Learn what it is like to be engaged in a long-term research project during this session on Monday, October 29, from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. in Ketchum Hall 118. Adrienne Costello, associate professor of English, and Michele Ninacs, assistant professor and director of the College Writing Program, will share their methods and their own experiences in accumulating data and knowledge in order to pursue their ideas and to find answers to questions. Two graduate students from the English Department will act as respondents, and there will be a question-and-answer period. This event is open to all graduate students and all graduate faculty.

We would like all first-year and transfer students to complete Alcoholedu. Information about the course and reminders are sent to their Buffalo State e-mail addresses. The deadline to complete Part 1 and Part 2 is Saturday, October 27, but we encourage students to complete the course even if they miss this deadline. For more information, contact Ron George at alcoholedu@buffalostate.edu.

Through National Student Exchange, students have the opportunity to study for a semester or an academic year at one of 200 participating colleges or universities at affordable tuition rates. Please contact Christine Cali, ext. 4328, to schedule a class visit. Provide your students with this possibility for enriching their college experience and let them know about the information session today, October 23, during Bengal Pause (12:15–1:30 p.m.) in Classroom Building B118. Thank you.

Please encourage promising freshmen through juniors to attend the McNair Scholars Program information and recruitment reception today, October 23, from 12:15 to 1:30 p.m. in Science Building 250. This event will give students the opportunity to meet with program staff, advisory board members, and current McNair scholars to discuss the benefits of participating in the program as well as the application process. For more information, call the McNair office at ext. 3411 or e-mail Jennifer Johnson.

The campus community is invited to give feedback on the Middle States Self-Study draft. Hearings will be held in E. H. Butler Library 210 on Monday, November 5, from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. and on Tuesday, November 6, from 12:15 to 1:15 p.m. The draft can be found on the Buffalo State intranet. Please note that you will need to enter your network username and password to view the document.

Buffalo State Dining and the Buffalo State Child Care Center have joined forces to celebrate National Food Day. Today from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m. in the Resident Dining Hall, Buffalo State Dining will hold a culinary demonstration for the children of the Child Care Center and will demonstrate easy cookie- and cupcake-decorating techniques, simple enough for kids, and also give the children the opportunity to take the stage to design cupcakes and cookies of their very own. Buffalo State Dining welcomes all faculty, staff, and students to join the event and to watch the demonstration.

This is a National Food Day registered event. To view all Food Day events in the Buffalo area, visit the Food Day website.

For more information on Buffalo State Dining, please visit our website.

October is national Breast Cancer Awareness Month. In its honor, Buffalo State Dining will feature a special pink line of pastries and desserts today in the Resident Dining Hall from 11:00 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. Pick up one of our fliers donated by Roswell Park to find out if you are at risk and read information on Team Cure. Buffalo State Dining will also be selling pink ribbon cookies in all of its retail dining operations today for just $1.

For more information on Buffalo State Dining, please visit our website.

Barb Vaughan, associate librarian, is retiring from E. H. Butler Library. To thank her for her service and to show our appreciation, we will hold a farewell reception on Wednesday, November 7, at 2:00 p.m. in the director’s conference room, Butler Library 134. Please stop by and wish her well.

Students from all over the world enroll at Buffalo State. They come with a desire to study their subjects, but many are interested in American customs, practices, and cultures. They are also very far away from home and go without their families for months or years at a time. The Host Family Program serves our international students in two ways: they have a home away from home and a firsthand experience with American culture.

An important part of their orientation into Buffalo State is the opportunity to learn firsthand about our cultural patterns, economics, political outlooks, and everyday language skills. These experiences can assist them in class discussions and in their social relations with other students.

Some students may find the transition from their home country to ours very difficult. Being without their families and adapting to a new culture and a new school can be very frustrating. The warm support of an American family can help alleviate their fears and frustration.

The Host Family Program is designed to give the student a family with whom he or she can visit; enjoy an occasional meal; celebrate holidays; participate in community, sporting, and cultural events; and gain insight about our country and culture. The program also gives you the opportunity to learn about another country’s culture, holidays, and language.

If your family is interested in participating in this program, please call ext. 5331 or e-mail gounarjf@buffalostate.edu for more information. We look forward to your participation in this program.

Buffalo State is hosting a regional learning forum for the student response system manufacturer Turning Technologies on Friday, November 30, from 8:45 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. The registration fee will be waived for Buffalo State faculty and staff members. The keynote speaker, Melinda Micheletto, Ph.D., will share the pedagogical benefits of using student response systems (clickers). After the keynote, attendees will choose one of two tracks: (1) beginner and intermediate sessions focused on TurningPoint legacy software or (2) beginner and intermediate sessions focused on the newly released TurningPoint version 5 software. Detailed session descriptions are available online.

Registration is required and space is limited. Contact Cara Angie to register.