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/
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
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
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
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
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.
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
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.
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.