Category: Uncategorized

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Letter of Completion Request Now in HokieSpa

The Letter of Completion Request has now moved from a paper-based form to an online system in HokieSpa. Any current graduate student or alumni with an awarded graduate degree from Virginia Tech can login to HokieSpa and under their Degree Menu request the Letter of Completion.

A Letter of Completion will only be available for an awarded degree, not one that is pending for the current term or being pursued (no change from the paper form). The student will be able to select from a list of awarded degrees if they have earned more than one graduate degree from VT (MS & PhD or MS and Certificate, etc). The system will generate the Letter of Completion in the browser window as well as give them the option to display a PDF for printing or saving to the user’s desktop. This new online request system for the Letter of Completion allows a student to make the request at any time of day and have an immediate letter without having to submit a form and wait for processing in the Graduate School.

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Spring 2012 Graduate Student Orientation

The Graduate School invites new graduate students to a pizza lunch (12:00-1:00pm, GLC Multipurpose Room) and short orientation program (1:30-3:00pm, GLC Room F). The lunch and orientation provide opportunities for new students to learn more about the Graduate School and the Graduate Life Center, hear from leaders of the Graduate Honor System and the Graduate Student Assembly, and meet current graduate students.

The orientation program will conclude with a special edition of the GLC Cafe in the Reading Room. Stop by for some free coffee, tea and cookies.

For an online orientation, browse the New Student Guide.

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Call for Nominations for Graduate Student Awards

The Graduate School invites nominations for the following student awards:

  • Outstanding Dissertation– two awards, one in math/science/engineering and one in social sciences/business/humanities, $1000
  • Graduate Student Teaching Excellence- $1000
  • Graduate Student Service Excellence– $1000
  • Graduate Man and Woman of the Year– $500
  • Outstanding Interdisciplinary Program Student– $500
  • Outstanding Graduate Student– one master’s and one doctoral student selected per college, $500

Winners will be recognized during the Graduate Education Week awards banquet on March 29 as well as receive a plaque/certificate and monetary award. More information about criteria, forms, and process for nomination can be found on our web page.

The deadline for the first five awards listed above is February 3, 2012 at 5 pm, while notifications to the Graduate School about each college’s selection of the outstanding master’s and doctoral students are due by  February 17 at 5 pm.

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Preview Weekend Call for Nominations

Graduate Preview Weekend
The Graduate School hosts a Preview Weekend each year in February. This recruitment event is aimed at increasing the number of talented and diverse domestic students in graduate education at Virginia Tech. Faculty are asked to nominate students for this event.

The primary objectives of Preview Weekend are to:

  • Familiarize prospective graduate students with Virginia Tech graduate programs, the campus, the Blacksburg community, and resources for student support and financial support.
  • Provide prospective students the opportunity to interact with Virginia Tech faculty, administrators, and graduate students.
  • Provide information to help prospective students make an informed decision about graduate education at Virginia Tech.

View the event schedule.

Eligible participants must be U.S. Citizens or permanent residents residing in the U.S. who have applied for admission and have been accepted to Virginia Tech.

Student must be from an underrepresented population.

The Graduate School will provide housing, food, and funds to support students’ travel. If a student is chosen, the host department is expected to work in collaboration with the Graduate School to provide a high quality programs including opportunities to meet with faculty and students in the department.

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New short course in Spring, GRAD 5984, Communicating Science

Spring short course in Communicating Science

For graduate students in science and technology fields


GRAD 5984: Special Study: Communicating Science

CRN: 18756, 1 cr

Tuesday evenings, 6 pm – 9 pm, 3/13/12 – 4/24/12 

This participatory course will be taught by Professor Patricia Raun (praun@vt.edu), and was inspired by her work with the Center for Communicating Science Institute at Stony Brook University (www.centerforcommunicatingscience.org/) and the belief that "scientists have a responsibility to share the meaning and implications of their work, and that an engaged public encourages sound public decision-making. In addition, the ability to communicate directly and vividly can enhance scientists’ career prospects, helping them secure funding, collaborate across disciplines, compete for positions, and serve as effective teachers."

The course is intended to promote understanding of science by training the next generation of scientists, engineers, and health professionals to communicate effectively about their work in a variety of contexts. Participation in the course will lessen the discomfort of spontaneous interaction. Areas of emphasis will include imagination, relaxation, observation, and concentration through improvisation. Some attention will be focused on the tools required for distilling one’s message in writing. A greater awareness of the everyday tools of human interaction (voice and body) will be gained through handouts, discussions, exercises, and improvisation. The students will develop their communicative abilities through careful observation, active class contribution, and committed participation. One of the benefits of this study is a deeper understanding of what it means to be fully expressive.

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Graduate Diversity Scholars Program

The Office of Graduate Recruitment and Diversity Initiatives welcomes nominations for its Diversity Scholars Program

The Diversity Scholars Program encourages scholarship and faculty-student mentorship through diversity initiatives. Click here to learn more about becoming a Diversity Scholar and here to (self)nominate a Diversity Scholar.

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Call for Nominations for Graduate Student Awards

The Graduate School would like to encourage nominations for the following student awards:

 
  • Outstanding Dissertation– two awards, one in math/science/engineering and one in social sciences/business/humanities, $1000
  • Graduate Student Teaching Excellence- $1000
  • Graduate Student Service Excellence– $1000
  • Graduate Man and Woman of the Year– $500
  • Outstanding Interdisciplinary Program Student– $500
  • Outstanding Graduate Student– one master’s and one doctoral student per      college, $500
 
 All students will be recognized during the Graduate Education Week banquet in March as well as receive a plaque/certificate and monetary award. More information about criteria, forms, and process for nomination can be found on our web page at:
 
 

The deadline for the first five awards listed above is February 3, 2012 at 5 pm while the last one is due by February 17 at 5 pm.

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ETD Speaker Series: Graduate School Review of your ETD (11/9/11)

On November 9th @ 7:00 Graduate School staff will discuss items we check while reviewing your submitted ETD and the timeline of the submission process . ..

Room 351, Northern Virginia Center
Room F, Graduate Life Center

Virtual Graduate Life Center(online)
virtual.glc.vt.edu

** We are implementing a new viewing option for the ETD speaker series. We will be using the Virtual Graduate Life Center (vGLC), an environment where you can create an account and attend various events held at the Blacksburg campus from anywhere in the world that you have internet access. This is the first time we will be implementing this viewing option so we ask that you please take the time now to review the links below on downloading the appropriate software and how to create an account then log into the vGLC.

virtual.glc.vt.edu

You must request an account no later than noon on Monday,  November 7th in order to ensure your account is approved and your computer is set up to view the streaming program. A sample video will be playing in the vGLC to ensure you have all the settings and preferences correctly selected prior to the event. vGLC users should "arrive" no later than 6:45 the night of the event to ensure all settings are correct to view the event before it begins at 7pm. Questions regarding the vGLC should be directed to openlife@vt.edu.

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New GRAD courses for Spring

GRAD 5404, Research in International Contexts
Framework and context in which international research is conducted. International aspects of intellectual property and copyright law, trade law, export control, research ethics, research funding, protection of human and animal subjects. Cultural dimensions of collaboration including work requirements, varying systems of higher education and research, and work-life expectations. Logistics for research abroad.  Core course for the new Graduate Certificate in International Research Abroad. 3 cr, Tues 4-6:50, GLC.

GRAD 5984, From Memex to YouTube: Cognition, Learning, and the Internet
Explores how globally networked interactive computing can augment human intellect and thus address the primary mission of education. 3 cr, Tues & Thurs 9:30-10:45, GLC