IN THIS BULLETIN:
Meetings/Workshops/Events:
1. NCR GRADUATE STUDENT CONNECT LUNCH
Administrative Announcements:
2. NOMINATIONS OPEN FOR GRADUATE STUDENT AWARDS
3. OUTSTANDING MENTOR AWARD NOMINATIONS
4. NEW GRADUATE STUDENT ORIENTATION
5. NEW INTERNATIONAL STUDENT IMMIGRATION CHECK-IN
6. FALL 2018 COMMENCEMENT CEREMONY BULLETIN WILL BE ONLINE
7. NEW REQUIREMENT FOR STUDENTS PURSUING GRAD DEGREES AT VT
8. EDWARD BOUCHET HONOR SOCIETY NOMINATION
9. DIVERSITY SCHOLAR PROGRAM
Deadlines/Dates to Remember:
NOV 30: Web course request for Summer 2019 opens
DEC 1: Last day to notify Grad School of intent to participate in commencement
DEC 5: Classes end
DEC 6: Reading day
DEC 7: PhD/EdD – all grad requirements must be met to participate in commencement
DEC 7-13: Exams
DEC 13: Master/Doctoral last day to defend to be Fall 2018 graduate
DEC 14: Graduate School Commencement ceremony
Meetings/Workshops/Events:
1. NCR GRADUATE STUDENT CONNECT LUNCH
Tuesday, Dec 4, 12:00-1:30pm, Northern Virginia Center- Room 325.
Student group leaders, faculty mentors, and members of the community are also invited to join us for lunch. The event is free and all are welcome to attend. Please register at http://bit.ly/NCRconnectlunch by Dec 1. For accommodations related to disabilities, contact Dr. Shernita Lee at shernita@vt.edu at least 72 hours in advance of the event.
Administrative Announcements:
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. NEW GRADUATE STUDENT ORIENTATION
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. A short orientation program will take place on Friday, January 18, 2019 at 2:00pm in the GLC Multipurpose Room. See https://graduateschool.vt.edu/admissions/orientation.html for details and feel free to refer new students to these resources.
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. NEW REQUIREMENT FOR STUDENTS PURSUING GRAD DEGREES AT VT
The Commission on Graduate Studies and Policy recently approved a new requirement for students pursuing graduate degrees at Virginia Tech: an inclusion and diversity education component as part of their studies. This requirement aligns with the Graduate School’s goal of providing all students with an affirming, inclusive, and diverse education program that helps prepare them for the challenges they will meet in their post-graduation careers. Four topics must be included in the plans: the University’s Principles of Community; the impact of personal actions and words; avenues of redress and shared responsibility as active bystanders to recognize and disrupt bullying; and a process of individual introspection and reflection leading to awareness of one’s own words and language. Other topics also may be included.
Each program, department, or college may develop its own plan for meeting the requirement, and all plans must be approved by the Graduate School after submission by the unit’s Graduate Program Director or its equivalent.
For more information about the requirement, including whom to contact for assistance and questions, please visit the Graduate School’s Inclusion and Diversity Requirement webpage at: https://graduateschool.vt.edu/faculty-and-staff-resources/inclusion-diversity-requirement.html.
8. EDWARD BOUCHET HONOR SOCIETY NOMINATION
The Edward Alexander Bouchet Graduate Honor Society (Bouchet Society) recognizes outstanding scholarly achievement and promote a diversity and excellence in doctoral education and the professoriate. Find out more at https://graduateschool.vt.edu/about/diversity/bouchet-society.html. Nominations due Dec 1.
9. DIVERSITY SCHOLAR PROGRAM
Diversity scholars are graduate students who specialize in and advocate for the awareness, knowledge, and skills associated with diversity and inclusion in the Graduate School and greater community. Nominations are due by Nov 30. Find out more at https://graduateschool.vt.edu/about/diversity/diversity-scholars/how-to-apply.html