IN THIS BULLETIN:
Meetings/Workshops/Events:
1. NEW GRADUATE STUDENT ORIENTATION
Administrative Announcements:
2. GTA WORKSHOP REGISTRATION REMINDER
3. INTERNATIONAL STUDENT EMPLOYMENT DURING BREAK
4. NOMINATIONS OPEN FOR GRADUATE STUDENT AWARDS
5. OUTSTANDING MENTOR AWARD NOMINATIONS
6. NEW INTERNATIONAL STUDENT IMMIGRATION CHECK-IN
7. FALL 2018 COMMENCEMENT CEREMONY BULLETIN WILL BE ONLINE
Deadlines/Dates to Remember:
JAN 4: Fall 2018 ETD submission deadline
Meetings/Workshops/Events:
1. NEW GRADUATE STUDENT ORIENTATION
Friday, Jan 18, 2:00pm, GLC Multipurpose Room
The Graduate School offers an online student guide for new students (see https://graduateschool.vt.edu/admissions/getting-started-as-a-student.html), as well as a variety of events and activities to welcome students and aid their transition to graduate school. See https://graduateschool.vt.edu/admissions/orientation.html for details and feel free to refer new students to these resources.
Administrative Announcements:
2. GTA WORKSHOP REGISTRATION REMINDER
Dr. Kevin Edgar, Director of GTA Workshop, is reminding everyone of registration for Spring 2019 GTA Workshop is due by January 12, 2019. If you have questions please feel free to contact Barbara McPherson at mcpherso@vt.edu or call 231-9563.
3. INTERNATIONAL STUDENT EMPLOYMENT DURING BREAK
International students may work on-campus full-time during Winter break. For payroll purposes. For payroll purposes the Winter break begins Saturday, December 15, at midnight (12:01 am) and ends Friday January 19, at 11:59 pm. Students on assistantships should also read the policy on accepting and reporting additional employment: https://graduateschool.vt.edu/funding/types-of-funding/assistantships.html.
4. NOMINATIONS OPEN FOR GRADUATE STUDENT AWARDS
The Graduate School invites nominations for graduate student awards. Faculty and/or academic departments and programs may submit nominations for the following awards:
– Outstanding Dissertation Award
– William Preston Society Master’s Thesis Award
– Graduate Student Teaching Excellence
– Graduate Student Service Excellence
– Graduate Student of the Year
– Outstanding Interdisciplinary Program Doctoral Student.
To learn about nomination criteria and procedures, which have changed this year, visit https://graduateschool.vt.edu/about/awards/student.html. Nominations are due by Feb 1, 2019.
In addition to these awards, each college selects its outstanding master’s and doctoral student based on selection criteria developed by the colleges. Notification about each college’s winners are due by Feb 15, 2019. See details at https://graduateschool.vt.edu/about/awards/student/outstanding-graduate-student.html. All winners will be recognized at our annual Graduate Education Week awards banquet on Mar 28, 2019.
5. OUTSTANDING MENTOR AWARD NOMINATIONS
The Graduate School recognizes one faculty member from each college with the Outstanding Mentor award for their role in supporting, encouraging, and promoting a positive and inclusive scholarly and teaching environment, and for contributing to the professional and personal development of graduate students. Nominees must be full-time faculty members who have successfully mentored graduate students at the master’s or doctoral level. Each college sets its timeline for departments to submit nominations to the college for review and winner selection. Notification about each college’s winners are due by Feb 15, 2019. For more details visit: https://graduateschool.vt.edu/about/awards/outstanding-mentor-award.html.
6. NEW INTERNATIONAL STUDENT IMMIGRATION CHECK-IN
New international students are required to complete an online immigration check-in process after they arrive in the U.S. and secure permanent housing in Blacksburg. Read about the process at https://graduateschool.vt.edu/student-life/immigration-services/new-student-guide/mandatory-check-in.html. Students do not have to report in person to International Graduate Student Services, and the check-in process does not have to be completed before students can start working on campus, unless the student is transferring from another U.S. university.
7. FALL 2018 COMMENCEMENT CEREMONY BULLETIN WILL BE ONLINE
The fall 2018 bulletin of graduating student names will be available online rather than provided as a print copy at the commencement ceremony. The bulletin pdf file will be posted by Friday, Dec 14 at https://graduateschool.vt.edu/graduates.