Graduate School Bulletin

January 20, 2026

Graduate School Bulletin – January 16, 2026

GRADUATE SCHOOL BULLETIN

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

Postings are distributed to the Graduate Program Directors and Coordinators listservs on the 1st and 16th of each month and are also available on our public blog: https://monthlymemo.graduateschool.vt.edu/

January 16, 2026

IN THIS BULLETIN:

Meetings, Workshops, & Events

1. Spring 2026 Graduate School + Cranwell International Center Semesterly Webinar

Deadlines & Dates to Remember

2. Graduate School Awards

3. 2026-27 Graduate School Fellowships

Policy Updates

None at this time.

Administrative Announcements

4. GPD/GPC Meeting Notes and Call for Future Agenda Items

5. Request to Share Policies on Actions Precipitated by Unsatisfactory Student Progress

6. Volunteer Opportunity: Practice Defense Sessions

7. National Name Exchange (NNE) Data Uploaded to Slate for Recruitment Purposes

Announcements for Distribution to Students

8. GPSS Research Symposium Abstract Submissions

Meetings, Workshops, & Events

1. Spring 2026 Graduate School + Cranwell International Center Semesterly Webinar

Monday, February 16, 1:00-3:00p.m.

Please hold this time for a joint webinar between Cranwell International Center and the Graduate School. This spring’s topic will be International Student Employment – Best Practices & Communication. We will cover topics such as timelines, policies, expectations, and student impact. Please register here: Spring 2026 Graduate School + Cranwell International Center Semesterly Webinar – Fill out form

Deadlines & Dates to Remember

2. Graduate School Awards

The Graduate School is accepting nominations for several annual awards recognizing excellence in graduate education, mentorship, and scholarship.

Graduate Student Awards — Deadline: January 23, 2026 Submission Details
Outstanding Advising/Mentoring Award (A/P Faculty and Staff) — Deadline: January 23, 2026 Submission Details
Outstanding College Mentor, Doctoral, and Master’s Student Awards — Selection by college; notification to Graduate School deadline: February 13, 2026 Mentor Info | Student Info

Questions may be directed to Lauren Surface at lkeister@vt.edu.

3. 2026-27 Graduate School Fellowships

Deadline: April 1, 2026

Nominations for Graduate School fellowships are now being accepted for the 2026-27 academic year. For eligibility, nomination information, and deadlines, please visit each opportunity listed on the Funding Sponsored by the Graduate School page.

Administrative Announcements

4. GPD/GPC Meeting Notes and Call for Future Agenda Items

Notes from the recent Graduate Program Directors/Coordinators meeting are available in the GPD Teams channel. If you wish to submit agenda items for future meetings, need access to the GPT Teams site, or be added to the GPD meeting invitation, send an email to gsdean@vt.edu.

5. Request to Share Policies on Actions Precipitated by Unsatisfactory Student Progress

There was a very good discussion at a recent GPD/GPC meeting on the topic of graduate student progress reviews, with important emphasis on the need for more formal and timely input in situations where unsatisfactory performance is occurring. The department of Civil & Environmental Engineering (CEE) hopes to formalize a more structured process for their managing and documenting unsatisfactory progress situations. Bill Knocke, GPD in CEE, requests the opportunity to review any written policies and procedures that departments have formally adopted to address unsatisfactory graduate student performance situations. Forward such information to knocke@vt.edu; if you copy gsdean@vt.edu as well, the materials will be added to the Graduate School’s repository of best practices to be shared with all GPDs.

6. Volunteer Opportunity: Practice Defense Sessions

If you are interested in serving as a mock reviewer and can attend one or two of the two-hour blocks below, please contact Catherine Cotrupi at cotrupi@vt.edu.

Wednesday, January 28, 2026, 9:00-11:00a.m.
Monday, February 2, 2026, 2:00-4:00p.m.
Tuesday, February 10, 2026, 10:00a.m.-12:00p.m.
Tuesday, February 17, 2026, 1:00-3:00p.m.
Friday, April 3, 2026, 1:00-3:00p.m.
Monday, April 6, 2026 1:00-3:00p.m.
Friday, April 17, 2026, 11:00a.m.-1:00p.m.
Wednesday, April 22, 2026, 3:00-5:00p.m.
Monday, April 27, 2026, 2:00-4:00p.m.

7. National Name Exchange (NNE) Data Uploaded to Slate for Recruitment Purposes

Managed by the Council of Graduate Schools (CGS), the National Name Exchange (NNE) aims to expand access to graduate education to create a robust and nimble workforce. The initiative focuses on removing barriers to graduate education and broadening participation in graduate study. More information is available on the CGS website. The 2025 NNE data has been uploaded to Slate, and you can identify these students by a tag which can be queried either as a filter along with their major and/or as an export.

A template query is available and can be used to copy and adjust to individual program(s). Questions can be sent to Catherine Cotrupi at cotrupi@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.

8. GPSS Research Symposium Abstract Submissions

The annual GPSS research symposium is an excellent professional development opportunity for graduate students. Please encourage your students to submit an abstract and/or volunteer for the symposium.

Deadline for abstracts: February 6, 2026, 11:59p.m.

Date of symposium: March 25, 2026, Graduate Life Center

The 42nd Annual GPSS Research Symposium will be held on March 25, 2026, and we invite students from all disciplines to submit presentations/posters for the symposium! This year’s theme is “Better Together: Collaborating Beyond Boundaries.” You can find more details about submission types and requirements by accessing the Research Symposium Abstract Submission Form.

To volunteer to be an abstract reviewer, please complete the Volunteer Form. No experience is required.

Email co-chairs Tamar Ballard (tjballard@vt.edu) and Ethan Dolin (ethansd@vt.edu) with any questions.

December 16, 2025

Graduate School Bulletin – December 16, 2025

GRADUATE SCHOOL BULLETIN

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

December 16, 2025

IN THIS BULLETIN:

Meetings, Workshops, & Events

1. Cranwell + Graduate School Spring Webinar

Deadlines & Dates to Remember

2. Bouchet Graduate Honor Society Applications Now Open

3. Graduate Student Awards

4. Outstanding Advising/Mentoring Award (A/P Faculty/Staff)

5. Outstanding College Mentor, Doctoral and Master’s Student Awards

Policy Updates

None at this time.

Administrative Announcements

6. Preston Recruitment Fellowship

7. 2026-27 Graduate School Fellowships

8. Volunteer Opportunity: Practice Defense Sessions

9. National Name Exchange (NNE) Data Uploaded to Slate for Recruitment Purposes

Announcements for Distribution to Students

10. Funding Your Research as a Newly Independent Researcher: How to Get Started

11. Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REUs) Pathways to Graduate Study

12. GPSS Research Symposium Abstract Submissions

13. GRAD 5984: SS: Effective, Ethical, & Equitable Mentoring

Meetings, Workshops, & Events

1. Cranwell + Graduate School Spring Webinar

Monday, February 16, 1:00-3:00p.m.

Please hold 1pm-3pm on Monday, February 16th for a joint webinar between Cranwell International Center and the Graduate School. This spring’s topic will be announced in the new year.

Deadlines & Dates to Remember

2. Bouchet Graduate Honor Society Applications Now Open

Deadline: January 16, 2026

Submission Information

Please encourage your students to apply to be inducted into the Bouchet Graduate Honors Society.

The Bouchet Graduate Honors Society seeks to develop a network of preeminent scholars who exemplify academic and personal excellence, foster environments of support, and serve as examples of scholarship, leadership, character, service, and advocacy for students in the academy. In the spirit of Bouchet’s commitment to these pursuits both within and outside the academic realm, inductees into the honor society bearing his name should exhibit these qualities.

3. Graduate Student Awards

Deadline: January 23, 2026

Submission Information

The Graduate School recognizes the contributions of the university’s most outstanding graduate students each year. Winners are recognized at an awards banquet during Graduate Education Week, celebrated annually in the last full week of March. Awards include outstanding dissertation and thesis, service excellence, teaching excellence, graduate student of the year, and outstanding interdisciplinary PhD student. If you have questions, please contact Lauren Surface at lkeister@vt.edu.

4. Outstanding Advising/Mentoring Award (A/P Faculty/Staff)

Deadline: January 23, 2026

Submission Information

The Graduate School is seeking nominations for the Outstanding Advising/Mentoring Award for A/P Faculty and Staff. Nominators are encouraged to think about the many diverse ways in which staff and A/P faculty contribute to the development and support of graduate students. If you have questions, please contact Lauren Surface, lkeister@vt.edu.

5. Outstanding College Mentor, Doctoral and Master’s Student Awards

Deadline: February 13, 2026

Recipients of each college’s outstanding faculty mentor, doctoral student, and master’s student are due to the Graduate School by February 13, 2026. Each college creates their own criteria for each award, though there are suggested criteria on the information pages below:

Outstanding Mentor Award information

Outstanding Doctoral and Master’s Student information

Questions can be sent to Lauren Surface at lkeister@vt.edu.

Administrative Announcements

6. Preston Recruitment Fellowship

Nomination deadline: January 10, 2026

Preston Recruitment Fellowships (2 @ $5,000 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.

Please submit a nomination 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).

Nominations should be submitted through the Fellowship Nomination form.

7. 2026-27 Graduate School Fellowships

Nominations for Graduate School Fellowships are now being accepted for the 2026-27 academic year. For eligibility, nomination information, and deadlines, please visit each opportunity listed on the Funding Sponsored by the Graduate School page.

8. Volunteer Opportunity: Practice Defense Sessions

This fall, the Student Services & Strategic Partnerships team piloted a program offering practice defense sessions for students nearing their final defenses. Each student presented for 20–30 minutes and received 20–30 minutes of feedback from two administrators or faculty members and another defending student. If you are interested in serving as a mock reviewer and can attend one or two of the two-hour blocks below, please contact Catherine Cotrupi at cotrupi@vt.edu.

Wednesday, January 28, 2026, 9:00—11:00a.m.
Monday, February 2, 2026, 2:00—4:00p.m.
Tuesday, February 10, 2026, 10:00a.m.—12:00p.m.
Tuesday, February 17, 2026, 1:00—3:00p.m.
Friday, April 3, 2026, 1:00—3:00p.m.
Monday, April 6, 2026 1:00—3:00p.m.
Friday, April 17, 2026, 11:00a.m.—1:00p.m.
Wednesday, April 22, 2026, 3:00—5:00p.m.
Monday, April 27, 2026, 2:00—4:00p.m.

9. National Name Exchange (NNE) Data Uploaded to Slate for Recruitment Purposes

Managed by the Council of Graduate Schools (CGS), the National Name Exchange (NNE) aims to expand access to graduate education to create a robust and nimble workforce. The focus is on removing barriers to access for all students in accessing higher education and broadening graduate school attainment with a multi-pronged approach that can be read about on the CGS website. The 2025 NNE data has been uploaded to Slate, and you can identify these students by a tag which can be queried either as a filter along with their major and/or as an export.

A template query is available and can be used to copy and adjust to individual program(s). Questions can be sent to Catherine Cotrupi at cotrupi@vt.edu.

Announcements for Distribution to Students

10. Funding Your Research as a Newly Independent Researcher: How to Get Started

January 14, 1:00-5:00p.m., GLC MPR or Zoom

Please encourage your students to attend, especially those nearing graduation. This workshop is designed to help graduate students translate research ideas into formal written proposals to external sponsors. It will include a portfolio of activities tailored to the participants, regardless of their departmental affiliation or field. In-person and virtual attendance are welcome. Registration form

11. Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REUs) Pathways to Graduate Study

January 30, 11:00a.m.-12:30p.m., GLC Room B

Do you know any undergraduate students who are curious about research or considering graduate school? Please encourage them to join us for a dynamic webinar on Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REUs). Participants will learn where to find REU opportunities and how to highlight them in graduate school applications. Registration form. Cosponsored by the Graduate School and the Office of Undergraduate Research. This event will be held in person on the Blacksburg Campus.

12. GPSS Research Symposium Abstract Submissions

Deadline for abstracts: February 6, 2026, 11:59p.m.

Date of symposium: March 25, 2026, Graduate Life Center

Not Interested in presenting but interested in volunteering? We are also calling for abstract reviewers! No experience is required. Please use the Abstract Review Volunteer Form.

Email co-chairs Tamar Ballard (tjballard@vt.edu) and Ethan Dolin (ethansd@vt.edu) with any questions.

13. GRAD 5984: SS: Effective, Ethical, & Equitable Mentoring

The purpose of this course is to develop graduate students’ understandings of and experiences with mentoring. The ability to support and enhance another’s academic, professional, and personal development rests on a foundation of exploring and reflecting one’s own experiences with these topics.

Graduate students in this course will reflect on their own previous experiences with mentoring; their role as current mentees in their research and graduate careers, their role as future faculty and industry leaders who will have mentees of their own, and as mentors to current undergraduate students. They will also be guided in developing peer-mentoring networks to support their wellbeing and success in graduate school.

Students will be provided with theories of mentorship as well as opportunities to reflect and put their awareness into practice informing their future praxis. Please reach out to cotrupi@vt.edu for more information.

December 1, 2025

Graduate School Bulletin – December 1, 2025

GRADUATE SCHOOL BULLETIN

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

December 1, 2025

IN THIS BULLETIN:

Meetings, Workshops, & Events

1. GPD/GC Meeting

Deadlines & Dates to Remember

2. Lowry Fellowship (Deadline: December 5)

3. Bouchet Graduate Honor Society Applications Now Open

4. Graduate Student Awards

5. Outstanding Advising/Mentoring Award (A/P Faculty/Staff)

6. Outstanding College Mentor, Doctoral and Master’s Student Awards

Policy Updates

None at this time.

Administrative Announcements

7. Volunteer Opportunity: Practice Defense Sessions

8. National Name Exchange (NNE) Data Uploaded to Slate for Recruitment Purposes

Announcements for Distribution to Students

9. Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REUs) Pathways to Graduate Study

10. Research Proposal Development Workshop for Grads

11. GRAD 5984: SS: Effective, Ethical, & Equitable Mentoring

Meetings, Workshops, & Events

1. GPD/GC Meeting

December 10, 2:00-3:00 p.m., Zoom

This is a reminder of the upcoming monthly Graduate Program Director and Graduate Coordinator meeting. If you are not currently included in the calendar invitation, please contact jhazelwood4@vt.edu.

Deadlines & Dates to Remember

2. Lowry Fellowship

Deadline: December 5, 2025

The Dr. W.D. Lowry Graduate Fellowship offers one-semester support for a full-time Virginia Tech graduate student who demonstrates financial need and exceptional promise. Funding includes a graduate stipend and in-state tuition remission for one semester (Spring 2026). Nominations must be submitted by December 5 using the following form: Dr. W.D. Lowry Graduate Fellowship Nomination Form

3. Bouchet Graduate Honor Society Applications Now Open

Deadline: January 16, 2026

Submission Information

Please encourage your students to apply to be inducted into the Bouchet Graduate Honors Society.

4. Graduate Student Awards

Deadline: January 23, 2026

Submission Information

5. Outstanding Advising/Mentoring Award (A/P Faculty/Staff)

Deadline: January 23, 2026

Submission Information

6. Outstanding College Mentor, Doctoral and Master’s Student Awards

Deadline: February 13, 2026

Outstanding Mentor Award information

Outstanding Doctoral and Master’s Student information

If you have questions, please reach out to Lauren Surface, lkeister@vt.edu.

Administrative Announcements

7. Volunteer Opportunity: Practice Defense Sessions

This fall, the Student Services & Strategic Partnerships team piloted a program offering practice defense sessions for students nearing their final defenses. Each student presented for 20–30 minutes and received 20–30 minutes of feedback from two administrators or faculty members and another defending student. We will offer additional Zoom sessions this spring to support the higher number of end-of-year defenses and to align with SSDE needs and deadlines. If you are interested in serving as a mock reviewer and can attend one or two of the two-hour blocks below, please contact Catherine Cotrupi at cotrupi@vt.edu.

Wednesday, January 28, 2026, 9:00—11:00am
Monday, February 2, 2026, 2:00—4:00pm
Tuesday, February 10, 2026, 10:00am—12:00pm
Tuesday, February 17, 2026, 1:00—3:00pm
Friday, April 3, 2026, 1:00—3:00pm
Monday, April 6, 2026, 1:00—3:00pm
Friday, April 17, 2026, 11:00am—1:00pm
Wednesday, April 22, 2026, 3:00—5:00pm
Monday, April 27, 2026, 2:00—4:00pm

8. National Name Exchange (NNE) Data Uploaded to Slate for Recruitment Purposes

A template query is available and can be used to copy and adjust to individual program(s): click here. Questions can be sent to Catherine Cotrupi at cotrupi@vt.edu.

Announcements for Distribution to Students

9. Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REUs) Pathways to Graduate Study

December 10, 12:00-1:30pm, GLC Room B

January 30, 11:00am-12:30pm, GLC Room B

Do you know any undergraduate students who are curious about research or considering graduate school? Please encourage them to join us for a dynamic webinar on Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REUs). Participants will learn where to find REU opportunities and how to highlight them in graduate school applications. Register using the following form: click here. Cosponsored by the Graduate School and the Office of Undergraduate Research. This event will be held in person on the Blacksburg Campus.

10. Research Proposal Development Workshop for Grads

January 14, 1:00-5:00pm, GLC MPR or Zoom

11. GRAD 5984: SS: Effective, Ethical, & Equitable Mentoring

November 17, 2025

GRADUATE SCHOOL BULLETIN

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

November 17, 2025

IN THIS BULLETIN:

Meetings, Workshops, & Events

1. GPD/GC Meeting

Deadlines & Dates to Remember

None at this time.

Policy Updates

None at this time.

Administrative Announcements

2. Bouchet Graduate Honor Society Applications Now Open

3. Graduate Student Awards

4. Outstanding Advising/Mentoring Award (A/P Faculty/Staff)

5. Outstanding College Mentor, Doctoral and Master’s Student Awards

6. National Name Exchange (NNE) Data Uploaded to Slate for Recruitment Purposes

7. Graduate Student Climate Survey Data Available

Announcements for Distribution to Students

8. Graduate School Thanksgiving Break Lunch

9. GRAD 5984: SS: Effective, Ethical, & Equitable Mentoring

Meetings, Workshops, & Events

1. GPD/GC Meeting

December 10, 2:00-3:00 p.m., Zoom

This is a reminder of the upcoming monthly Graduate Program Director and Graduate Coordinator meeting. If you are not currently included in the calendar invitation, please contact jhazelwood4@vt.edu.

Administrative Announcements

2. Bouchet Graduate Honor Society Applications Now Open

Deadline: January 16, 2026

Submission Information

Please encourage your students to apply to be inducted into the Bouchet Graduate Honors Society.

3. Graduate Student Awards

Deadline: January 23, 2026

Submission Information

4. Outstanding Advising/Mentoring Award (A/P Faculty/Staff)

Deadline: January 23, 2026

Submission Information

5. Outstanding College Mentor, Doctoral and Master’s Student Awards

Deadline: February 13, 2026

Recipients of each college’s outstanding faculty mentor, doctoral student and master’s student are due to the Graduate School by February 13, 2026. Each college creates their own criteria for each award, though there are suggested criteria on the information pages below:

Outstanding Mentor Award information

Outstanding Doctoral and Master’s Student information

If you have questions, please reach out to Lauren Surface, lkeister@vt.edu.

6. National Name Exchange (NNE) Data Uploaded to Slate for Recruitment Purposes

A template query is available and can be used to copy and adjust to individual program(s): click here. Questions can be sent to Catherine Cotrupi at cotrupi@vt.edu.

7. Graduate Student Climate Survey Data Available

Data are now available from the Spring 2025 Graduate Student Climate Survey. The following visualization can be used to compare climate survey results to prior years and is filterable down to the academic program level: click here

Summary results and reports will be available at a later date. If you have questions or desire additional analysis, contact Kacy Lawrence at klawr5@vt.edu.

Announcements for Distribution to Students

8. Graduate School Thanksgiving Break Lunch

Tuesday, November 25, 11:30am-1pm, GLC Multipurpose Room

You are not alone! Join others who don’t get to leave for Thanksgiving Break for some chili (chicken, vegetarian/vegan/GF versions), dessert, and conversation in the graduate community! Registration is required and will close when the event has reached capacity, so sign up today: registration form

Questions can be sent to Lindsay Barron at lbarron@vt.edu.

9. GRAD 5984: SS: Effective, Ethical, & Equitable Mentoring

Students will be provided with mentorship theories and opportunities to reflect and put their awareness into practice informing their future praxis. Please reach out to cotrupi@vt.edu for more information.

November 3, 2025

Graduate School Bulletin – November 3, 2025

GRADUATE SCHOOL BULLETIN

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

Postings are distributed to the Graduate Program Directors and Coordinators listservs on the 1st and 16th of each month and are also available on our public blog.

November 3, 2025

IN THIS BULLETIN:

Meetings, Workshops, & Events

1. Sponsored Webinar: The Changing Landscape of Graduate Recruitment and Marketing

2. GPD/GC Meeting

3. Little Hokie Hand-Me-Down: Donations Needed

Deadlines & Dates to Remember

4. Bouchet Graduate Honor Society Applications Now Open

Policy Updates

None at this time.

Administrative Announcements

5. Graduate Student Climate Survey Data Available

6. Upcoming TOEFL Scoring Scale Change

Announcements for Distribution to Students

None at this time.

Meetings, Workshops, & Events

1. Sponsored Webinar: The Changing Landscape of Graduate Recruitment and Marketing

November 4, 2:00–2:45p.m., Zoom

Competition for qualified graduate students is intensifying, and institutions face a complex mix of challenges: fragmented digital marketing channels, the growing influence of AI in student search, shifting international student demand, and questions about the value proposition and ROI of graduate education. Universities are responding by rethinking how they attract and enroll students, adopting new approaches to audience segmentation, marketing channel strategy, and deploying technology. In this moderated session, academic and enrollment leaders will share how they are adapting to these changes and the strategies and tactics that are working best. Register here

2. GPD/GC Meeting

November 5, 2:00–3:00 p.m., Zoom

This is a reminder of the upcoming monthly Graduate Program Director and Graduate Coordinator meeting. If you are not currently included in the calendar invitation, please contact jhazelwood4@vt.edu.

3. Little Hokie Hand-Me-Down: Donations Needed

The Little Hokie Hand-Me-Down program is an event designed for the benefit of Virginia Tech graduate students and staff families. Donations of unused or gently used children’s items for ages 0 to 10 are greatly needed for this event. Donations can be dropped off at the Women’s Center or the Graduate Life Center through November 10 at noon. Learn more about what items can be donated and when graduate students and staff can pick up free items: click here.

Meetings, Workshops, & Events

4. Bouchet Graduate Honor Society Applications Now Open

The Bouchet Society seeks to develop a network of preeminent scholars who exemplify academic and personal excellence, foster environments of support, and serve as examples of scholarship, leadership, character, service, and advocacy for students in the academy. In the spirit of Bouchet’s commitment to these pursuits both within and outside the academic realm, inductees into the honor society bearing his name should exhibit these qualities. The deadline for applications is 11:59pm on January 16, 2025. Click to learn more

Administrative Announcements

5. Graduate Student Climate Survey Data Available

Summary results and reports will be available at a later date. If you have questions or desire additional analysis, contact Kacy Lawrence at klawr5@vt.edu

6. Upcoming TOEFL Scoring Scale Change

ETS is launching a TOEFL iBT scoring scale change effective January 21, 2026. Overall scores and section scores will be reported on a 1-6 banded scale. Based on the ETS TOEFL concordance table, the Virginia Tech Graduate School will require an overall score and section scores of 4.5 or higher for admission. Students who anticipate appointments as Graduate Teaching Assistants are expected to have scored a 5 or higher on the TOEFL Speaking section. GTA appointment of a student scoring 4.5 on the Speaking section should be justified explicitly within the academic unit; appointment of a student scoring below 4.5 on the Speaking section requires justification with the Graduate School.

October 16, 2025

Graduate School Bulletin – October 16, 2025

GRADUATE SCHOOL BULLETIN

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

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

October 16, 2025

IN THIS BULLETIN:

Meetings, Workshops, & Events

1. Graduate Mentoring to Enhance Research and Academic Success

2. Faculty Panelists Needed for Graduate Honor System

3. Mentorship Workshop

4. GPD/GC Meeting

Deadlines & Dates to Remember

None at this time.

Policy Updates

None at this time.

Administrative Announcements

5. Graduate Alumni Achievement Award: Call for Nominations

6. CSGS Awards: Call for Nominations

7. Upcoming TOEFL Scoring Scale Change

Announcements for Distribution to Students

None at this time.

Meetings, Workshops, & Events

1. Graduate Mentoring to Enhance Research and Academic Success

Friday, October 17, 1:30-3:30 p.m., Zoom and in-person

Monday, October 20, 3:00-5:00 p.m., Zoom and in-person

Join Bevlee Watford, Catherine Cotrupi, and Allison Jones for a workshop created by the Equity in Graduate Education Consortium. This event is part of a national effort to enhance mentoring skills for current and future faculty members and to lead to more productive research and academic success. Register here: https://gs.vt.edu/gec

There will be an additional hybrid session for graduate students on Friday, November 14, from 2:00-4:00 p.m. Register here: https://gs.vt.edu/gecgrad

2. Faculty Panelists Needed for Graduate Honor System

Tuesday, October 21, 4:00-5:00 p.m., Zoom: 89531184685

Friday, October 24, 9:00-10:00 a.m., Zoom: 83151775405

The Graduate Honor System relies on trained faculty and graduate student panelists who review academic integrity violations and determine the outcome of GHS cases. Training takes approximately one hour and after that you may serve on panels as you are available. On average, active faculty panelists devote 5-10 hours of service per year to the GHS. Two training sessions are coming up; if interested, please complete this registration form to indicate your planned attendance: https://gs.vt.edu/panel

3. Mentorship Workshop

Monday, November 3, 10:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Blacksburg Campus (in-person)

Multipurpose Room, Graduate Life Center

Mentorship is a critical element in our careers, yet few of us have had any formal mentorship training. These workshops are intended to provide introductory training in mentorship, primarily through active learning, for early career faculty members, other faculty members, and postdoctoral fellows who have an interest in improving their mentorship skills.

The event will include panel discussions with outstanding VT mentors, a separate discussion with experienced graduate student mentees and mentors, a session of the highly participatory Mentorship Road Show, and comments on mentorship from Dean Aimée Surprenant. We will conclude with lunch (provided by the Graduate School) and a networking opportunity. Register here: https://gs.vt.edu/mentorship

4. GPC/GC Meeting

November 5, 2:00-3:00 p.m., Zoom

This is a reminder of the upcoming monthly Graduate Program Director and Graduate Coordinator meeting. If you are not currently included in the calendar invitation, please contact jhazelwood4@vt.edu.

Administrative Announcements

5. Graduate Alumni Achievement Award: Call for Nominations

The Graduate School is accepting nominations for the Graduate Alumni Achievement Award. This award recognizes outstanding national and/or international achievement and exemplary contributions by the winner to their profession, discipline, community, or society. Nominees must be engaged in efforts that enhance the reputation of Virginia Tech to a national and/or international audience. Only alumni who have obtained a graduate degree from Virginia Tech are eligible. The submission deadline is Friday, October 31, at 5:00 p.m. For more information on nomination requirements and to submit a nomination, click here.

6. CSGS Awards: Call for Nominations

The Graduate School invites nominations for the Conference of Southern Graduate Schools (CSGS) Awards. Please send submissions to gsdean@vt.edu by October 24, 2025, so that the Graduate School may finalize and submit nominations by the November 3, 2025, deadline.

Outstanding Master’s Thesis Awards Categories

Social Sciences, Business and Education
Life Sciences
Non-traditional Thesis/Project Award

Faculty Awards

Outstanding Mentor Award
Outstanding Contributions Award

Consider nominating those recognized during Graduate Education Week 2025 or through the Faculty Mentor of the Month program. For full eligibility, nomination details, and prizes, click here.

7. Upcoming TOEFL Scoring Scale Change

ETS is launching a TOEFL iBT scoring scale change effective January 21, 2026. Overall scores and section scores will be reported on a 1-6 banded scale. Based on the ETS TOEFL concordance table, the Virginia Tech Graduate School will require an overall score and section scores of 4.5 or higher for admission. Students who anticipate appointments as Graduate Teaching Assistants are expected to have scored a 5 or greater on the TOEFL Speaking section. GTA appointment of a student scoring 4.5 on the Speaking section should be justified explicitly within the particular academic unit; appointment of a student scoring below 4.5 on the Speaking section requires justification with the Graduate School.

October 1, 2025

Graduate School Bulletin – October 1, 2025

GRADUATE SCHOOL BULLETIN

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

October 1, 2025

IN THIS BULLETIN:

Meetings, Workshops, & Events

1. GPD/GC Meeting on October 8th at 2:00pm

Deadlines & Dates to Remember

None at this time.

Policy Updates

None at this time.

Administrative Announcements

2. Graduate Alumni Achievement Award: Call for Nominations

3. CSGS Outstanding Master’s Thesis Award: Call for Nominations

4. CSGS Faculty Awards: Call for Nominations

Announcements for Distribution to Students

5. Graduate and Professional School Fair (GPSF)

6. Graduate School Workshops

7. Community of Practice for GTA Instructors of Record

Meetings, Workshops, & Events

1. GPD/GC Meeting

October 8, 2:00-3:00pm, Zoom

This is a reminder of the upcoming monthly Graduate Program Director and Graduate Coordinator meeting on Wednesday, October 8th at 2:00pm. If you are not currently included on the calendar invitation, please contact jhazelwood4@vt.edu to have this updated.

Administrative Announcements

2. Graduate Alumni Achievement Award: Call for Nominations

The Graduate School is accepting nominations for the Graduate Alumni Achievement Award. This award recognizes outstanding national and/or international achievement and exemplary contributions by the winner to their profession, discipline, community, or society. Nominees must be engaged in efforts that enhance the reputation of Virginia Tech to a national and/or international audience. Only alumni who have obtained a graduate degree from Virginia Tech are eligible. The submission deadline is Friday, October 31, at 5:00pm. For more information on nomination requirements and to submit a nomination, visit: https://graduateschool.vt.edu/about/awards/alumni.html

3. CSGS Outstanding Master’s Thesis Award: Call for Nominations

The Conference of Southern Graduate Schools (CSGS) is accepting nominations for Outstanding Master’s Thesis Awards, one each in the following categories: (1) Social Sciences, Business and Education; (2) Life Sciences; and (3) Non-traditional Thesis/Project Award. Consider nominating your students who were considered for our Graduate Education Week outstanding thesis awards if they also meet CSGS nomination criteria. Nomination deadline: November 3, 2025. For more information about eligibility, nomination materials, selection process, and prizes, visit https://www.csgs.org/awards.

4. CSGS Faculty Awards: Call for Nominations

The Conference of Southern Graduate Schools (CSGS) is accepting nominations for two faculty awards: (1) Outstanding Mentor Award; (2) Outstanding Contributions Award. Consider nominating your faculty, including from the ranks of those who have been recognized during Graduate Education Week 2025 or through our Faculty Mentor of the Month awards (https://graduateschool.vt.edu/about/awards/outstanding-mentor-award/Mentor_of_the_Month.html). Nomination deadline: November 3, 2025. For more information about eligibility, nomination materials, selection process, and prizes, visit https://www.csgs.org/awards.

Announcements for Distribution to Students

5. Graduate and Professional School Fair (GPSF)

October 6, 2025, 11:00am-3:00pm, Commonwealth Ballroom, Squires Student Center

Are you considering med school, vet school, nursing, law school, an MPH, MBA, MEng, MS, PhD, or another advanced degree? Take the next step in your academic and professional journey at the Graduate and Professional School Fair (GPSF). Held every fall semester, GPSF connects Hokies with admissions representatives from a wide variety of graduate and professional programs—many of which offer application fee waivers exclusively for fair attendees. Alongside Virginia Tech, this year’s fair will feature representatives from over 100 programs at public and private institutions, including Cornell, MIT, Johns Hopkins, Texas A&M, Carnegie Mellon, NYU, Duke, UVA, UNC–Chapel Hill, GMU, and many others. Sponsored by the Graduate and Professional Student Senate. Register here: https://forms.office.com/r/XX31fHaUEz

6. Graduate School Workshops

The Graduate School invites your students to take part in these upcoming workshops:

All-Day Writing Retreats – Structured and flexible sessions to support your writing. Wednesday, October 7, 9:00am-4:00pm. Register here
GearUp! Building and Maintaining Healthy Mentor Relationships – Join us for a discussion on building and maintaining positive mentor relationships, with strategies for navigating challenges along the way. October 8, 2:00-3:30pm, Gilbert 2101. Open to all.
Global Change in Science and Technology – Join us for a program that brings together food, dialogue, and ideas at the intersection of STEM, society, and policy. Featuring a talk by Dr. Luis Escobar’s lab and a debate by Dr. Todd Schenk and Dr. Saul Halfon. Open to all. October 10, 12:00-2:00pm, GLC MPR.

7. Community of Practice for GTA Instructors of Record

Friday, October 10, 1:00–2:00pm, Zoom

Friday, November 14, 1:00–2:00pm, Zoom

The Graduate School and the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning co-host a GTA Instructor of Record Community of Practice (CoP) to provide opportunities for GTA-IORs to connect and learn from guest speakers and/or each other while discussing best practices, opportunities, and challenges related to effective teaching as a GTA instructor of record. Being an official IOR is not a prerequisite for joining. Please share this opportunity with your advanced GTAs who may benefit from it. Register here

September 16, 2025

Graduate School Bulletin – September 16, 2025

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/

September 16, 2025

IN THIS BULLETIN:

Meetings, Workshops, & Events

1. Recording Available: International Graduate Student Journey Workshop

2. Doing Dissertation Research at Oak Ridge National Lab

Deadlines & Dates to Remember

None at this time.

Policy Updates

None at this time.

Administrative Announcements

3. Process for Graduate Catalog Correction Requests

Announcements for Distribution to Students

4. Writing Successful Student-Initiated Proposals Workshop

5. Graduate School Workshops

6. Community of Practice for GTA Instructors of Record

Meetings, Workshops, & Events

1. Recording Available: International Graduate Student Journey Workshop

On September 10th, the Graduate School and Cranwell co-hosted a session on the International Graduate Student Journey. The recording of the session and the slides will only be available for access until Friday, September 18^th at 5:00pm, as details and current context are changing rapidly. You may view them here, in the last tab of the dropdown menu: https://graduateschool.vt.edu/faculty-and-staff-resources.html

2. Doing Dissertation Research at Oak Ridge National Lab

Thursday, September 25, 2:00-3:00pm, 310 Kelly Hall

Faculty and graduate students who are interested in carrying out research on the ORNL campus are invited to learn about the means by which graduate students can work toward their PhD at ORNL for months or years, including DOE-funded opportunities and ones that are supported by grants at VT and/or ORNL itself. Time will be allotted for Q&A and/or schedule appropriate follow up. Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) near Knoxville, TN, is one of the world’s premier research centers, and Virginia Tech is a member of its Core Universities. ORNL’s mission includes biology and the environment; clean energy including fission and fusion; isotope production; basic physical sciences; national security in multiple contexts; neutron sciences; and supercomputing.

Administrative Announcements

3. Process for Graduate Catalog Correction Requests

To allow us to properly track the reason for any catalog updates, especially after the update-submission deadline, catalog content corrections should be requested by completing the Graduate Catalog 2025-26 Program Updates and Entries questionnaire at https://gs.vt.edu/2025catalog. Graduate program directors and certificate program leaders (or their designees) may review their catalog entries at https://catalog.vt.edu/graduate/

Although it’s preferred that all update requests about a program are submitted in a single survey entry, the form can be completed multiple times as needed, if you discover new corrections or if the GPD name/contact information or program URL changes. If you have any questions about corrections to your catalog entries, please email Monika Gibson, gibsonm@vt.edu or Bill Huckle, wrhuckle@vt.edu

Announcements for Distribution to Students

4. Writing Successful Student-Initiated Proposals Workshop

Monday, September 22, 10:00am-12:30pm, Graduate Life Center Multipurpose Room

Graduate students and postdoctoral fellows are invited to a workshop designed to strengthen research proposal writing skills and prepare you to write student-initiated proposals for NSF GRFP, NIH, and several different humanities-oriented programs, as well as for other programs of your interest. This session is timed to support preparation for the upcoming GRFP deadlines (all in late October) and provide practical tools to enhance proposal success.

Lunch provided (bring your own bottle or beverage). The workshop will offer guidance on proposal development and breakout sessions, each of which addresses a specific type of proposal. Register here

5. Graduate School Workshops

The Graduate School invites your students to take part in these upcoming workshops:

Academic Progress Session for Graduate Students – Practice your defense and receive feedback. September 19, September 25, October 6, October 22, November 11.Register here

All-Day Writing Retreats – Structured and flexible sessions to support your writing. Wednesday, October 7, 9:00am-4:00pm. Register here

Research Impact & Intelligence 2-Part Workshop – Learn how to make your research competitive and impactful. October 15, 3:00-5:00pm, November 13, 3:00-5:00pm. Register here

Comprehensive, Qualifying, and Preliminary Exams Workshop – Information, preparation tips, and advice from students who have passed these milestones. October 16, 10:00-11:00am, November 21, 9:00-10:00am. Register here

6. Community of Practice for GTA Instructors of Record

Friday, October 10, 1:00–2:00pm, Zoom

Friday, November 14, 1:00–2:00pm, Zoom

September 2, 2025

Graduate School Bulletin – September 2nd, 2025

GRADUATE SCHOOL BULLETIN

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

September 2, 2025

IN THIS BULLETIN:

Meetings, Workshops, & Events

1. Training Opportunity on Net Natives, a Digital Advertising Platform for Graduate Enrollment Marketing

2. Implementation Plan for PATH, the New Course Registration System

3. New GPD/GC Orientation Sessions

4. Information Sessions for International Graduate Student Supervisors, Program Directors, Coordinators, and Advisors

Deadlines & Dates to Remember

None at this time.

Policy Updates

None at this time.

Administrative Announcements

5. Process for Graduate Catalog Correction Requests

6. Update on M365 Storage for Graduate Students

7. New Cybersecurity Training Requirement for Student Employees

Announcements for Distribution to Students

8. Community of Practice for GTA Instructors of Record

9. Graduate Student Resource Fair

Meetings, Workshops, & Events

_____________________________________________

1. Training Opportunity on Net Natives, a Digital Advertising Platform for Graduate Enrollment Marketing

Thursday, September 4, 11:00am-12:00pm, Cascades Room at The Inn

As part of Hokie Brand Camp, a breakout session will be offered on the use of Net Natives in graduate enrollment marketing as part of the Enrollment Management strategy for PGP degrees. Net Natives — the university’s new agency of record for digital advertising — will share enrollment marketing and advertising best practices designed specifically for colleges and universities navigating an age of AI, shifting student expectations, and fierce digital competition. Detailed information about the event and registration are available at https://brand.vt.edu/resources/brand-camp.html. Please share with your colleagues who may benefit from this learning opportunity.

2. Implementation Plan for PATH, the New Course Registration System

The University is launching a new course registration system, PATH, on October 8, 2025. Join the Office of the University Registrar and Academic Advising Initiatives to learn how students will use PATH to submit Course Requests and Add/Drop courses during the registration period.

Please register at least 24 hours in advance to receive your Zoom link. The remaining sessions will be held:

September 4, 9:00-10:00am
September 5, 3:00-4:00pm

Link for registration: click here

3. New GPD/GC Orientation Sessions

Thursday, Sep 11, 2:00-3:00pm

Join members of the Grad School team and fellow GPDs and graduate coordinators to receive an introduction to a variety of resources available to you in your new role and review the various tasks that may be expected of you. Discussion topics will include a review of faculty/staff resources; GPD role and faculty management; data-informed decision-making, and an open forum for discussion. Two virtual sessions will be offered to accommodate different schedules. Please complete this form to register to attend: click here

4. Information Sessions for International Graduate Student Supervisors, Program Directors, Coordinators, and Advisors

Join us for an informative session designed for faculty, staff, and graduate program directors focused on effectively supporting our international graduate students. This session will cover essential federal requirements, institutional policies, and procedures that impact international students, along with culturally aware mentoring strategies to foster a supportive academic environment. Learn about the resources available on campus to help international students succeed both academically and personally. Hear from representatives from Cranwell International Center, the Graduate School, and individual international students who will provide information and answer questions. Whether you’re new to working with international students or looking to enhance your current practices, this session will provide valuable insights and practical tools.

September 10th 9:00am-11:00am https://virginiatech.zoom.us/j/82071296794 (no registration required).

Please join us for a follow-up conversation over breakfast at the Inn on September 15th from 8:30am-10:00am. Connect with colleagues from Cranwell International Center, the Graduate School, and academic units across campus to further discuss these topics, ask questions, and share resources.

Registration required: https://forms.office.com/r/3AzgyGVcfZ

Administrative Announcements

____________________________________________

5. Process for Graduate Catalog Correction Requests

Although it’s preferred that all update requests about a program are submitted in a single survey entry, the form can be completed multiple times as needed, if you discover new corrections or if GPD name/contact or program URL change. If you have any questions about corrections to your catalog entries, please email Monika Gibson, gibsonm@vt.edu or Bill Huckle, wrhuckle@vt.edu

6. Update on M365 Storage for Graduate Students

The Division of IT (DoIT) has been engaged with graduate students via the Graduate and Professional Student Senate and the Graduate School to identify a way to improve cloud storage availability in the M365 service (e.g.: OneDrive). A path to increase storage for graduate students has been identified and the DoIT is hoping to implement the increase on August 29, 2025. That increase will be from 10G to 50G of storage, which is in line with employee storage allocations. Look for announcements in the VT Daily News Email.

For shared work, graduate students are encouraged to work with their faculty to identify/create departmental shared resources, such as Microsoft Teams, to house and maintain their data. This would also ease the transition of data over time, which is a common need for research data.

7. New Cybersecurity Training Requirement for Student Employees

We are sharing this information from the IT Security Office Team to increase your awareness and ask that you help ensure that your graduate student employees (whether on assistantship or wage) complete the required training. You can review the full announcement at https://news.vt.edu/notices/2025/08/it-cybersecurity-training-student-employees.html. The student training-compliance dashboard shows whether your student employees have completed their required cybersecurity training: https://metrics.iso.vt.edu/studentSecurityTraining. Current FERPA training is required to access the student dashboard. Please contact the IT Security Office at itso@vt.edu with questions about the training, dashboard functionality, or dashboard request link.

Announcements for Distribution to Students

____________________________________________

8. Community of Practice for GTA Instructors of Record

9. Graduate Student Resource Fair

Drop in to the Fall Graduate Student Resource Fair on Sept. 11th, 3-5pm, in the GLC Multipurpose Room! More than 25 VT organizations will be sharing resources for graduate students. Pizza will be provided by Cranwell International Center and cookies and coffee provided by the Graduate School. Also, come play Bingo to win one of many raffle prizes! Link to the flyer: (click here)

This event is organized by the BOV Graduate and Professional Student Rep and the Graduate and Professional Student Senate.

August 22, 2025August 22, 2025

Graduate School Bulletin – August 15, 2025

GRADUATE SCHOOL BULLETIN

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

August 15, 2025

IN THIS BULLETIN:

Meetings, Workshops, & Events

1. Implementation Plan for PATH, the New Course Registration System

2. New GPD/GC Orientation Sessions

Deadlines & Dates to Remember

None at this time.

Policy Updates

None at this time.

Administrative Announcements

3. Update on M365 Storage for Graduate Students

4. New Cybersecurity Training Requirement for Student Employees

5. Dashboard for Tracking International Student Visa Attainment

6. Updated Guidance for Generative AI

7. Raising Awareness of the Graduate School Ombuds

Announcements for Distribution to Students

None at this time.

Meetings, Workshops, & Events

_____________________________________________

1. Implementation Plan for PATH, the New Course Registration System

Faculty and staff can register online now for one of eight training sessions—four offered in a hybrid format and four via Zoom only. Please register at least 24 hours in advance to receive your Zoom link.

In late September, three office hour sessions (no registration required) will provide time for follow-up questions after you’ve explored and tested PATH. Save the dates for these sessions:

September 8, 3:00-4:00pm
September 19, 9:00-10:00am
September 23, 10:00-11:00am

Link for registration: click here

2. New GPD/GC Orientation Sessions

~~Thursday, Aug 14, 2:00-3:00pm~~

Thursday, Sep 11, 2:00-3:00pm

Administrative Announcements

____________________________________________

3. Update on M365 Storage for Graduate Students

The Division of IT (DoIT) has been engaged with graduate students via the Graduate and Professional Student Senate and the Graduate School to identify a way to improve cloud storage availability in the M365 service (e.g.: OneDrive). A path to increase storage for graduate students has been identified and the DoIT is hoping to implement the increase On August 29, 2025. That increase will be from 10G to 50G of storage, which is in line with employee storage allocations. Look for announcements in the VT Daily News Email.

While this is great news, we also want to underscore that, for shared work, graduate students are encouraged to work with their faculty to identify/create departmental shared resources, such as Microsoft Teams, to house and maintain their data. This would also ease the transition of data over time, which is a common need for research data.

**Please note that we mistakenly stated the storage should increase from 10G to 100G in our initial email. The correct quota will be from 10G to 50G

4. New Cybersecurity Training Requirement for Student Employees

5. Dashboard for Tracking International Student Visa Attainment

The Cranwell International Center reports that as of July 16, 482 graduate students received their visas out of a total 3,464 admitted students. The pool of admitted students includes those who may not have completed the immigration intake process and will not attend.

If you would like to see more granular details, you may request access to the Cranwell International Center dashboard by completing this request form: https://forms.office.com/r/eukCJ7sdNN, so that you may run a report for your specific department. Visa issuance varies by country and from discipline to discipline, so some colleges may be more impacted than others. For more information contact the Cranwell International Center at international@vt.edu.

6. Updated Guidance for Generative AI

There has been much discussion about the potential appropriate uses of generative AI by graduate students and how faculty may proactively address it. TLOS provides some general guidelines on their website at https://tlos.vt.edu/resources/generative-ai.html, and we have added an updated Graduate School statement to it: https://tlos.vt.edu/resources/generative-ai/graduate-school-statement.html. Please visit these sites as you prepare for the 2025-26 academic year and discuss program-level standards and expectations with faculty and graduate students.

7. Raising Awareness of the Graduate School Ombuds

Connecting face-to-face with students and the faculty they work with is one of the best ways for individuals to learn about the services the Ombuds Office offers. A 10-minute presentation during your orientation program for first-year students is sufficient to introduce this service to your students, including an introduction to the role, the types of support available, and current initiatives of the office. Longer sessions may include skill-building topics such as managing difficult conversations or working successfully in teams are also a possibility. The Ombuds is also available to speak during a faculty meeting. If you would like to schedule a session or discuss other opportunities to connect with your students and faculty, please contact Bryan Hanson at bryanh76@vt.edu.