Engineering Graduate Students Association EGSA

2. Outline About EGSA About EGSL USC Getting Started What it means to be a Trojan! USC Academic Life Trojan Experience Social life Life in LA Our presentation today will focus on what EGSA is all about, what the EGSL position is and how is the life as a Trojan at USC and beyond�Our presentation today will focus on what EGSA is all about, what the EGSL position is and how is the life as a Trojan at USC and beyond�

4. Who we are? We are students just like you who like having fun! All VSOE students are members of EGSA No Membership Fee Our events are open to all VSOE students and their dependents (unless specifically advertised) Our web site: http://viterbi.usc.edu/egsa Senator Contacts, Upcoming events, Gallery

5. What we do? Listen to you Voice your concerns Help improve things � make life better! With Departments With VSOE With GPSS (Graduate Professional Student Senate) Academic Events Guest Lectures Discussions with Department Chair (s) and Dean

6. What we do? Social Events Gatherings Departmental Ice Cream Socials, Theme Park trips, New year Luncheon, � Inter-Departmental Banquet & E-week Music of the World Tailgate Sponsor football game / theme park tickets Support events organized by other organizations Garba, Holi, Diwali � AIS, Chinese Moon Festival-CSSA, Nowrooz-IGSA, Soccer Tournament-IEEE,�

7. Who funds our activities? You We get our funds from the programming fee you pay to USC So it is your money! You should attend our events You should send us suggestions, feedback and comments

8. Our Board Executive Board President and 3 Vice President (s) Senators One or more representatives from all departments under VSOE If you have any concerns regarding your life at USC, studies, etc. you should contact your department senator

10. EGSL Engineering Graduate Student in Liaison Shirin Eghtesadi Having a challenging situation? Do you feel that something needs to be changed or improved? Or just need to know or say something and don't know where to go?

11. What does EGSL do? Ensure that all concerns of the student community are handled in the correct manner Email: eghtesad@usc.edu You can request anonymity.

13. USC step-by-step Getting Started! Passport Verification (International Students Only) � OIS Holds Academic, immunization, degree verification others�(OASIS) Course Advisement & Registration D vs R Classes Audit, Credit/No Credit Internet Access & First Login USCard (Photo ID) Works like a debit card (discretionary) Bank Account ATM, Debit and Credit cards Be Careful at ATM�s!

14. USC step-by-step Getting Started! Fee Payment Health Insurance Student Health Center Tuition Refund Insurance Housing Newsgroups Sports Lyon Center On-campus Job search and SSN California State ID or Drivers License Shopping Make your web site!

15. Facilities To name a few� Libraries Wired and wireless internet Dial-up from home (213) 743-2222 � FREE! Sports Tram service (FREE) Campus Cruiser (FREE) Parking

16. USC Libraries How to locate books Hours of operation Location Access to online journals If USC Libraries do not have the book you need � Try inter-library loan (FREE!) Library officials always looking for suggestions Loan Movies from library

18. USC Academic Life Life is not just about final exams! Between Lectures�Assignments�Projects All are important Most courses use all/some of them to determine your grade Do not let things pile on! Plan your semester Plagiarism! If in doubt, don�t do it. ASK! Exams Generally mid-term (s) and final (end-term) Grading policy depends on Professor teaching the class Explained generally in Lecture 1 with syllabus

19. How to select courses Seek information about course Professor Department Advisor Students who have taken the course Read through syllabus Attend first 3 weeks of classes and then commit! Find out the date of the final exam

20. What do Prof.�s like ? Attendance Be there (on time)! Ask questions Even if you think people will laugh If you have a doubt ASK! Most Prof.�s let you walk in and walk out any time from the class Not necessary that you should do it! You can eat and drink in some classrooms

21. USC Academic Life Interaction Talk to your Prof. Know office hours and location (email) Possible research opportunities 590 (Directed Research) Talk to your TA He is there to help you (email) Know office hours and location Other facilities Blackboard Discussion board Online submissions Mailing lists DEN & Web-casting Classrooms have multimedia and wireless access Don�t just stick to your old study habits�adapt! Don�t just stick to your old study habits�adapt!

22. Grading System A+ and A : 4.0 A- : 3.7 B+ : 3.3 B : 3.0 B- : 2.7 �

24. What does it mean to be a Trojan ? High expectations You get instant recognition Among Alumni Among Employers � You are special! USC expects you to have the best time of your life and provides you with all the facilities and opportunities It�s a place to harness your talents and skills Cheer every Football win USC at the top! USC vs. UCLA!!! - A must experience event

25. So How is Life at USC? Did you imagine your life at USC to be dull, boring and all about books and studies? You were WRONG! Social, Cultural, Academic, Professional, Networking events round the year Many on-campus organizations Check out USC Student Organizations web site for a list Dance, sports, regional, martial arts, meditation, academic etc. EGSA and Departmental events

26. GPSS Graduate Professional Student Senate Its your organization too! Is there to listen to you Campus Safety Chair Intl. Scholars Committee Chair � And voice your concerns to USC Administrators Funds lots of events year around USC Program Board International Students Assembly

27. USC � One of a kind! Largest International Student Community Your chance to meet people from around the world Learn about other culture (s) while sharing yours Make friends Say �Hi� to fellow students! At USC you are your nation�s ambassador

28. Put aside some time for� Grocery Shopping Cooking Cleaning & Maintenance Laundry Pay bills, rent, � Hang out, party Movies

29. Safety! Most Important Walk in well-lit areas at night Do not walk alone at 1am in the night! CALL campus cruiser (213-740-4911 or x04911) CALL Department of Public Safety (213-740-6000 or x06000) LAPD (911)

30. Tips on selecting where to stay! Get information How is landlord Past residents, OIS, mailing lists Insect problem Deposit Campus Cruiser and DPS limits

31. Where can you sit and study! Libraries Class rooms Garden�s Cafeteria�s Commons Topping student Center Where ever you like� (choose wisely)

32. Career Opportunities On-campus Job Fairs General Engineering Special Monstertrak Interviewtrak Off-campus Job Fairs

33. Enriching your USC Experience Lectures Departmental Research groups VSOE Lectures Guest Lectures Networking Events USC Career Center Internship and Job search On-campus / Off-campus Courses You are welcome to take any course you like Sports, dance, language, music, art, �

34. Around LA Place to visit Theme Parks � Disneyland, Magic Mountain, Universal Studios, Sea World Downtown, Shrine, Universal City Walk Shopping Malls, Parks, 3rd street Promenade (Santa Monica) Museums � Some around USC Big Bear (ski) MTA (1-800-COMMUTE) Bus and Rail service (http://www.mta.net) $3 day pass OR $1.25 per ride (daytime) Cab, shuttle

35. Get Involved! EGSA is YOUR organization Email : egsa@usc.edu Web Site : http://viterbi.usc.edu/egsa Slides available on our web site Join the EGSA mailing list

36. EGSA Board President Amit Dhariwal Vice President Nazila Mokarram - Programs Wei Chen - Finance Eva Lee � Communication Department Senators Ryan Downey - Astronautics & Space Technology Division Jay Mung � Biomedical Engineering Aviral Mathur - Computer Science Aditya Devdhar - Computer Science Karthikeyan Chockalingam - Civil & Environmental Engineering Akshay Kumbhar - Electrical Engineering Karan Bheda - Electrical Engineering Soraya Taghavi - Electrical Engineering Naser Khan - Industrial & Systems Engineering