Graduate School Bulletin

GRADUATE SCHOOL BULLETIN   

A publication of the Graduate School for Graduate Program Directors and Coordinators   

Postings are distributed on the Graduate Program Directors and Coordinators listservs on the 1st and the 16th of the month and are also available in a blog for public viewing here: https://monthlymemo.graduateschool.vt.edu/   

May 16^th, 2025 

IN THIS BULLETIN:    

Meetings, Workshops, & Events   

None at this time. 

Deadlines & Dates to Remember        

1. 2025 National Name Exchange Program 

Policy Updates   

None at this time.  

Administrative Announcements   

2. 2025-26 Graduate Catalog Update Process   

3. Doctoral Candidacy Status Tuition Discount Process Update   

4. Call For Nominations for CGS ProQuest Dissertation Award 

Announcements for Distribution to Students 

 None at this time.  

Deadlines & Dates to Remember   

_______________________________________________   

 1. 2025 National Name Exchange Program 

The NNE program aims to help underrepresented undergraduate and master’s students learn about, apply to, and matriculate into graduate programs. The students considered “underrepresented” by NNE are racial and ethnic minorities, first-generation students, veterans, women in STEM fields, rural students, students with disabilities, and students from low-income backgrounds. 

Students are nominated to participate by their current institution, but they need to take the steps to accept the invitation. The benefit for students is to support them in their process of considering and applying to graduate school.  In full transparency, the benefit for Virginia Tech is that once two students from VT have enrolled, VT gains access to the entire list of students and can participate in targeted recruitment. The benefit for those applying to Graduate School at Virginia Tech is that the application fee will be waived, saving applicants $60-75.  

The link for students to use to enroll is: https://cgsnet.org/national-name-exchange-for-students-enrollment-form#/webform/nne-profile 

Administrative Announcements 

____________________________________________ 

2. 2025-26 Graduate Catalog Update Process  

The update process for the 2025-26 edition of the Graduate Catalog is now under way. GPDs and faculty members responsible for certificate programs (or their designees) are asked to review their current catalog listings at https://catalog.vt.edu/graduate/ and complete this survey to either confirm the accuracy of the current content or provide the details about necessary updates: https://gs.vt.edu/2025catalog.   

Submissions are due by June 30. If you have any difficulty completing the survey or have any questions about the process, please contact Bill Huckle at wrhuckle@vt.edu or Monika Gibson at gibsonm@vt.edu. 

3. Doctoral Candidacy Status Tuition Discount Process Update 

Effective Fall 2025, the doctoral candidacy status tuition discount request will become an opt-out process. The Graduate School will automatically add the doctoral candidacy status tuition discount for any doctoral student who has passed their preliminary examination and meets all qualifications for the status as well as remove the discount for any doctoral student not meeting all qualifications for the status. Any doctoral student qualifying who does not wish to utilize the tuition discount may submit the Candidacy Status Tuition Discount Opt-Out form no later than the last day to add course registration for the semester. Questions regarding this change in process can be directed to the Graduate School at grads@vt.edu. 

4. Call for nominations for CGS ProQuest Dissertation Award 

The ProQuest Distinguished Dissertation Awards are made annually to individuals nominated by a member institution, who have completed dissertations representing original work that makes an unusually significant contribution to the discipline.  The fields of competition in 2025 are:  

• Biological Sciences 

• Humanities and Fine Arts 

Deadline for submissions: July 3, 2025. Send nominations for the distinguished dissertation awards to Monika Gibson, gibsonm@vt.edu. One nomination can be submitted for each category.  

GRADUATE SCHOOL BULLETIN 

A publication of the Graduate School for Graduate Program Directors and Coordinators   

Postings are distributed on the Graduate Program Directors and Coordinators listservs on the 1st and the 16th of the month and are also available in a blog for public viewing here: https://monthlymemo.graduateschool.vt.edu/   

May 1st, 2025 

IN THIS BULLETIN:    

Meetings, Workshops, & Events  

1. Graduate Student Town Halls 

Deadlines & Dates to Remember 

None at this time. 

Policy Updates  

None at this time.  

Administrative Announcements  

2. Last Week for Students to Complete Climate Survey 

3. 2025-26 Graduate Catalog Update Process   

4. Doctoral Candidacy Status Tuition Discount Process Update   

5. Call For Nominations for CGS ProQuest Dissertation Award 

Announcements for Distribution to Students

 None at this time.  

Meetings, Workshops, & Events

___________________________________________

1. Graduate Student Town Halls 

Graduate School Dean, Aimée Surprenant, will host two town halls for graduate students on May 8: one in-person session in the Graduate Life Center Multipurpose Room at 1:00pm and one via Zoom at 6:30pm. Zoom webinar link: https://virginiatech.zoom.us/j/83246568209  

If you have questions and/or concerns that you would like Dr. Surprenant to address during these meetings, please submit them here: https://gs.vt.edu/townhall    

The Dean will address as many questions/topics as she can during these sessions. Contact Lauren Surface if you have questions about these sessions: lkeister@vt.edu. 

Administrative Announcements

____________________________________________ 

2. Last Week for Students to Complete Climate Survey 

The Graduate Student Campus Climate Survey is set to close May 6th. However, to give students a little extra time during this busy time the survey will remain open through Reading Day, May 8th. Please encourage students to complete the survey which was sent to their VT email. For more information visit the FAQ: https://graduateschool.vt.edu/numbers/climate-survey-home/2025-climate-survey/2025-climate-survey-faqs.html or reach out to Kacy Lawrence at klawr5@vt.edu. 

3. 2025-26 Graduate Catalog Update Process  

The update process for the 2025-26 edition of the Graduate Catalog is now under way. GPDs and faculty members responsible for certificate programs (or their designees) are asked to review their current catalog listings at https://catalog.vt.edu/graduate/ and complete this survey to either confirm the accuracy of the current content or provide the details about necessary updates: https://gs.vt.edu/2025catalog.   

Submissions are due by June 30. If you have any difficulty completing the survey or have any questions about the process, please contact Bill Huckle at wrhuckle@vt.edu or Monika Gibson at gibsonm@vt.edu. 

4. Doctoral Candidacy Status Tuition Discount Process Update 

Effective Fall 2025, the doctoral candidacy status tuition discount request will become an opt-out process. The Graduate School will automatically add the doctoral candidacy status tuition discount for any doctoral student who has passed their preliminary examination and meets all qualifications for the status as well as remove the discount for any doctoral student not meeting all qualifications for the status. Any doctoral student qualifying who does not wish to utilize the tuition discount may submit the Candidacy Status Tuition Discount Opt-Out form no later than the last day to add course registration for the semester. Questions regarding this change in process can be directed to the Graduate School at grads@vt.edu. 

5. Call for nominations for CGS ProQuest Dissertation Award 

The ProQuest Distinguished Dissertation Awards are made annually to individuals nominated by a member institution, who have completed dissertations representing original work that makes an unusually significant contribution to the discipline.  The fields of competition in 2025 are:  

• Biological Sciences 
• Humanities and Fine Arts 

Deadline for submissions: July 3, 2025. Send nominations for the distinguished dissertation awards to Monika Gibson, gibsonm@vt.edu. One nomination can be submitted for each category. 

GRADUATE SCHOOL BULLETIN 

A publication of the Graduate School for Graduate Program Directors and Coordinators   

Postings are distributed on the Graduate Program Directors and Coordinators listservs on the 1st and the 16th of the month and are also available in a blog for public viewing here: https://monthlymemo.graduateschool.vt.edu/   

April 16th, 2025 

IN THIS BULLETIN:    

Meetings, Workshops, & Events  

1. Mentorship Workshop on April 29th 

Deadlines & Dates to Remember 

None at this time. 

Policy Updates  

None at this time.  

Administrative Announcements  

2. 2025-26 Graduate Catalog Update Process   

3. Doctoral Candidacy Status Tuition Discount Process Update   

4. Call For Nominations for CGS ProQuest Dissertation Award 

Announcements for Distribution to Students

 None at this time.  

Meetings, Workshops, & Events

____________________________________________

1. Mentorship Workshop on April 29th  

Mentorship training is invaluable to VT faculty members and postdocs, and the Graduate School is committed to enhancing mentorship training opportunities at VT. Towards that end, we are presenting a mentorship workshop on April 29th from 10:30am to 12:00 pm in Room C of the Graduate Life Center (GLC); lunch will be provided. We encourage interested early career faculty members and postdocs, especially, to sign up: https://gs.vt.edu/1o 

Administrative Announcements

____________________________________________ 

2. 2025-26 Graduate Catalog Update Process  

The update process for the 2025-26 edition of the Graduate Catalog is now under way. GPDs and faculty members responsible for certificate programs (or their designees) are asked to review their current catalog listings at https://catalog.vt.edu/graduate/ and complete this survey to either confirm the accuracy of the current content or provide the details about necessary updates: https://gs.vt.edu/2025catalog.   

Submissions are due by June 30. If you have any difficulty completing the survey or have any questions about the process, please contact Bill Huckle at wrhuckle@vt.edu or Monika Gibson at gibsonm@vt.edu. 

3. Doctoral candidacy status tuition discount process update 

Effective Fall 2025, the doctoral candidacy status tuition discount request will become an opt-out process. The Graduate School will automatically add the doctoral candidacy status tuition discount for any doctoral student who has passed their preliminary examination and meets all qualifications for the status as well as remove the discount for any doctoral student not meeting all qualifications for the status. Any doctoral student qualifying who does not wish to utilize the tuition discount may submit the Candidacy Status Tuition Discount Opt-Out form no later than the last day to add course registration for the semester. Questions regarding this change in process can be directed to the Graduate School at grads@vt.edu. 

4. Call for nominations for CGS ProQuest Dissertation Award 

The ProQuest Distinguished Dissertation Awards are made annually to individuals nominated by a member institution, who have completed dissertations representing original work that makes an unusually significant contribution to the discipline.  The fields of competition in 2025 are:  

• Biological Sciences 
• Humanities and Fine Arts 

Deadline for submissions: July 3, 2025. Send nominations for the distinguished dissertation awards to Monika Gibson, gibsonm@vt.edu. One nomination can be submitted for each category. 

GRADUATE SCHOOL BULLETIN 

A publication of the Graduate School for Graduate Program Directors and Coordinators   

Postings are distributed on the Graduate Program Directors and Coordinators listservs on the 1st and the 16th of the month and are also available in a blog for public viewing here: https://monthlymemo.graduateschool.vt.edu/

April 1st, 2025 

IN THIS BULLETIN:    

Meetings, Workshops, & Events  

1. Mentorship Workshop on April 29th

Deadlines & Dates to Remember 

None at this time. 

Policy Updates  

None at this time.  

Administrative Announcements  

2. Process and timeline for 2025-26 Graduate Catalog Updates   

3. Call for nominations for CGS ProQuest Dissertation Award 

4. CO-OP Application Process Changes 

Announcements for Distribution to Students

 None at this time.  

Meetings, Workshops, & Events

___________________________________________

1. Mentorship Workshop on April 29th  

Mentorship training is invaluable to VT faculty members and postdocs, and the Graduate School is committed to enhancing mentorship training opportunities at VT. Towards that end, we are presenting a mentorship workshop on April 29th from 10:30am to 12:00 pm in Room C of the Graduate Life Center (GLC); lunch will be provided. We encourage interested early career faculty members and postdocs, especially, to sign up: https://gs.vt.edu/1o 

Administrative Announcements

____________________________________________ 

2. Process and timeline for 2025-26 Graduate Catalog updates 

The Graduate School will provide an online questionnaire again through which programs can either indicate that they have no updates to make or request updates to the program listings as they appear in the current catalog.  

The questionnaire will be distributed to GPDs currently listed in the Graduate Catalog and to those who completed the questionnaire last year on behalf of their program. The survey will be open to anyone, so it’s up to each program to decide whom they wish to designate to complete it.  

Timeline for update requests:  from mid-April through mid-July 

3. Call for nominations for CGS ProQuest Dissertation Award 

The ProQuest Distinguished Dissertation Awards are made annually to individuals nominated by a member institution, who have completed dissertations representing original work that makes an unusually significant contribution to the discipline.  The fields of competition in 2025 are:  

• Biological Sciences 
• Humanities and Fine Arts 

Deadline for submissions: July 3, 2025. Send nominations for the distinguished dissertation awards to Monika Gibson, gibsonm@vt.edu. One nomination can be submitted for each category. 

4. CO-OP Application Process Changes 

The Graduate School is updating the co-op application form and process, which will go live on April 9th.What this means for students is that they will apply using a Microsoft form instead of a Google form. Advisors that approve co-op submissions will be able to approve the request in an email, as opposed to clicking a link that goes to another form. Note that the advisor request email will look like it is coming from Microsoft Power Automate (at this time there is no way to change that). The new process shouldn’t affect students and advisors too greatly but will be a much quicker and simpler process overall.  Any students who have applied in the previous Google form system will still be assisted and processed after the application form change. Please contact grads@vt.edu with ‘CO-OP’ in the title if you experience any issues with the new system or have any questions. Co-op website: https://graduateschool.vt.edu/student-services/GradCoop.html

GRADUATE SCHOOL BULLETIN 

A publication of the Graduate School for Graduate Program Directors and Coordinators   

Postings are distributed on the Graduate Program Directors and Coordinators listservs on the 1st and the 16th of the month and are also available in a blog for public viewing here: https://monthlymemo.graduateschool.vt.edu/

March 17th, 2025 

IN THIS BULLETIN:    

Meetings, Workshops, & Events  

1. Mentorship Workshop on April 29th 

Deadlines & Dates to Remember 

2. Fellowship and Assistantship Nominations Managed by the Graduate School 

3. Graduate Education Week: March 24th-March 28th, 2025 

Policy Updates  

None at this time.  

Administrative Announcements  

4. New Procedures for Conflict-of-Interest Review and Mitigation 

5. Judges Needed for GPSS Research Symposium on March 26th, 2025 

Announcements for Distribution to Students

6. IDP Workshop with Dean Surprenant on April 2nd

Meetings, Workshops, & Events

1. Mentorship Workshop on April 29th  

Mentorship training is invaluable to VT faculty members and postdocs, and the Graduate School is committed to enhancing mentorship training   opportunities at VT. Towards that end, we are presenting a mentorship workshop on April 29th from 10:30am to 12:00 pm in Room B of the Graduate Life Center (GLC); lunch will be provided. We encourage interested early career faculty members and postdocs, especially, to sign up: https://gs.vt.edu/1o 

Deadlines & Dates to Remember  

_______________________________________________   

2. Fellowship and Assistantship Nominations Managed by the Graduate School   

Nominations are accepted for a number of fellowships and assistantships managed by the Graduate School. For eligibility and nomination information visit https://graduateschool.vt.edu/funding/funding-sponsored-by-the-graduate-school.html. Questions can be sent to gradfinance@vt.edu. 

3. Graduate Education Week, March 24th-March 28th   

Graduate Education Week is March 24-28 and this year’s theme is “Create Your Own Adventure.” The week’s events celebrates graduate education and recognizes outstanding graduate students, graduate advisors and graduate research faculty and staff for their contributions to quality graduate education. This year there are celebrations and events on both the Blacksburg and DC campuses. Find all of the events here: https://graduateschool.vt.edu/student-services/graduate-education-week.html

Administrative Announcements

____________________________________________ 

4. New Procedures for Conflict-of-Interest Review and Mitigation 

We have recently updated our procedures and form to manage potential conflicts of interest that may arise in graduate education. You can find details about the process and a link to the new form at https://graduateschool.vt.edu/academics/expectations/COI.html. We have reached out to over 300 VT employees who are pursuing graduate coursework or graduate degrees, requesting that they complete the COI form to document either that there is no conflict between their dual roles of employee and student, or if a conflict is identified, share a mitigation plan. We ask for your assistance in reviewing and signing these forms before submission to the Graduate School. Questions about the form can be sent to gsdean@vt.edu.  

5. Judges Needed for GPSS Research Symposium on March 26th, 2025   

The Graduate and Professional Student Senate (GPSS) is seeking faculty or post-docs to judge their 41st annual research symposium. Judges are needed in all disciplines for poster presentations, flash talks and symposium presentations. The research symposium will be held on Wednesday, March 26 in the Graduate Life Center. Please complete this form if you are interested in being a judge: https://forms.office.com/r/XCiqSNuq4R   Contact the GPSS Research Symposium co-chairs if you have questions, atlas@vt.edu and ishveen@vt.edu. 

Announcements for Distribution to Students

The notice(s) in this section have been shared with graduate students through the Graduate School’s channels, but we ask that you consider sharing it with individual students or student groups as you see fit. 

____________________________________________ 

6. IDP Workshop with Dean Surprenant on April 2nd, 9:00-10:30AM, GLC Room B or via Zoom 

You have put a lot of time and effort into pursuing your graduate degree. Now it’s time to focus on how to leverage your expertise into a satisfying and productive career. The Individual Development Plan (IDP) concept is designed to help you define and pursue your career goals. In this interactive workshop, I will first describe what an IDP is, why IDPs are useful, and provide some tools for you to get started on making your own. In the last half of the workshop, we will work on creating an IDP together. Please bring a laptop to engage in the exercise. Please note: NSF GRFP grantees are required to have an IDP on file with the Graduate School. Register here: https://gs.vt.edu/idp 

GRADUATE SCHOOL BULLETIN 

A publication of the Graduate School for Graduate Program Directors and Coordinators   

Postings are distributed on the Graduate Program Directors and Coordinators listservs on the 1st and the 16th of the month and are also available in a blog for public viewing here: https://monthlymemo.graduateschool.vt.edu/

February 28th, 2025 

IN THIS BULLETIN:    

Meetings, Workshops, & Events  

None at this time.  

Deadlines & Dates to Remember 

1. Upcoming Fellowship and Assistantship Nominations Managed by the Graduate School 

2. Graduate Education Week: March 24th-March 28th, 2025 

Policy Updates  

None at this time.  

Administrative Announcements  

3. Graduate Honor System Presentations Available by Request 

4. New Procedures for Conflict-of-Interest Review and Mitigation 

5. Judges Needed for GPSS Research Symposium on March 26th, 2025 

Announcements for Distribution to Students

None at this time.

Deadlines & Dates to Remember  

_______________________________________________   

1. Nominations are accepted for a number of fellowships and assistantships managed by the Graduate School: 

– Powell Fellowship: deadline is April 1, 2025. 

– McNair Assistantship: deadline is March 1, 2025 

– Dean’s Diversity Assistantship: deadline is March 1, 2025. 

For eligibility and nomination information visit https://graduateschool.vt.edu/funding/funding-sponsored-by-the-graduate-school.html. Please email gradfinance@vt.edu 

2. Mark your calendars for Graduate Education Week, March 24th-March 28th 

Administrative Announcements

____________________________________________ 

3. Graduate Honor System Presentations Available by Request 

Departments and graduate programs may request a presentation by the Graduate Honor System as part of your new student orientation, faculty meeting, class presentation or for other occasions. Presentations may range from short 15-minute introduction to the GHS to hour-long interactive discussions about academic integrity and/or GHS panelist training. If you would like to request a presentation or training session for your students or program faculty, please complete this online request form: https://gs.vt.edu/ghspresentation and a training session will be schedule at your convenience. If you have any questions, email ghs@vt.edu or call Monika Gibson at 231-9564. 

4. New Procedures for Conflict-of-Interest Review and Mitigation 

We have recently updated our procedures and form to manage potential conflicts of interest that may arise in graduate education. You can find details about the process and a link to the new form at https://graduateschool.vt.edu/academics/expectations/COI.html. We have reached out to over 300 VT employees who are pursuing graduate coursework or graduate degrees, requesting that they complete the COI form to document either that there is no conflict between their dual roles of employee and student, or if a conflict is identified, share a mitigation plan. We ask for your assistance in reviewing and signing these forms before submission to the Graduate School. Questions about the form can be sent to gsdean@vt.edu.  

5. Judges Needed for GPSS Research Symposium on March 26th, 2025   

The Graduate and Professional Student Senate (GPSS) is seeking faculty or post-docs to judge their 41st annual research symposium. Judges are needed in all disciplines for poster presentations, flash talks and symposium presentations. The research symposium will be held on Wednesday, March 26 in the Graduate Life Center. Please complete this form if you are interested in being a judge: https://forms.office.com/r/XCiqSNuq4R   Contact the GPSS Research Symposium co-chairs if you have questions, atlas@vt.edu and ishveen@vt.edu. 

GRADUATE SCHOOL BULLETIN 

A publication of the Graduate School for Graduate Program Directors and Coordinators   

Postings are distributed on the Graduate Program Directors and Coordinators listservs on the 1st and the 16th of the month and are also available in a blog for public viewing here: https://monthlymemo.graduateschool.vt.edu/

February 17th, 2025 

IN THIS BULLETIN:    

Meetings, Workshops, & Events  

None at this time.  

Deadlines & Dates to Remember 

1.  Preston Recruitment Fellowship      

2.   Upcoming Fellowship and Assistantship Nominations Managed by the Graduate School 

3. Graduate Education Week: March 24th-March 28th, 2025 

Policy Updates  

None at this time.  

Administrative Announcements  

4. Graduate Honor System Presentations Available by Request 

5. New Procedures for Conflict-of-Interest Review and Mitigation 

Announcements for Distribution to Students

6. Workshop: Writing Successful Student-Initiated Proposals 

Deadlines & Dates to Remember  

_______________________________________________   

1. Preston Recruitment Fellowship 

Preston Recruitment Fellowships (4 @ $2,000 each): These awards are meant to provide fellowship support to help attract the best possible graduate students, regardless of their area of study at Virginia Tech. Candidates for the prestigious Preston Fellowship should be students who are being recruited by the nation’s elite educational institutions for the purpose of conducting significant research and scholarship study.  

Please submit a nomination by February 24 of no more than 500 words outlining reasons why you think the candidate is an exceptional recruit for your program, such as UG institution, UG GPA, UG research experience, and potential offers from other universities (if known). We will also consult the student’s application materials as part of the decision-making process. Decisions will be made quickly so the offers can be made as early as possible. Nominations should be summited via this form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc8rhQL9qivK7mOjUZ2sUL-Uy8kQD024mgJl2M3-ZlQCSJqUg/viewform

2. Nominations are accepted for a number of fellowships and assistantships managed by the Graduate School: 

– Powell Fellowship: deadline is April 1, 2025. 

– McNair Assistantship: deadline is March 1, 2025 

– Dean’s Diversity Assistantship: deadline is March 1, 2025. 

For eligibility and nomination information visit https://graduateschool.vt.edu/funding/funding-sponsored-by-the-graduate-school.html. Please contact Dr. Catherine Cotrupi, Assistant Dean for Student Services, Inclusion, and Strategic Partnerships, at cotrupi@vt.edu if you have any questions.     

3. Mark your calendars for Graduate Education Week, March 24th-March 28th 

Administrative Announcements

____________________________________________ 

4. Graduate Honor System Presentations Available by Request 

Departments and graduate programs may request a presentation by the Graduate Honor System as part of your new student orientation, faculty meeting, class presentation or for other occasions. Presentations may range from short 15-minute introduction to the GHS to hour-long interactive discussions about academic integrity and/or GHS panelist training. If you would like to request a presentation or training session for your students or program faculty, please complete this online request form: https://gs.vt.edu/ghspresentation and a training session will be schedule at your convenience. If you have any questions, email ghs@vt.edu or call Monika Gibson at 231-9564. 

5. New Procedures for Conflict-of-Interest Review and Mitigation 

We have recently updated our procedures and form to manage potential conflicts of interest that may arise in graduate education. You can find details about the process and a link to the new form at https://graduateschool.vt.edu/academics/expectations/COI.html. We have reached out to over 300 VT employees who are pursuing graduate coursework or graduate degrees, requesting that they complete the COI form to document either that there is no conflict between their dual roles of employee and student, or if a conflict is identified, share a mitigation plan. We ask for your assistance in reviewing and signing these forms before submission to the Graduate School. Questions about the form can be sent to gsdean@vt.edu.  

Announcements for Distribution to Students

The notice(s) in this section have been shared with graduate students through the Graduate School’s channels, but we ask that you consider sharing it with individual students or student groups as you see fit. 

____________________________________________ 

   6. Workshop: Writing Successful Student-Initiated Proposals 

Virginia Tech graduate students and postdoctoral fellows are invited to participate in this workshop that is designed to strengthen research proposal writing skills and prepare you for writing student-initiated proposals. The goal is to equip all VT doctoral students with the tools to develop and submit competitive proposals that support their graduate work, enhance the agency of the student, and increasing the success rate of student-initiated research funding. On Tuesday, February 25th, this workshop will be hosted in the Graduate Life Center Multipurpose Room from 10:00am-12:30pm. Lunch will be provided. Please bring your own water bottle for filling up or bring your own beverage. Note that the workshop will include three breakout sessions, that will focus on a) NSF GRFP proposals, b) NIH student-initiated proposals, and c) humanities, social sciences, and education related proposals. You can of course choose the breakout session of your choice; please indicate that choice in the registration form so we can plan for an appropriate breakout room size. Register here: https://forms.office.com/r/t0EJAEtE7W 

GRADUATE SCHOOL BULLETIN 

A publication of the Graduate School for Graduate Program Directors and Coordinators   

Postings are distributed on the Graduate Program Directors and Coordinators listservs on the 1st and the 16th of the month and are also available in a blog for public viewing here: https://monthlymemo.graduateschool.vt.edu/

January 31st, 2025 

IN THIS BULLETIN:    

Meetings, Workshops, & Events  

None at this time.  

Deadlines & Dates to Remember 

1. Graduate Student and Outstanding Mentor/Advising Awards  

2.  Preston Recruitment Fellowship      

3.   Upcoming Fellowship and Assistantship Nominations Managed by the Graduate School 

Policy Updates  

None at this time.  

Administrative Announcements  

4. Graduate Honor System Presentations Available by Request 

5. 2024-25 Catalog Correction Requests 

Announcements for Distribution to Students

6. Workshop: Writing Successful Student-Initiated Proposals  

Deadlines & Dates to Remember  

_______________________________________________   

1. Graduate Student and Outstanding Mentor/Advising Awards   

Faculty and/or academic departments and programs may submit nominations for outstanding theses and dissertations; excellence in teaching or service; graduate student of the year; and outstanding interdisciplinary student. This year, the Graduate School has added a new award honoring outstanding graduate advising/mentoring by a staff or A/P faculty member. These nominations are due by January 24, 2025. In addition to these nominations, each college defines its own nomination criteria and selection process for identifying one outstanding master’s and doctoral student and outstanding mentor per college — notification of these winners are due by February 14. All winners will be recognized by the Graduate School during Graduate Education Week 2025, March 24-28. Visit https://graduateschool.vt.edu/about/awards.html to learn more about the process and timeline. Contact Lauren Surface at 540-231-9561 or lkeister@vt.edu with questions.   

2. Preston Recruitment Fellowship  

Preston Recruitment Fellowships (4 @ $2,000 each): These awards are meant to provide fellowship support to help attract the best possible graduate students, regardless of their area of study at Virginia Tech. Candidates for the prestigious Preston Fellowship should be students who are being recruited by the nation’s elite educational institutions for the purpose of conducting significant research and scholarship study.  

Please submit a nomination by February 24 of no more than 500 words outlining reasons why you think the candidate is an exceptional recruit for your program, such as UG institution, UG GPA, UG research experience, and potential offers from other universities (if known). We will also consult the student’s application materials as part of the decision-making process. Decisions will be made quickly so the offers can be made as early as possible. Nominations should be summited via this form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc8rhQL9qivK7mOjUZ2sUL-Uy8kQD024mgJl2M3-ZlQCSJqUg/viewform

3. Nominations are accepted for a number of fellowships and assistantships managed by the Graduate School: 

– Powell Fellowship: deadline is April 1, 2025. 

– McNair Assistantship: deadline is March 1, 2025 

– Dean’s Diversity Assistantship: deadline is March 1, 2025. 

For eligibility and nomination information visit https://graduateschool.vt.edu/funding/funding-sponsored-by-the-graduate-school.html. Please contact Dr. Catherine Cotrupi, Assistant Dean for Student Services, Inclusion, and Strategic Partnerships, at cotrupi@vt.edu if you have any questions.     

Administrative Announcements

____________________________________________ 

4. Graduate Honor System Presentations Available by Request 

Departments and graduate programs may request a presentation by the Graduate Honor System as part of your new student orientation, faculty meeting, class presentation or for other occasions. Presentations may range from short 15-minute introduction to the GHS to hour-long interactive discussions about academic integrity and/or GHS panelist training. If you would like to request a presentation or training session for your students or program faculty, please complete this online request form: https://gs.vt.edu/ghspresentation and a training session will be schedule at your convenience. If you have any questions, email ghs@vt.edu or call Monika Gibson at 231-9564. 

5. 2024-25 Catalog Correction Requests 

If you find that you need to make small corrections to your program’s entry in the 2024-25 Graduate Catalog (https://catalog.vt.edu/graduate/), please submit your correction requests by completing this form: https://gs.vt.edu/catalogcorrection. The form can be completed multiple times as corrections are needed, and we manage correction requests as they come in. Corrections are usually implemented within 2-4 business days from receipt of the request. If you have any questions, please contact Monika Gibson at 231-9564. 

Announcements for Distribution to Students

The notice(s) in this section have been shared with graduate students through the Graduate School’s channels, but we ask that you consider sharing it with individual students or student groups as you see fit. 

____________________________________________ 

6. Workshop: Writing Successful Student-Initiated Proposals 

Virginia Tech graduate students and postdoctoral fellows are invited to participate in this workshop that is designed to strengthen research proposal writing skills, and prepare you for writing student-initiated proposals. The goal is to equip all VT doctoral students with the tools to develop and submit competitive proposals that support their graduate work, enhance the agency of the student, and increasing the success rate of student-initiated research funding. On Tuesday, February 25th, this workshop will be hosted in the Graduate Life Center Multipurpose Room from 10:00am-12:30pm. Lunch will be provided. Please bring your own water bottle for filling up or bring your own beverage. Note that the workshop will include three breakout sessions, that will focus on a) NSF GRFP proposals, b) NIH student-initiated proposals, and c) humanities, social sciences, and education related proposals. You can of course choose the breakout session of your choice; please indicate that choice in the registration form so we can plan for an appropriate breakout room size. Register by February 18th here: https://forms.office.com/r/t0EJAEtE7W 

We are limited by the size of the rooms, and will accept registrations on a first-come, first-served basis. We look forward to hosting you at the workshop! Please feel free to contact the Graduate School with any questions. 

GRADUATE SCHOOL BULLETIN 

A publication of the Graduate School for Graduate Program Directors and Coordinators   

Postings are distributed on the Graduate Program Directors and Coordinators listservs on the 1st and the 16th of the month and are also available in a blog for public viewing here: https://monthlymemo.graduateschool.vt.edu/

January 16th, 2025 

IN THIS BULLETIN:    

Meetings, Workshops, & Events  

None at this time.  

Deadlines & Dates to Remember 

1. Graduate Student and Outstanding Mentor/Advising Awards  

2.  Preston Recruitment Fellowship      

3.   Upcoming Fellowship and Assistantship Nominations Managed by the Graduate School 

Policy Updates  

None at this time.  

Administrative Announcements  

4. Graduate Honor System Presentations Available by Request 

5. 2024-25 Catalog Correction Requests 

Announcements for Distribution to Students

6.Cranwell International Center Supports Smooth Transition Back to Campus     

7. Research Mentor Training for Graduate Students   

Deadlines & Dates to Remember  

_______________________________________________   

1. Graduate Student and Outstanding Mentor/Advising Awards   

Faculty and/or academic departments and programs may submit nominations for outstanding theses and dissertations; excellence in teaching or service; graduate student of the year; and outstanding interdisciplinary student. This year, the Graduate School has added a new award honoring outstanding graduate advising/mentoring by a staff or A/P faculty member. These nominations are due by January 24, 2025. In addition to these nominations, each college defines its own nomination criteria and selection process for identifying one outstanding master’s and doctoral student and outstanding mentor per college — notification of these winners are due by February 14. All winners will be recognized by the Graduate School during Graduate Education Week 2025, March 24-28. Visit https://graduateschool.vt.edu/about/awards.html to learn more about the process and timeline. Contact Lauren Surface at 540-231-9561 or lkeister@vt.edu with questions.   

2. Preston Recruitment Fellowship  

Preston Recruitment Fellowships (4 @ $2,000 each): These awards are meant to provide fellowship support to help attract the best possible graduate students, regardless of their area of study at Virginia Tech. Candidates for the prestigious Preston Fellowship should be students who are being recruited by the nation’s elite educational institutions for the purpose of conducting significant research and scholarship study. Please submit a nomination by February 1 of no more than 500 words outlining reasons why you think the candidate is an exceptional recruit for your program. We will also consult the student’s application materials as part of the decision-making process.  Nominations should be submitted through the Fellowship Nomination form, https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc8rhQL9qivK7mOjUZ2sUL-Uy8kQD024mgJl2M3-ZlQCSJqUg/viewform

3. Upcoming Fellowship and Assistantship Nominations Managed by the Graduate School

Nominations are accepted for a number of fellowships and assistantships managed by the Graduate School: 

– Powell Fellowship: deadline is April 1, 2025. 

– McNair Assistantship: deadline is March 1, 2025 

– Dean’s Diversity Assistantship: deadline is March 1, 2025. 

For eligibility and nomination information visit https://graduateschool.vt.edu/funding/funding-sponsored-by-the-graduate-school.html. Please contact Dr. Catherine Cotrupi, Assistant Dean for Student Services, Inclusion, and Strategic Partnerships, at cotrupi@vt.edu if you have any questions.     

Administrative Announcements

____________________________________________ 

4. Graduate Honor System Presentations Available by Request 

Departments and graduate programs may request a presentation by the Graduate Honor System as part of your new student orientation, faculty meeting, class presentation or for other occasions. Presentations may range from short 15-minute introduction to the GHS to hour-long interactive discussions about academic integrity and/or GHS panelist training. If you would like to request a presentation or training session for your students or program faculty, please complete this online request form: https://gs.vt.edu/ghspresentation and a training session will be schedule at your convenience. If you have any questions, email ghs@vt.edu or call Monika Gibson at 231-9564. 

5. 2024-25 Catalog Correction Requests 

If you find that you need to make small corrections to your program’s entry in the 2024-25 Graduate Catalog (https://catalog.vt.edu/graduate/), please submit your correction requests by completing this form: https://gs.vt.edu/catalogcorrection. The form can be completed multiple times as corrections are needed, and we manage correction requests as they come in. Corrections are usually implemented within 2-4 business days from receipt of the request. If you have any questions, please contact Monika Gibson at 231-9564. 

Announcements for Distribution to Students

The notice(s) in this section have been shared with graduate students through the Graduate School’s channels, but we ask that you consider sharing it with individual students or student groups as you see fit. 

____________________________________________ 

6. Cranwell International Center Supports Smooth Transition Back to Campus     

As the Spring semester approaches, the Cranwell International Center would like to provide important guidance to support your smooth transition back to campus. As a reminder, it is university policy that all students be present and ready to attend classes by the first day of the semester. This ensures compliance with academic requirements, and helps you successfully prepare for your classes and other VT commitments from the start of the term. Consider factors that may cause travel delays. Winter weather during this time of year can bring unexpected challenges, such as flight cancellations and road closures. Additionally, the upcoming presidential inauguration on January 20, 2025, is likely to increase traffic and cause delays in and around Washington, D.C., and other major transit hubs. To avoid disruptions to your studies, we strongly encourage you to plan your return to the U.S. well in advance and ensure you arrive no later than the first day of classes, January 21, 2025.   

7. Research Mentor Training for Graduate Students  

This 5-week seminar-style course by the Center for the Integration of Research, Teaching and Learning is designed for graduate students and postdocs in STEM to develop and improve research mentoring skills in this. Students will develop their personal mentoring philosophy, learn how to articulate that philosophy across a variety of disciplines, and refine strategies for dealing with mentoring challenges. The course meets online in Zoom on Tuesdays from January 28 through February 25. Please share this information with your students who have specific interest in this area and could benefit from participation. More information can be found here: https://cirtl.net/event/research-mentor-training-3/2025-01-28/

GRADUATE SCHOOL BULLETIN

A publication of the Graduate School for Graduate Program Directors and Coordinators   

Postings are distributed on the Graduate Program Directors and Coordinators listservs on the 1st and the 16th of the month and are also available in a blog for public viewing here: https://monthlymemo.graduateschool.vt.edu/

January 2nd, 2025 

IN THIS BULLETIN:    

Meetings, Workshops, & Events  

None at this time.  

Deadlines & Dates to Remember 

1.  Bouchet Graduate Honor Society Applications Now Open  

2. Graduate Student and Outstanding Mentor/Advising Awards  

3.  Preston Recruitment Fellowship      

4.   Upcoming Fellowship and Assistantship Nominations Managed by the Graduate School 

Policy Updates  

None at this time.  

Administrative Announcements  

None at this time.  

Announcements for Distribution to Students

5.Cranwell International Center Supports Smooth Transition Back to Campus     

6. Research Mentor Training for Graduate Students   

Deadlines & Dates to Remember  

_______________________________________________   

1. Bouchet Graduate Honor Society Applications Now Open     

Please encourage your ABD doctoral candidates and postdocs to apply for membership into the Bouchet Society. The Edward Alexander Bouchet Graduate Honor Society (Bouchet Society) recognizes outstanding scholarly achievement and promotes diversity and excellence in doctoral education and the professoriate. The Bouchet Society seeks to develop a network of preeminent scholars who serve as examples of the five pillars: scholarship, leadership, character, service, and advocacy for students who have been traditionally underrepresented in the academy. The deadline for student applications is 11:59pm on January 15, 2025. You may learn more here: https://graduateschool.vt.edu/student-services/bouchet-society.html

2. Graduate Student and Outstanding Mentor/Advising Awards   

Faculty and/or academic departments and programs may submit nominations for outstanding theses and dissertations; excellence in teaching or service; graduate student of the year; and outstanding interdisciplinary student. This year, the Graduate School has added a new award honoring outstanding graduate advising/mentoring by a staff or A/P faculty member. These nominations are due by January 24, 2025. In addition to these nominations, each college defines its own nomination criteria and selection process for identifying one outstanding master’s and doctoral student and outstanding mentor per college — notification of these winners are due by February 14. All winners will be recognized by the Graduate School during Graduate Education Week 2025, March 24-28. Visit https://graduateschool.vt.edu/about/awards.html to learn more about the process and timeline. Contact Lauren Surface at 540-231-9561 or lkeister@vt.edu with questions.   

3. Preston Recruitment Fellowship  

Preston Recruitment Fellowships (4 @ $2,000 each): These awards are meant to provide fellowship support to help attract the best possible graduate students, regardless of their area of study at Virginia Tech. Candidates for the prestigious Preston Fellowship should be students who are being recruited by the nation’s elite educational institutions for the purpose of conducting significant research and scholarship study. Please submit a nomination by February 1 of no more than 500 words outlining reasons why you think the candidate is an exceptional recruit for your program, such as UG institution, UG GPA, UG research experience, and potential offers from other universities (if known). We will also consult the student’s application materials as part of the decision-making process.  Nominations should be submitted through the Fellowship Nomination form, https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc8rhQL9qivK7mOjUZ2sUL-Uy8kQD024mgJl2M3-ZlQCSJqUg/viewform

4. Nominations are accepted for a number of fellowships and assistantships managed by the Graduate School:

– Powell Fellowship: deadline is April 1, 2025. 

– McNair Assistantship: deadline is March 1, 2025 

– Dean’s Diversity Assistantship: deadline is March 1, 2025. 

For eligibility and nomination information visit https://graduateschool.vt.edu/funding/funding-sponsored-by-the-graduate-school.html. Please contact Dr. Catherine Cotrupi, Assistant Dean for Student Services, Inclusion, and Strategic Partnerships, at Cotrupi@vt.edu if you have any questions.     

Announcements for Distribution to Students

The notice(s) in this section have been shared with graduate students through the Graduate School’s channels, but we ask that you consider sharing it with individual students or student groups as you see fit. 

____________________________________________________

5. Cranwell International Center Supports Smooth Transition Back to Campus     

As the Spring semester approaches, the Cranwell International Center would like to provide important guidance to support your smooth transition back to campus. As a reminder, it is university policy that all students be present and ready to attend classes by the first day of the semester. This ensures compliance with academic requirements, and helps you successfully prepare for your classes and other VT commitments from the start of the term. Consider factors that may cause travel delays. Winter weather during this time of year can bring unexpected challenges, such as flight cancellations and road closures. Additionally, the upcoming presidential inauguration on January 20, 2025, is likely to increase traffic and cause delays in and around Washington, D.C., and other major transit hubs. To avoid disruptions to your studies, we strongly encourage you to plan your return to the U.S. well in advance and ensure you arrive no later than the first day of classes, January 21, 2025.   

6. Research Mentor Training for Graduate Students  

This 5-week seminar-style course by the Center for the Integration of Research, Teaching and Learning is designed for graduate students and postdocs in STEM to develop and improve research mentoring skills in this. Students will develop their personal mentoring philosophy, learn how to articulate that philosophy across a variety of disciplines, and refine strategies for dealing with mentoring challenges. The course meets online in Zoom on Tuesdays from January 28 through February 25. Please share this information with your students who have specific interest in this area and could benefit from participation. More information can be found here: https://cirtl.net/event/research-mentor-training-3/2025-01-28/