Jan. 16, 2024
Welcome to the Virginia Tech Graduate School’s D.C. Area weekly newsletter for graduate students. We share events, services, administrative announcements, and job opportunities.
The newsletter is published on Mondays. When the university is closed for a holiday on Monday, the newsletter will be emailed on Tuesday.
You’ll find posts under the following headings:
· This Week’s Events and Activities
· Administrative Announcements
· Job Opportunities
· External Funding Opportunities
· Upcoming Events
· Volunteers and research participants sought
· Ongoing Services
This Week’s Events and Activities
1. LEVERAGING LINKEDIN: CRAFTING AN EFFECTIVE LINKEDIN PRESENCE
Tuesday, Jan. 16, 12-1 p.m., Virtual (Zoom)
Will run monthly, January-March, on third Tuesday, 12-1 p.m.
LinkedIn is a powerful tool to build one’s professional brand. In this session, attendees will learn about the basic components of a LinkedIn profile and how to craft an effective one that resonates with recruiters. First in a monthly series on Leveraging LinkedIn. Learn more and register here:
2. GRADUATE STUDENT GAMES MIXER
Friday, Jan. 19 3-5 p.m., Community Café, Northern Virginia Center, Falls Church
All students are welcome to come together for games and important information about student services in the DC Metro Area. Light refreshments will be provided. No registration necessary.
Administrative Announcements
3. NEW STUDENTS OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPTS
The DC Metro Area Graduate School staff encourages all new students to come to the Northern Virginia Center in Falls Church on Tuesdays and Thursdays for our Weekly Drop-in Hours to submit official transcripts as the new semester starts.
Hours are Tuesdays and Thursdays 9-11 a.m. and 3-4:30 p.m.
4. CIRTL NETWORK SPRING PROGRAMMING SCHEDULE
Virginia Tech is a member of the Center for the Integration of Research, Teaching, and Learning (CIRTL) Network, which offers a variety of programming opportunities available to graduate students and postdoctoral associates at institutions in the CIRTL Network at no cost.
This spring, the CIRTL Network schedule includes programming on a range of topics, including evidence-based teaching fundamentals, academic professional development, science communication, and teaching-as-research. Registration is open for most spring CIRTL Network programs.
You can find the full CIRTL Network spring programming schedule, including descriptions and registration information, at https://cirtl.net/events/. To learn more about CIRTL, visit the network’s website at https://www.cirtl.net/. If you have questions about CIRTL at Virginia Tech, email cirtl@vt.edu.
5. CIRTL AT VIRGINIA TECH ASSOCIATE TEACHING PROGRAM
The CIRTL at Virginia Tech Associate Teaching Program is designed for graduate students and postdoctoral associates to connect and associate with effective teaching practices.
Participants will engage in programming focused on foundational knowledge about teaching and complete a teaching philosophy activity to start building their teaching portfolios. Upon program completion, participants will receive a digital badge recognizing their achievement of program requirements.
The program is open to graduate students and postdoctoral associates regardless of teaching experience or responsibilities. Multiple options for program completion are available. To be eligible for the program, you must be a current graduate student or postdoctoral associate at Virginia Tech.
Program requirements must be completed during your time as a graduate student or postdoctoral associate at the university. For more information and the online application form, visit https://cirtl.vt.edu/teaching-program.html.
6. RESEARCH TOOLS FOR GRADUATE STUDENTS WORKSHOP SERIES
There’s a lot to learn in graduate school, and the library can help! This spring, the library will offer a series of free workshops (offered live via Zoom) to help you develop the research skills you need to succeed in graduate school. Learn about literature reviews and database searching, citation management, data management, developing your scholarly presence, and more. For registration links and detailed information about each workshop, visit guides.lib.vt.edu/gradworkshops.
7. RESEARCH SKILLS FOR GRADUATE STUDENTS ONLINE COURSE
Take your research to the next level! GRAD 5124 (Research Skills for Graduate Students) is an asynchronous, one-credit, fully-online course offered by the University Libraries in Spring 2024. Students will develop skills that will prepare them for research in graduate school and beyond. Two discipline-specific sections are offered, so students should be sure to sign up in HokieSPA for the one that relates to their subject area. Questions should be directed to Lisa Becksford at lisab5@vt.edu.
8. SPRING WRITING SESSIONS WITH THE GRADUATE SCHOOL
The Graduate School is considering hosting Writing Groups and Writing Workshops in the Spring semester and we would like your input on various aspects of the development of this program.
Please share your feedback in this short (2 minute) anonymous survey related to format, modality, time and days, and other information: https://virginiatech.questionpro.com/t/AYic7Z0xpW.
This survey will remain open until Feb. 1.
9. GRADUATE SCHOOL DC METRO AREA DROP-IN HOURS FOR SPRING SEMESTER
The Graduate School staff in the Washington, D.C. metro area will again offer graduate students in the region “Drop-In Hours” weekly on the fourth floor of the Northern Virginia Center in Falls Church.
Hours are Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9-11 a.m. and 3-4:30 p.m. No appointment needed to meet with an advisor for Drop-In hours.
Students who want to have a face-to-face session with an advisor but cannot visit the NVC during Drop-In hours can make an appointment via this link: https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule/9dfaf3a7.
10. BOUCHET GRADUATE HONOR SOCIETY APPLICATIONS Application deadline Jan. 16, 2024 at 11:59 p.m. EST
The Edward Alexander Bouchet Graduate Honor Society recognizes outstanding scholarly achievement and promotes diversity and excellence in doctoral education and the professoriate.
You may learn more here: https://graduateschool.vt.edu/diversity/bouchet-society.html
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.
11. GPSS RESEARCH DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS
Application deadline: Jan. 19, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. EST
The Graduate and Professional Student Senate is accepting applications for the senate’s Graduate Research Development Program.
Master’s students are eligible to receive $1,000 and doctoral students are eligible to receive up to $1,500. Funds may be requested for travel, lab analyses, supplies and other expenses incurred for degree-contingent research. $10,000 will be distributed.
Application materials and full instructions can be found here: https://gpss.vt.edu/programs/grdp.html. Please e-mail Aran Garnett-Deakin at acgarnet@vt.edu with any questions.
12. GPSS TRAVEL FUND ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS
Deadline: Feb. 12
Graduate students presenting research conducted at Virginia Tech are eligible to apply for the Spring 2024 Travel Fund Program. Grants may cover registration, lodging, meals, abstract fees and other costs of presenting at an in-person or virtual conference with a start date from April 1-June 30. Students from all disciplines are invited to apply, even if your conference abstract has not been officially accepted. Applications due Feb. 12 at 11:59 p.m.
Please e-mail Aran Garnett-Deakin at cgarnet@vt.edu with any questions, and visit https://gpss.vt.edu/programs/tfp.html for full details and instructions.
Job Opportunities
13. CLASSROOM AV ASSISTANT, WAGE POSITION
Application Deadline: Jan. 19
Classroom Audio Visual Services provides reliable resources and technical support to faculty and students in the general assignment academic (centrally scheduled) classrooms. Our team installs and maintains A/V equipment in general assignment classrooms and assists users with operation of A/V equipment in classrooms.
Requirements:
1. Must be reliable and timely in the performance of the work.
2. Must be organized and able to work independently.
3. Collaborates with team members to accomplish tasks.
4. Must be able to lift 50 lbs.
5. Ability to climb and work off ladders.
6. Knowledge of basic computer software and operations. Apple or Windows based systems.
7. Must qualify for the Federal Work Study program and be a full time VT student.
Contact Diego Romero, rdiego@vt.edu and cc: jmurph@vt.edu
14. OUTREACH ASSISTANT, COOK COUNSELING CENTER IN THE DC METRO AREA
Application Deadline: Feb. 1
Position Summary: The Outreach Assistant (OA) will work in collaboration with the Cook Counseling Center Embedded Counselor in the Greater Washington Area, Julie Kaplan, PhD, on outreach events for students. The Outreach Assistant will help to coordinate and support outreach events for students. The OA will help to plan, schedule, and facilitate outreach events for students. Duties will include setting up food, drinks, and materials for Outreach Events, setting up technology for Outreach events, assisting with Outreach events, and helping to clean up after these events.
The OA will be a welcoming presence during Outreach events, and will help with answering student questions and with the flow of the events. The OA will assist in obtaining feedback from students after Outreach events, including emailing students for feedback.
The OA will create flyers for outreach events, post flyers on campus, and help to publicize outreach events to students. The OA will also work on maintaining and updating Cook Counseling Center outreach projects, such as the post-it project. The OA will also help to
maintain the Serenity Space at the NVC.
Work Schedule Requirements: This position will be 5-10 hours per week through the semester.
This is an in-person position. There is no option for remote or hybrid work. The primary location for this work is the Northern Virginia Center (NVC) in Falls Church, and also at events at the Arlington campus and Alexandria campus (WAAC) several times per semester. Outreach events are generally scheduled from 12:00 pm to 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday.
Other Requirements: Excellent organizational, interpersonal, and communication skills; ability to work independently and with a team; creativity and flexibility; ability to problem-solve and handle unanticipated changes and needs; energy and enthusiasm for the job; knowledge of use of standard office equipment and computer software applications, including Microsoft Word and PowerPoint.
Compensation: This is a student wage position, and the OA will be paid $15 per hour. The hours are 5-10 per week, and vary with the outreach event schedule.
To Apply: Submit materials through this Google Form (VT login required): https://forms.gle/yH6omhXsshdzqSCi8
Interested candidates are encouraged to apply as soon as possible. Priority deadline is February 1, 2024.
15. GRADUATE ASSISTANT POSITION WITH ONEOP
Application deadline: Jan. 31
Spring/Summer graduate assistantship available to students pursuing a graduate degree in social work, marriage and family therapy, or sociology. The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences is the hiring department.
The position is for OneOp, a grant network for providers who serve military families. The GA will work closely with supervisors on all aspects of adult online education development and delivery, program evaluation, event coordination support, content review/proofreading, and other staff support areas for a federal grant.
We seek demonstrated proficiency in the following areas: social social services; clinical and family support; conducting literature reviews; social media trends; writing, editing, and proofreading. Additional sought-after skills include proficiency in Qualtrics, working knowledge of military families, online education, and project management.
This is a fully remote position with the opportunity for long-term networking and growth for the right candidate. For consideration, please email a current resume/CV and cover letter to Kalin Goble at kmgoble@vt.edu by December 22, 2023.
More information can be found at this website: https://oneop.org/
External Funding Opportunities
All external funding opportunities that we are aware of can be found here: https://graduateschool.vt.edu/funding/scholarships-and-fellowships.html
16. VIRGINIA SPACE GRANT CONSORTIUM GRADUATE RESEARCH STEM FELLOWSHIPS
Deadline: Feb. 9, 2024
The Virginia Space Grant Consortium (VSGC) is accepting applications for its Graduate Research STEM Fellowship program. A major goal of VSGC is to help produce the engineers and scientists of the future and to promote diversity in the STEM workforce.
The consortium provides fellowships of $6,000 in add-on support to graduate students to supplement and enhance basic research support.
Applicants must be U.S. citizens, be enrolled full-time in a program of study in STEM, have a specific faculty-mentored research project that has NASA or aerospace relevance, and are not graduating sooner than May 2025. For more information and to apply, visit https://vsgc.odu.edu/graduatefellowships/
Upcoming Events
17. WARM UP TO GRADUATE SCHOOL
Tuesday, Jan. 23, 4-5 p.m., Northern Virginia Center, Room 200, Falls Church
The workshop will feature a panel of continuing graduate students, staff, and alumni discussing the key differences between undergraduate and graduate school. Start your semester by enjoying snacks and warm winter beverages! Mix and mingle with new and continuing graduate students! All are welcome! New students are encouraged to attend!
18. HOKIE MBA HALF-HOUR HANG
Jan. 25, 12:30 p.m., Virtual (Zoom)
Join us for our Spring Series – Hokie MBA Half-Hour Hangs with our first event on Jan 25 at 12:30 PM EST! This is your chance to connect, swap brilliant ideas, and discover the Hokie way of navigating the business landscape. If you’re curious about the magic of networking and how it could shape your career, let’s explore it together! Register https://applyto.graduateschool.vt.edu/register/?id=abbb51d7-d4b7-4461-8b9c-105221e50ef7
19. SAVE THE DATE: COLLEGE OF WILLIAM & MARY GRADUATE RESEARCH SYMPOSIUM
Thursday, March 21, at the College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, VA.
The Arts &Sciences Graduate Center and the Charles Center for Academic Excellence at William & Mary invite doctoral and master’s degree students in Arts & Sciences disciplines from Virginia universities to present their research at an interdisciplinary symposium at the College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, March 21-22, 2024.
Graduate students interested in presenting their research in a talk or poster session must submit an abstract no later than January 15, 2024. Accepted abstracts to the Symposium may also be eligible to vie for awards recognizing excellence in scholarship. See the GHRS webpages (linked below) for details on abstract submission and registration. Questions may be directed to grs@wm.edu or Dr. Sarah Glosson (sgglos@wm.edu). Learn more here: https://www.wm.edu/as/graduate/graduate-symposium/
Volunteers and research participants sought
20. PARTICIPANTS NEEDED FOR A SURVEY FOR ASSESSING EMOTIONS IN MUSIC PIECES
The Mind Music and Machine Lab at Virginia Tech invites participants for a study (IRB# 23-1154) to assess the emotional impact of eight six-minute music pieces.
This one-hour remote study offers $10 compensation via cash or payment apps, or course credit for eligible students. Contact Ziming Fang (joannafg@vt.edu) for details. Supervised by Dr. Myounghoon Jeon (myounghoonjeon@vt.edu).
Requirements: Have none of the following impairments: Visual, Hearing, Fine motor, Intellectual.
You are eligible if your hearing/vision is not at the level requiring device correction, or if you have successful device correction that you can bring and use during the study (e.g., eyeglasses, hearing aid).
If you are interested, please fill out this form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeAKqvxYw7QMkLxI2wqI6x79T5gjuVgYo5M4fZAneMnJb8R7w/viewform?usp=sf_link.
Ongoing Services
· GRADUATE SCHOOL IN THE GREATER WASHINGTON, D.C. METRO AREA: Schedule an in-person or virtual advising appointment with a Graduate School Academic Progress and Admissions advisor at https://rb.gy/80frn or send your questions to gssoncr@vt.edu. Offices are located on the fourth floor of the Northern Virginia Center (NVC) in Falls Church. Drop-in hours are Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9-11 a.m. and 3-4:30 p.m. No appointment needed to meet with an advisor for Drop-In hours.
· CAREER ADVISING: Schedule a career advising appointment via https://career.vt.edu/job-search/Handshake.html
· COOK COUNSELING: Schedule an in-person or virtual appointment with the Northern Virginia Embedded Counselor, Julie Kaplan, Ph.D. by emailing jskaplan@vt.edu or calling 703-635-9957.
After hours support can be found by calling 540-231-6557 or visiting ucc.vt.edu/timelycare
· SERENITY SPACE: The Cook Counseling Center has created the Serenity Space at the Northern Virginia Center in Falls Church (NVC) in room 489, a peaceful, calm space for all graduate students to use, to take a break in the day, and to de-stress. All students can use this room 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday.
Please contact Julie Kaplan, Ph.D., at jskaplan@vt.edu, if you have any questions related to this space.
· CRANWELL INTERNATIONAL CENTER: Schedule an appointment by emailing international@vt.edu or calling 540-231-6527.
· GRADUATE OMBUDSPERSON: The ombudsperson provides information about institutional policies and works to help individuals effectively navigate conflicts through informal, confidential conversations.
Contact for a virtual appointment at gradombud@vt.edu or call 540-231-9573.
· AFFINITY GROUPS: Contact Assistant Dean Chontrese Hayes at chontresehayes@vt.edu for information about these student groups.
· NORTHERN VIRGINIA RESOURCE CENTER LIBRARY: Monday-Thursday, 10 a.m.-9:30 p.m.; Friday, 10a.m.-6p.m.; Saturday, 10a.m.-5p.m.; Sunday, Closed
· HOKIE ONE STOP: Online links to additional resources and services available to graduate students in the greater Washington, D.C. metro area and Northern Virginia campuses. https://dcarea.vt.edu/hokieonestop.html
· WRITING CENTER: Virginia Tech Libraries house The Writing Center, a free service for all students, faculty, and staff at the university.
The center offers real-time, face-to-face online synchronous sessions as well as online asynchronous sessions. For more information: https://lib.vt.edu/study-learn/writing-center.html
About the Newsletter and How to Submit a Post
Posts must be relevant to graduate students in the greater Washington, D.C., metro area and other Northern Virginia campuses.
Posts must include the name and contact information of the requesting organization or person; not exceed 150 words; and not include attachments, QR codes or embedded links (no fliers or photos). Submissions will be edited to fit newsletter style and formatting requirements.
Please submit post requests by 3 p.m. Friday before the Monday on which the post is to appear using this Google form: https://gs.vt.edu/weeklylistserv.
The D.C. Area Weekly newsletters are also available at:
If you are an individual with a disability and desire an accommodation, please contact the reference in the posting at least 10 business days prior to the event.
Follow us on social media:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VTGradSchoolDC
Instagram: @hokieonestopdc