IN THIS BULLETIN:
Meetings/Workshops/Events:
1. NEW GRADUATE STUDENT ORIENTATION
2. SPRING KICK-OFF WELCOME CONNECT LUNCH
Administrative Announcements:
3. NOMINATIONS OPEN FOR GRADUATE STUDENT AWARDS
4. OUTSTANDING MENTOR AWARD NOMINATIONS
5. CERTIFICATE OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
6. MCNAIR GRADUATE ASSISTANTSHIP
7. DEAN’S DIVERSITY ASSISTANTSHIP
8. GRAD 5204: CITIZEN SCHOLAR SEMINAR (CRN 20270)
9. LITTLE HOKIES HANGOUT SEEKING APPLICANTS
10. INTERNATIONAL STUDENT EMPLOYMENT DURING BREAK
11. NEW INTERNATIONAL STUDENT IMMIGRATION CHECK-IN
Deadlines/Dates to Remember:
JAN 22: Classes begin; last day to withdraw without charges
FEB 1: Nominations for grad student awards submission due
FEB 8: Last day to submit the start-of-semester defense exception form for spring
FEB 15: Notification of college winners for Student & Mentor awards due
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.
2. SPRING KICK-OFF WELCOME CONNECT LUNCH
Monday, February 4, 12:00-1:00 PM, Graduate Life Center, Multipurpose Room
Come out and meet representatives from university offices, learn about student resources, and network with other new and returning students, faculty, and staff with lunch provided. Please register at http://bit.ly/NewStudentLunch by February 1. For accommodations related to disabilities, please contact Justin Grimes at jgrimes18@vt.edu at least 72 hours in advance of the event.
Administrative Announcements:
3. NOMINATIONS OPEN FOR GRADUATE STUDENT AWARDS – DEADLINE 2/1; DEADLINE 2/15 FOR NOTIFICATION OF COLLEGE WINNERS
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.
4. OUTSTANDING MENTOR AWARD NOMINATIONS – DEADLINE FOR NOTIFICATION 2/15
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.
5. CERTIFICATE OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Career and Professional Development and the Graduate School are excited to announce a pilot professional development certificate program beginning this month. Students can customize their experience by choosing from a variety of workshops, events and career planning tasks to attend or complete. This is a non-credit program, though students who successfully complete the program and earn a certificate can include the award in their CV or resume and will be invited to an end of the semester reception. More information can be found here: https://graduateschool.vt.edu/student-life/professional-development/professional-development-series.html
6. MCNAIR GRADUATE ASSISTANTSHIP
Applications are currently being accepted for the Ronald E. McNair Graduate Assistantship program.. For eligibility and nomination information please visit here
Nominations are due by March 11. Please contact Shernita Lee at shernita@vt.edu with questions or concerns.
7. DEAN’S DIVERSITY ASSISTANTSHIP
Applications are currently being accepted for the Dean’s Diversity Assistantship program. For eligibility and nomination information please visit here
Nominations are due by March 8. Please contact Shernita Lee at shernita@vt.edu with questions or concerns.
8. GRAD 5204: CITIZEN SCHOLAR SEMINAR (CRN 20270)
Spring 2019 Wednesdays, 10:10 AM – 12:05 PM, GLC Room B
This 3-credit hour course is an integral part of the Graduate School’s Transformative Graduate Education initiative. Will examine community engagement from perspectives of pedagogy, research, and outreach, enabling students to understand how their disciplinary expertise can be applied to advance social well-being. For more information, contact the instructors, Bill Huckle (wrhuckle@vt.edu) and/or Catherine Cotrupi (cotrupi@vt.edu)
9. LITTLE HOKIES HANGOUT SEEKING APPLICANTS
Little Hokies Hangout still has several openings for Spring 2019. If you have any students who are seeking childcare alternatives, please direct them to the webpage at https://graduateschool.vt.edu/student-life/student-services/spouses-partners-and-children/child-care/little-hokies-hangout.html .
10. INTERNATIONAL STUDENT EMPLOYMENT DURING BREAK
International students working on campus full-time during Winter break must end their employment by Friday January 19, at 11:59 pm.
11. 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.