Posted on by gibsonm

November 1, 2023

IN THIS BULLETIN:

Meetings, Workshops, & Events

  1. Graduate Coordinators’ Networking and Info Sessions
  2. Co-Authorship with Graduate Students: A Workshop for Faculty
  3. Graduate Programs Invited to Participate in 4th Annual NURVA Conference in November

Deadlines & Dates to Remember

  1. Graduate School Funded Fellowship Nominations-Spring 2024
  2. 2023 Bouchet Honor Society Applications Due January 16, 2024
  3. COVES Fellowship Applications

Policy Updates

Administrative Announcements  

  1. From Diversity, Inclusion, and Strategic Partnerships
  2. Cranwell Staffing Announcement

Meetings, Workshops, & Events

  1. Graduate Coordinators’ Networking and Info Sessions

Thursday, November 16, 10:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m., in person in Room B in the GLC

Friday, November 17, 11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m., virtual by Zoom

All graduate coordinators are invited to our fall information and networking session to connect with Graduate School staff and share timely updates and best practices for supporting graduate students. Light refreshments will be served at the in-person session. Please complete this short registration form to indicate your plan to attend: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdGHLyp2-Ju4vapST84vj6T6RujibgNQq8Ecqg6OYHMNCav0Q/viewform.

  1. Co-Authorship with Graduate Students: A Workshop for Faculty

When: Thursday, November 2, 2023 (9:30-11:30 a.m.) 
Where: The Inn at Virginia Tech and Skelton Conference Center, Solitude Room

Co-authorship with graduate students is important and rewarding work. We want our graduate students to learn to write and publish. We know that they need strong writing skills in order to complete their degrees and thrive in their careers. And, our own research programs may rely on our students’ successful completion of their papers, theses, and dissertations. 

At the same time, co-authorship can be time-consuming and often overwhelming. For many of us, it seems like no one really taught us how to do it well, so we act out of habit or replicate how we were taught. We also wonder if there’s a better way. 

In this workshop, we’ll discuss strategies for managing your time, giving feedback that students will actually use, and teaching co-authorship as an essential professional skill. 

All Virginia Tech instructional faculty (tenured or tenure-track, collegiate, continued appointment or continued appointment track, research, extension, clinical, instructors, adjuncts) are invited to participate. 

Applications will be accepted on a first come, first served basis. Once the workshop is full, a waitlist will be in effect to fill additional spots.

Questions? Contact Monique Dufour at msdufour@vt.edu

Registration link: https://forms.gle/izYJooEThp2igJJ48

  1. Graduate Programs Invited to Participate in 4th Annual NURVA Conference in November

The 4th Annual Network for Undergraduate Research in Virginia (NURVA) Conference is only a few weeks away! We invite graduate programs from across the Commonwealth to participate, to share information with undergraduate presenters. The conference is taking place on Saturday, November 18, 2023 on the campus of Hampden-Sydney College in Hampden-Sydney, VA. The cost is $100/table and will include lunch for up to two representatives. Graduate programs may now submit their registration and payment using the secure portal: https://secure4.hsc.edu/forms/view.php?id=149948.

 The deadline to complete registration is November 13, 2023. More information about the conference schedule will be made available soon on our website: www.nurva.org. Please email Keri Swaby (email: kswaby@vt.edu) with any questions. We hope to see you in November!

Deadlines & Dates to Remember

  1. Graduate School Funded Fellowship Nominations-Spring 2024

The Graduate School is now accepting nominations for the following two fellowships for the Spring semester:

 *David & Lillian Francis Research Fellowship- includes $12,000 stipend and in-state tuition   *Joseph Frank Hunkler Memorial Fellowship- $17,500 stipend

Requirements for these fellowships can be found on the Graduate School website, https://graduateschool.vt.edu/funding/funding-sponsored-by-the-graduate-school.html.  Nominations should be submitted by the department through the google form by Nov 15, 2023, https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScQQ9jxOnAtBwIkVqz5ukyjtdKp65aFstK0JV01g2GWIH6v_Q/viewform.

  1. 2023 Bouchet Honor Society Applications Due January 16, 2024

 BOUCHET GRADUATE HONOR SOCIETY NOMINATIONS—NOW OPEN!

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 11:59 p.m. on January 16, 2024. You may learn more here: https://graduateschool.vt.edu/diversity/bouchet-society.html. For questions from the Blacksburg campus, please reach out to Dr. Catherine Cotrupi, Interim Assistant Dean and Director for Diversity, Inclusion, and Strategic Partnerships, at Cotrupi@vt.edu. For questions from the Greater Washington D.C. Metro Area, please reach out to Dr. Chontrese Hayes, Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs and Student Success, at chontresehayes@vt.edu.

  1. COVES Fellowship Applications

Interested graduate students may apply for the Commonwealth of Virginia Engineering and Science (COVES) summer fellowship until December 1. The COVES Fellowship is a 12-week full-time summer fellowship program (May 17-August 6) operated by the Virginia Academy of Science, Engineering and Medicine (the Academy) and open to STEM graduate students. According to the Academy, the aim of the program is to strengthen ties between the scientific community and Virginia’s state government, and to encourage and train more scientists and engineers to be effective advisors for public policy and programs in the Commonwealth. During the program, fellows will receive training in science policy and science communication, spend time in legislative offices, executive agencies companies or nonprofits in the state, and will be paired with an Academy mentor and involved in briefings, meetings and the Academy’s annual summit in August. The program begins with a week-long boot camp on science policy, governance and policy making in Virginia. Thereafter, fellows spend their time with the entity with which they are matched, and also are paired with a mentor. The program includes a stipend. The Graduate School will submit five finalists for the fellowship program to the Academy, which will then choose one to represent the university in the program. To learn more about the program and to access the application materials, visit the COVES Fellowship webpage on the Graduate School website.

 Policy Updates

Administrative Announcements

  1. From Diversity, Inclusion, and Strategic Partnerships

With the departure of our colleague, Shania Clinedinst, the DISP team is understaffed and our primary focus at the moment is the HBCU/MSI Research Summit taking place November 12-14. We will attempt to respond to other requests as we are able, but please expect a delay.

  1. Cranwell Staffing Announcement

Lauren Oliver will serve as the interim Director for the Cranwell International Center. Lauren holds a master’s degree in Higher Education & Student Development from Taylor University and a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from Gordon College; she currently serves as the Associate Director of Living-Learning Programs where she has helped lead that department to become one of the top 20 living learning programs in the country (U.S. News & World Report, 2021, 2022, 2023). Lauren will serve in this role while we continue our national search for the next permanent director. The Cranwell Director search is being led by Spelman Johnson Executive Search firm. 

Vivian Yamoah current Associate Director for International Student Services will be leaving Cranwell International Center. She will be joining Georgetown University as their Associate Director, International Student Services. Her last day in the office October 31st.  

Danielle Davis has been promoted to the Associate Director for International Student Services in the Cranwell International Center. Danielle holds an MFA in Creative Writing from Southern Connecticut State University and a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication from the University of South Florida. Prior to serving as the Assistant Director for International Student Services (Blacksburg) here at Virginia Tech, she worked in international student services at Radford University and Hollins University.