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The countdown to the beginning of the 2009-2010 school year is on here at Emerson! Renovation projects in the Walker Building are almost complete, movers are loading new furniture into our newest undergraduate residence hall above the Colonial Theater, and the Graduate Admission staff is working hard to finalize the paperwork for all of our incoming graduate students.

With less than 50 days to go, we know many of you are preparing to move to Boston from various places throughout the country, and indeed throughout the world. As you prepare to load your suitcases and U-Hauls to make the trek, we have compiled a short list of things you might need to be a true Bostonian:

• Reading material for your T ride to campus: Paperback books and magazines work best
• A good pair of walking shoes: So you can experience the Freedom Trail without getting a blister
• A blanket to sit on in Boston Common: it's the perfect place to study
• Beach attire: There are numerous beaches accessible by car, T, or commuter rail
• Good cocktail party attire: Many Emerson students love frequenting exhibit installations, theater productions, and other swanky social events
• A good map of Boston: With all the exploring you're going to do in the first semester, you'll use it almost daily

We're so excited to meet you at graduate orientation! Continue to check in via telephone or email if you have any questions for us.

"There's nothing quite like the Fourth of July in Boston."

That's what all my friends who have lived in this area for years kept telling me in the lead up to this past weekend's Independence Day celebrations. I was, of course, a little skeptical. I admit, I have fallen head-over-heels in love with Boston since moving here last fall. But while I knew I could expect a great show, somehow I didn't think it could compete with the shows I've seen in Washington DC and Philadelphia in years past.

Our day started at 3 PM when we took the train down to the Esplanade: a thin, long stretch of grassy land right along the Charles River. We picnicked, while admiring the great skylines of Boston and Cambridge, listened to some awesome music, played cards, and enjoyed the gorgeous Massachusetts afternoon. Around 8 PM, the world-famous Boston Pops began their live set of music, including a rendition of the 1812 Overture, set to fireworks. Being the out-of-towner, I thought that was the highlight of the night...little did I know the best was yet to come.

Neil Diamond then took the stage down at the end of the Esplanade, delivering awesome renditions of his two hit songs "Sweet Caroline" and "Coming to America"...where nearly all 200,000 people lining the Charles sung along to (if you don't know the lyrics to "Sweet Caroline", you may want to learn them before going to a Red Sox game, you'll thank me later...).

Finally, at 10:30 PM, the most spectacular fifteen minutes of fireworks I have ever seen commenced, complete with coordinated music, and awestruck crowd members. The night was simply perfect.

For those of you considering a move to Boston, this is a weekend you'll want to stay in town for. I learned firsthand: there is nothing quite like the Fourth in Boston.

Sara Morgan discusses her path to receiving a Lagrant Foundation scholarship.

We all know the biggest (and scariest) decision in pursuing a graduate degree can be deciding how to fund it...or just the thought of the loans that will need to be repaid in the end. One of the most frequent questions I get from students is, "Are there assistantships and financial aid available?" The funny thing is, most students don't ask about or think to seek aid outside of the college. Trust me, it's out there. I am speaking from experience.

My first year in the program, I wasn't resourceful. I didn't even think to look for scholarships or grants because I assumed they weren't worth my time, but boy did I miss out. Halfway through my first year, though, I finally realized there must be a way to offset some of the loan debt I was accumulating. So I did my research. I found a scholarship and the description sounded like they were talking about ME! I found this scholarship right under my nose, on Emerson's financial aid website. I decided to go through the process, not even knowing how much the scholarship was for. To my surprise I not only won the scholarship, but it was worth $10,000!

Emerson's commencement ceremonies for both graduate and undergraduate students will be streamed live online today! See what you'll be experiencing in a year or two (if you've been accepted) or a few years after that (if you're still just thinking about applying). View the commencement stream here. Undergraduate commencement begins at 11:00 am Eastern Standard Time and graduate commencement begins at 3:00 pm Eastern Standard Time.

Hey, accepted students! Come by Emerson's Bill Bordy Theater (216 Tremont St in Boston) tomorrow evening (Tuesday, May 12) from 6 to 8 pm for the opportunity to meet current students, faculty, and other incoming students in your program. There will be drinks and hors d'oeuvres for all, plus special networking opportunities! If you're in the Boston area, don't miss it. Call our office at 617-824-8610 to register for the event.

If you are an international student applying to one of Emerson's graduate programs, please keep in mind that the final deadline for all international applications is May 1, 2009 (one week from today!). All of your application materials must be postmarked (sent) by this date in order to be considered for admission. The international deadline is slightly earlier than the domestic deadline because of the additional time needed to process I-20 forms and obtain visas.

If you have any questions about the requirements for international students, please visit our page for international applicants or email us. Best of luck!

Jeffrey Seglin, an associate professor in the Writing, Literature, and Publishing department at Emerson, recently traveled to Wisconsin (my home state!) to speak at the Wisconsin School of Business about "The Right Thing: Conscience, Profit, and Personal Responsibility." Seglin's conversation with Deborah Mitchell, associate dean of Wisconsin's enterprise MBA programs, was part of the M. Keith Weikel Enterprise MBA Programs Speaker Series. You can view the video online here. In the conversation, Seglin discusses the ethical implications of the recent economic crisis (is it right to make loans you know can't be repaid?), among other topics, and asserts that your "gut feeling" is not always an ethical one.

You can keep up with Seglin's treatment of other ethical conundrums, from wind chimes to Madonna's adoption efforts, at his blog, The Right Thing. This speech and Seglin's blog are great examples of Emerson professors' extensive involvement in their professional communities outside of the classroom.

We are getting many calls from applicants anxious to hear their decisions or learn of their merit aid awards. At this point, the publishing and writing, creative writing, and communication disorders decisions have nearly all been made. If you have not heard from us about your decision yet, you should be receiving a letter by the end of next week. We are unfortunately not able to give out admission decisions over the phone, so please check your mail carefully! Note that merit aid awards are mailed separately from admission decisions, so if you did not receive a merit aid letter with your acceptance letter, it does not mean you did not receive merit aid.

The first round of merit aid awards have been made for publishing and writing, creative writing, and health communication students. The media art awards will be sent out early next week. If you have not yet received an award offer, you may be getting one in the next week or so. We will also continue to make additional awards over the next few weeks as students accept or decline their awards.

We hope this information helps you know where you stand in the vast plain of admission. Good luck!

Our annual Graduate Open House is coming up on Saturday, March 28, and the Office of Graduate Admission is in a flurry as we gear up to welcome prospective students to our city campus. Our open houses are a source of great pride for us, as they give us a chance to share what we love about Emerson with students who may soon be joining the community. For students who are teetering on the brink of a decision, but have not yet settled on which school to attend, the open house will be a great opportunity to figure out whether a school is a good fit for you. For students who are just starting their research, open houses provide an opportunity to see what is out there and whether graduate school is the right place for you.

Emerson's Open House gives graduate school hopefuls a chance to experience Emerson first hand. Information sessions on financial assistance and the admission process, as well as program-specific seminars on academics are offered. Prospective students get a chance to speak with faculty in person and get more detailed information on graduate program curricula. Campus tours are also offered and are especially helpful in establishing a comfort level with Emerson and its surroundings for students who will be joining us in the Fall.

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If you're new to Massachusetts, you'll notice that Dunkin Donuts (founded in Quincy, Mass.) is a local phenomenon. Often, you'll enter a Dunkin location only to find another right across the street when you walk out. In addition to coffee and donuts, Dunkin also has bagels, pizza, sandwiches, and plenty of Red Sox promos. (And if you're a Starbucks fan, don't worry--we have those here, too.) Check out this map to see the many Dunkin Donuts and Starbucks locations where you can get your caffeine fix near Emerson.