Welcome New Fellows

From the ‘Seasoned’ Fellows!

“The Opportunity of a Lifetime”

• Marketing 101:

• The ‘vision’ of NCLVI needed to be conveyed to the target audience (US) in a manner that we entered into a 'belief' in NCLVI before we could fully appreciate it.

• Now is your opportunity to appreciate it….ALL OF IT

NCLVI (Enrichment)• NCLVIE: No one Can Leave Visual

Impairments, EVER!• NCLVI: Nationally Challenged

Leaders of Visual Impairment• NCLVI: Nonstop Chatting,

Laughing, Venting, and Imagining (Being Done!)

Ph.D. • PhD: Probably heavily in Debt• PhD: Permanent head Damage• PhD: Pour her (or him) a Drink• PhD: Piled, Higher, and Deeper• PhD: Primary Hair loss Due to Stress•

Ed.D:• Ed.D: Educational Deficit Disorder• Ed.D: Educated Dummy’s Diploma• Ed.D: Educated, Dedicated,

Determined

When it’s all over you’ll be a

Ph. D. or an Ed. D.

Signs that you are an NCLVI Fellow

Here’s your Sign:

If you’ve ever made a mad dash to the post office to over night your NCLVI application to Dr. Garber-you might be a NCLVI

Fellow

Signs

If you’ve ever had an article written about this Fellowship in your

hometown paper -you might be an NCLVI Fellow

Signs

If you’ve ever stayed up ‘til 3 in the morning to post a

message to the discussion board-you might be an

NCLVI Fellow

Signs

If you’ve ever called PCO more than once in a single day to find out if a decision had been made about who

got this Fellowship-you might be an NCLVI Fellow

Signs

If you were on vacation and missed the call to

congratulate you on your acceptance-you might be

an NCLVI Fellow

Signs

If you’ve ever complained about the discussion board-

you might be an NCLVI Fellow.

Good advice is always certain to be ignored, but that's no

reason not to give it. Agatha Christie

Advice• From the mind of a great Southern poet:

GIT-R-DUN!!!• Bring ear plugs with you for the

hotels...you never know just how loud your roommate will snore!

• Beano is great when traveling...(think about it!)  I can't tell you how many people have commented to me that they get gassy when we travel....Is it the food?

Advice• Sleep whenever you can!• Keep your sense of humor!• Keep your receipts or Tina will not

reimburse you for your expenses• Keep your friends close by, you’ll

need a shoulder to cry (whine) on!• Remember that we are all an e-mail,

phone call, or plane ride away!

Advice• The only really dumb questions are the

ones that go unasked• No one expects you to do this alone, so

don't be afraid to ask for help• Set aside "me time" EVERY WEEK• Invest in a flash/thumb/travel drive if

you haven't already. It will become your best friend.

• Always strive for an A, but learn to be happy with a B.

Things that Have Helped Us Get Through

• Dancing, hiking, riding my bike, eating well

• Family, friends, pets, movies, meeting new people, Starbucks & margaritas

• A sign on my desk reading, "It CAN be DONE!" The word done sometimes means completed and other times accomplished. Most often it reminds me that completion is more important that perfection!

Words of Wisdom“I am two generations from share-

cropping, with parents who did not finish high school. I am the first in my family (both sides) to have a master’s degree. From time to time, I am told by someone in my family that I am making them proud, all of them. That keeps me going! We all have our own motivations…finding it is the key to success!” Derrick Smith

Words of Wisdom

•  “Do not take life too seriously. You will never get out of it alive.” Elbert Hubbard

• "This too shall pass...." Tiffany (The Future Secretary of Education, not the Teen Rock Star)

• "Life is either a great adventure or nothing." -- Helen Keller

Tips for Balancing Work, School, Family…

• If you have a significant other with you, make sure to SCHEDULE time for them. Planning is critical for a doctoral student so plan to have time with your family and friends. During these times, forget school! You have to MAKE time to reconnect with those who were with you before you started and you want to make sure they will be there after you have finished!

Tips for Balancing Work, School, Family…

• I avoid work during the week after evening classes & before my husband goes to bed.  That is our time together.  I work all day on Saturday & Sunday, but take each of those evenings off as well as Sunday morning to attend Mass.  That time is very precious to me & to him.  We try to find something fun to do on one of the weekend evenings.  They are our date nights & it gives me something to look forward to doing.

Favorite Experiences• Laughing!• Traveling to Washington D.C. & working

with the other fellows....of course their is always those lovely text messages & phone calls from the other fellows as they are loosing their minds as well.  It makes for good company!

• Taking dance lessons in Louisville from the Colorado School for the BlindPrincipal

Most Helpful Books• Any Dr. Seuss book…they just

take me back to being a kid!• Keep your APA Publication Manual

Handy…Use it…love/hate it…then know it!

Late Night Strategies• Don’t EVER eat doughnuts late! The

first 30 minutes afterwards is great but the crash is HORRIBLE!

• To Do List…1. Put the husband (wife, girlfriend) to bed first...

2. Drink a highly caffeinated beverage

3. Make sure there is a horrible deadline looming overhead

4. Check the entries made on blackboard by other fellows to know that you are not alone

Ways to Avoid Getting Sick• VITAMINS….LOTS OF VITAMINS!• Vitamin C every day, laughing as much as you

can!• The use of Airborne & Vitamin C tablets have

been a lifesaver for me.  As soon as I feel sick, I take them both.  The airborne tastes horrible, but getting sick is worse!

• Drink a glass of water for every glass of coffee.• Zinc lozenges for the vitamin section (not the

cough drops). The NOW brand• with Elderberry will knock out a sore throat

and sniffles lightning fast.• Don't chew or take on an empty stomach!!!

Example Meal Plan• Route 44 Cherry Coke from Sonic for breakfast,

Lunch: Cafeteria on campus, Supper: WHO KNOWS!

• Eat breakfast & lunch at home - usually leftovers as they are fast to reheat in the microwave...who has time to cook?! Dinner is either fast food or some creation that my husband has made...again, who has time to cook?!

• Bubbas & Starbucks for breakfast, sushi for lunch, & sushi for dinner….hey I can dream can’t I!

• Lean cuisine carb conscious frozen dinners.

Cumulative Weight Gain

100 lbs and counting!

On a Serious Note. . . • The “Old” Fellows want the “New”

Fellows to know how happy we are that you are here to share in this “Opportunity of a Lifetime” with us.

• We look forward to your experience and knowledge that you can share with us