the session.

  We hope to see you online Tuesday night!

  Renee Gracon

• Accessing the Capstone Project Advising Archive

  Jan 25, 2012 4:40 pm1263 views

  If you were unable to attend Tuesday evenings online advising session about the Capstone Course options, you can review the recorded session by going to the link in the message below.

   

  To access the archived recording forom Tuesday evenings session go to:

  https://sas.elluminate.com/site/external/jwsdetect/playback.jnlp?psid=2012-01-24.1529.M.87F36996661A8600209E1FEAD763DC.vcr&sid=407

  If you need clarification on any point covered in that session, or have any additional questions, please contact me at gracon1@illinois.edu.

  Renee Gracon

   

• Last Chance for NRES T-shirts and Hoodies!

  Feb 6, 2012 12:05 pm1140 views

  The NRES Graduate Student Advisory Committee is selling customized long-sleeved t-shirts and hooded sweatshirts, but you must act immediately to make your purchase. For further information,  read more...

   

  Show off your NRES pride!

  Don't miss out on these fabulous forest green with tan screen print shirts and hoodies available to all online students. The deadline to order is February 7!

  To make a purchase and arrange for the items to be mailed to you, contact the NRES main office (Lezli Cline lcline@illinois.edu) or Heather Miller (hmiller1@illinois.edu).

  Long Sleeved T-shirts are $18

  Hooded Sweatshirts are $25.

  Please indicate the size and style. Also, include an addition $4 for one item, or $6 for multiple items, if you want them shipped to your home address. On campus students will be notified when they are ready and can pick up their purchases from the NRES main office, W-503 Turner Hall.

  Help spread the word about NRES in your home town by wearing one of these awesome items. But a T-shirt or hoodie today!

  Renee Gracon

   

   

• Important information for students planning to graduate this Spring!

  Feb 9, 2012 7:53 pm1154 views

  Graduation is only 3 months away!  This is an exciting time for you, and also a very busy one! Be sure that everything you need to do before you graduate has been done!  See the information below so you don’t overlook anything!

   

  As you prepare for graduation, be sure that you have met all of the degree requirements by checking the NRES website or going to:  http://nres.illinois.edu/current_online/degree_requirements.

  If you have been working on your Independent Research Project, you should already have the following documents on file: “Appoint Your Committee” and “Research Proposal”. If not, both forms are available by going to http://nres.illinois.edu/current_online and scrolling down the page to FORMS.  For more information on the research proposal, go to http://nres.illinois.edu/current_online/guide_to_research_proposal.  It’s not too late to submit these documents to the Student Services Center at  nres-ssc@illinois.edu, but don’t delay!   

  Don’t forget to put your name on the pending degree list and notify both Karen Claus (kclaus@illinois.edu) and me (gracon1@illinois.edu) of your progress! You will find this and other important instructions in the step-by-step guide on the NRES website in the document “15 Things to Do When Depositing Your Special Project” at  http://nres.illinois.edu/sites/nres.illinois.edu/files/15_Steps_to_Deposit_Non-thesis.pdf.

  All the faculty and staff of the NRES department look forward to celebrating with you in May!

  If you have any additional questions, or need any advising assistance, please contact me at gracon1@illinois.edu.

  Renee

• Help us get ready for the fall ACES Online - On Campus weekend!

  Feb 10, 2012 1:29 pm1195 views

  We need your comments and your suggestions to plan this fall’s graduate student online – on campus weekend. Please read below for more information:

   

  Last  fall's On Campus weekend for online students was a big success. Students were able to learn about the program, explore career and library resources, attend guest seminars and hear presentations from other graduate students!  They met the faculty, other online and on-campus graduate students, and enjoyed a graduate student social arranged just for them. 

  We want this year’s event to be even better, but we need your help. If you have any ideas about what could make this a terrific experience for you, whether you are new to the program or nearing graduation, let us hear from you. We also want to know which weekend in September or early October would be most convenient? 

  Post your ideas/comments/preferred weekend in the comment window below or email me with your suggestions (gracon1@illinois.edu). Help us make this fall’s “Online - On Campus” weekend outstanding!

  I look foward to hearing from all of you!

  Renee

   

• It's Time for the Annual Review!

  Feb 24, 2012 8:32 pm1117 views

  I just wanted to let you know that early next week you will be receiving an email asking you to complete this year’s Annual Review Form. The Annual Review provides the perfect opportunity to reflect on your education plan, goals and timeline for completing the M.S. degree. We are asking all online M.S. students to submit their current resume or CV, and to complete the Annual Review Form by March 12, including the new section with questions about your choice of capstone experience. for more information, please read below.

  Piper Hodson and I will host an Online Advising Session on Saturday morning, March 3, at 9:00 am (CT) aimed at your answering questions about the Annual Review process, future course offerings, and how to update your Plan of Study. Everyone is invited to attend.  To access the meeting, go to Https://sas.elluminate.com/m.jnlp?password=M.19C11EA0056D5D3BC3797830F6AFA1&sid=407. Type in your name and click Login.

  If you have questions and cannot attend next Saturday’s meeting, or if you need other advising assistance, be sure to email me at gracon1@illlinois.edu.

  Thank you for helping us update our student files.  We look forward to chatting with some of you on March 3.

  Renee Gracon