In This Issue

2007 Conference:
Vegas in October!

The big news about GEM's annual conference and board of directors meeting?  It is heading west again to Las Vegas and the event is moving from late June to October!

The Executive Committee voted at its most recent meeting on the date change. "With such successful outreach programs such as GRAD Lab and FFP Symposium, we hope meeting during the academic year will mean more students can take advantage of these opportunities," said executive director Michele Lezama.  "We're anticipating October being a more accommodating month for all GEM constituents to meet." 

Lezama also said prior to the 30th anniversary, Vegas in 2004 was the best attended conference in some years, making it a natural choice for a return visit.

Registration information and more will be available at www.gemfellowship.org early in 2007.

H appy Holi days
Everyone at GEM wishes you a wonderful holiday and exciting New Year!  The Network will return with the next monthly issue on January 8, 2007.

Members of this year's Selection Committee are preparing for the 2007 fellowship awards process. 

A team of six pairs of reviewers will meet at the Washington, D.C. office of  ETS, soon one of GEM's work sites, to review the stacks of documentation generated by hopeful GEM Fellows. Hank McCoullum (Penn State), executive board VP of Operations, chairs the Membership & Selection Committee.

Selection results will be reported in future issues of The Network.

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Four regular staff continue to help plan and fully execute the daily operational and long-term strategic functions of The National GEM Consortium at the current University of Notre Dame headquarters in Notre Dame, Indiana.  Additionally, Michele Lezama regularly commutes to headquarters while Dr. Marcus Huggans (see Fellows & Alumni below) is based in Texas.

"Everyone on staff is focused on the upcoming 2007 fellowship awards, with winter recruiting and other important projects not far behind," said Leigh Hayden, director of marketing and operations.  "Even while preparing for the transition to ETS, work here is normal and uninterrupted."

A transition time line includes:

• January - March 2007: Fellowship award cycle completed by Notre Dame office.  Select business functions turned over to ETS offices in Washington, DC; Princeton, New Jersey.
• April: Operations wrap up at Notre Dame.
• April 30: Notre Dame office closes permanently.
• May 1:  GEM business conducted from Washington, DC main office in Washington, DC with operational support in Princeton.
• June 30, 2007: Move to new host ETS complete.

All calls, mail, and other communications should continue to be directed to the Notre Dame office according to the time line above.  In the interim the Washington office line is forwarded to the current main phone number (574-631-7771).  The first GEM activity at the soon-to-be new headquarters is the upcoming fellowship selection meeting December 12-13, 2006.

Add to your address book!
The National GEM Consortium
Washington, DC Office
1800 K Street, NW, Suite 900
Washington, DC 20006
(202) 659-0616
(202) 659-8075 (fax)

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Dr. Marcus Huggans(PhD E) is GEM's newest staff member.  As Senior Recruiter and Programs Specialist, Huggans was an important contributor to the organization's strategic recruitment and outreach plan this fall.  He also works with the executive director in the areas of member relationship management and new member recruitment.

Marcus said, "GEM was, and is still, extremely important to my success!  GEM provided an opportunity to obtain a degree that I probably would not have otherwise received (i.e. the Ph.D.) and helped foster a relationship with Texas Instruments that I only dreamed of working for.  Now, GEM has allowed me the chance to come 'home' and give back where GEM so freely gave to me.  I always remember this: ...to whom much is given, much is required.  And, I hope that my recruiting and programming efforts will afford many students similar or greater opportunities that I have experienced as I continue my association with GEM." 

In 1998 he was the first African American male to earn a PhD in Engineering Management from the University of Missouri-Rolla.  He did so as a GEM fellow sponsored by Texas Instruments (TI).  His relationship with TI began in 1996 as a software engineer intern.  After receiving his doctorate he joined TI as a regular employee in the Technical Sales Associate program.  He eventually transitioned from technical sales to marketing and new product development within the organization, culminating in applications engineering evaluating consumer electronics and multimedia products. 

Most recently he was Director of Student Diversity and Academic Support at the University of Missouri-Rolla.  Under his leadership, the university experienced dramatic growth in the recruitment of underrepresented minority students in science and engineering disciplines.

Please welcome Marcus to his new role at GEM.

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GEM Calendar: Fall Recruiting Season Wrap Up
 
November remained busy for GEM staff and alumni volunteer recruiters with no fewer than xx conferences in the first half of the month.  

• every GEM alumnus, alumnae, and current fellow for expertly  representing the organization among the hundreds of students who then entered this year's fellowship applicant pool or will be positively influenced to do so next year.
• GEM university members for welcoming GEM to campus events that are increasing our visibility among students and faculty.
• GRAD Lab organizers because the events you helped orchestrate this year helped us to further refine this new encouragement programming.
• GEM partners for supporting our participation at your signature national and regional conferences.

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