April 1, 2024 D.C. Area Weekly Newsletter for Virginia Tech Graduate Students

April 1, 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. GRADUATE HONOR SYSTEM PANELIST TRAINING

Tuesday, April 2, 1-2 p.m., Virtual

The Graduate Honor System relies on trained faculty and graduate students to hear academic integrity violation cases. It takes a one-hour training to become a panelist, after which you can serve on preliminary review and review panels. Become a panelist to help review cases, actively contribute to the ongoing conversation about standards of academic integrity, and build your analytical and communication skills and resume! Register for the zoom meeting at https://virginiatech.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZcqduihqj8rGtAAD8sTkCIZJiAubu9sVjGR.

2. A WELL-ROUNDED ENGINEER: WRITING CODE IS ONLY PART OF WHAT MAKES ONE SUCCESSFUL

Tuesday, April 2, 1:30 p.m., Virtual
In this seminar, Omer Baror, senior director of engineering and head of planning at Waymo. will provide career advice, tips for expanding our network, insights on selecting our future professional paths, guidance on what skills to acquire and how to learn them, strategies for job hunting after graduation, tips for optimal performance from day one of joining the industry, discussions on impactful project topics, insights into the future of technology, and other helpful topics. Baror also was a founding member of Google Assistant. Register here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1G2sGBsh2ERiKaKL-46owePRHiQDHKUx8qFdPprYszj0/edit

3. WELLNESS WEDNESDAY

Wednesday, April 3, 1-2 p.m., Northern Virginia Center room 200

The Graduate School and Cook Counseling Center will hold a Wellness Wednesday event for students in the Washington, D.C. metro area. This program will focus on transitions from graduate school to the job search and to starting a new job, and also will focus on self-care during these transitions.  Join us for this event, and for pizza and drinks for graduate students.

4. D.C. AREA GRAD FAIR

Wednesday and Thursday, April 3, 4, and 5, Northern Virginia Center, Falls Church

Join the Graduate School at the Northern Virginia Center for a mini-Grad Fair featuring the HokieShop, workshops with the Cook Counseling Center, the Cranwell International Center, and the Office of Career and Professional Development, opportunities to get a professional headshot and more Check the calendar for all event details: https://dcarea.vt.edu/events.html

5. COMMUNITY CHANGE COLLABORATIVE PRESENTS: ON URBAN HERITAGE PLANNING IN TEHRAN AND BEYOND

Friday, April 5, 11 a.m., Zoom

In urban heritage planning, often a discrepancy exists between formal policies and the actual unfolding of projects, shaped by the realpolitiks that rule planning environments. Dr. Yadollahi examines the informal aspects of heritage planning in Tehran and beyond through a diagnostic lens. She primarily targets civil society, professionals, and academics involved in heritage planning within the studied contexts. While they lack the power to reshape the fundamental functions of the state, economy, and society, they recognize the importance of avoiding despair. The project’s modest contribution to their struggle is to underscore the crucial role of these actors as truth-tellers rather than enablers within dysfunctional planning systems and their associated rhetoric.

Register here: https://forms.office.com/r/yAkN03REhW

6. FINDING YOUR SUPERPOWERS!

Friday, April 5, 2-3:30 p.m., Virginia Tech Research Center-Arlington, Foggy Bottom classroom, and Virtual

You don’t hear this enough: you’re amazing. This workshop will be a fantastic opportunity to focus on what’s right with you – the things that don’t need to be fixed, or what you might consider your superpowers. Learn more about what your Top 5 Gallup Clifton Strengths mean individually and collectively for you and the people around you. Identify how your Strengths can and do show up in the decisions you make, in the interactions you have with others, and in other situations big and small. Plan how you can use your Strengths more intentionally for success and fulfillment both personally and professionally. Participants must complete the Gallup Clifton Strengths Assessment before the workshop.
Registration is required. Registration link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSenGY6xRRkXHT-4hJ2n6COybRCfeViitEz3xYmCeuplBQOWAw/viewform

7. NAVIGATING THE US JOB MARKET AS AN INTERNATIONAL STUDENT

Saturday, April 6, 3-4 p.m., Virtual

The Dr. Ambedkar International Mission at Virginia Tech (AIM at VT), a registered student group, is organizing a talk on “Navigating the US Job Market as an International Student”. The goal of the talk is to provide an overview of job search process as an international student and answer any questions job seeking students might have. Register for the talk here: https://virginiatech.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYkdu-ppzopHNQanqnw2NnRPXYB7o2XMI-b.

Please contact raghavg@vt.edu if you have any questions regarding the event.

Administrative Announcements

8. CHANGES TO STUDENT MEDICAL INSURANCE BILLING PROCESS

Additional information will be shared with domestic, international, and graduate student populations prior to the beginning of open enrollment. For more information: https://news.vt.edu/notices/smi-billingchanges.html?utm_source=cmpgn_news&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=vtUnirelNewsDailyCMP_march1324-fs or you can view FAQs which detail the impacts for students here: https://risk.vt.edu/smi/bursarbilling.html. For additional questions, please contact smi@vt.edu.

9. U-PASS SURVEY FOR FALL AND SPRING 2024 PARTICIPANTS

Virginia Tech Sustainable Transportation would appreciate your feedback in our U-Pass Program survey. This survey is only for students who were eligible for U-Pass at some point this academic year. The survey addresses satisfaction, usage, and communication surrounding the program and Virginia Tech’s launch of it. It should only take about 5 minutes to complete.
All responses will remain confidential and secure. Thank you in advance for your valuable insights. Your input will be used to ensure that we continue to meet your needs. We appreciate your trust and look forward to serving you in the future. Contact nquint@vt.edu with any questions.
Please use the link to complete the survey: https://virginiatech.questionpro.com/U-Pass

10. TIMELY CARE AVAILABLE FOR STUDENTS

In addition to Cook Counseling Center resources for D.C. metro area graduate students, there are also Timely Care resources that are available to all graduate students, staff, and faculty in the region. Timely Care is a free Virtual Health Service for all Graduate Students at Virginia Tech: https://app.timelycare.com/auth/login

With Timely Care, students (and staff and faculty) can download the app, and can get free, 24/7 virtual health and well-being support from a variety of providers. Timely Care resources include 12 scheduled counseling sessions, unlimited Talk Now urgent counseling sessions, and unlimited Health Coaching sessions. Translators in many different languages are also available for these services. For any questions, please contact Julie Kaplan at jskaplan@vt.edu.

11. APPLY FOR THE PUBLIC AND VISUAL ARTS COUNCIL

Deadline: April 15

Graduate students can apply to serve on the Public and Visual Arts Council, whose work helps to uplift the university as a global destination for creativity and the arts. This is a volunteer position and terms are for one year beginning July 1, with the option to renew. To be considered as a graduate student representative, please apply by Monday, April 15. Apply here: https://www.vt.edu/about/arts/public-art/policy.html

12. GRADUATE STUDENT SPEAKERS NEEDED FOR MAY 8 SPRING COMMENCEMENT IN BLACKSBURG

Deadline: April 5

The Graduate School is seeking 1-2 graduate student speakers for the Spring 2024 Graduate Commencement Ceremony on Wednesday, May 8, 10:00am, at Cassell Coliseum in Blacksburg, Virginia. The speeches are modeled after the talks at the Center for Communicating Science’s Nutshell Games, with individual speeches lasting about 90 seconds. Student speakers share a brief experience of their own that depicts graduate student life as they experience(d) it. Students at all campuses may apply; speakers must give their speech in-person in Blacksburg at commencement on May 8. If you are interested in being considered for this role, please complete this form by Friday, April 5, 2024: https://forms.office.com/r/ubkxADz2AK

13. IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT GOOGLE SHARED DRIVES

As part of the university’s changes to Google services, Google Shared Drives that have not been claimed by a department — including those managed solely by students — will be deleted starting April 3. It is highly recommended that you download a copy of any files/folders you wish to keep from your Shared Drives. If you are a member of a Shared Drive that a university department needs to maintain, please contact the faculty or staff member most-closely connected to the contents of the drive to discuss how that drive should be managed. For more information, visit https://it.vt.edu/shared-drives.

14. STUDENT ADVISING APPOINTMENTS WITH D.C. GRADUATE SCHOOL TEAM VIA NAVIGATE

The Graduate Admissions and Advancement team has transitioned its advising appointment scheduling for graduate students to Navigate for students in the D.C. Metro Area. The Graduate School staff can be reached for In Person and Virtual Appointments to discuss various topics under admissions and academic progress. Students should use our webpage to access the link to schedule appointments directly and select Northern Virginia for an advising appointment and select the service needed. Visit this site to schedule an appointment via Navigate: https://www.nvc.vt.edu/Current-Students/gsso.html.

Job Opportunities

          No job postings at this time.

Funding Opportunities

All external funding opportunities that we are aware of can be found here: https://graduateschool.vt.edu/funding/scholarships-and-fellowships.html

15. National Institute of Justice Graduate Research Fellowship Program Accepting Applications

Deadlines: April 10 and 17

NIJ’s Graduate Research Fellowship (GRF) program supports doctoral research with relevance to criminal or juvenile justice in the United States. This includes criminology, forensic science, technology for law enforcement, and more. Applications from all science and engineering fields are welcome.

Students must be enrolled full time in a Ph.D. program in a science or engineering field and propose dissertation research relevant to improving criminal or juvenile justice practice or policy in the United States. Applications are submitted by the university, which must be an accredited academic institution in the United States or its territories. The fellowship provides up to three years of support within a five-year period and includes:

• $41,000/year student salary
• $16,000/year cost of education allowance
• $3,000/year research expenses

To learn more and see profiles of past and present GRF fellows, visit https://nij.ojp.gov/funding/fellowships/graduate-research-fellowship-program.

The grants.gov deadline is April 10 and the JustGrants deadline is April 17, 2024.

16. SUMMER CUNNINGHAM FELLOWSHIPS AVAILABLE

Deadline: May 1.

In combination with the Cunningham Doctoral Scholarship and the Graduate School Annual Fund, we are delighted to announce the availability of summer fellowships in the amount of $7,500 each. This supplement will be awarded as a lump sum fellowship (see note below) at the beginning of the summer. This is a one-time award, cannot be renewed, and is awarded without the expectation of any additional work on your part. Awardees must be current Ph.D. students who are working on their dissertations during the summer months. This award cannot be combined with other Virginia Tech funding sources. Priority will be given to those toward the end of their program. Financial need will be considered as a secondary factor.

Applications will be accepted until May 1. Awards will be announced soon thereafter. For more information and to apply, use this form: https://forms.gle/6vYKM9AHizoAgKeN8

NOTE: Fellowships are not considered employment. No taxes are withheld and you will not receive a W2 form at the end of the year. Fellowships will show on your 1098-T from the university and may have to be reported to the IRS on your 1040 form. However, different tax rules apply to international students. For them, the university is required to collect taxes on the fellowship and to report those amounts at year-end to the IRS on form 1042S. For more information, see IRS Publication 970: Tax Benefits for Education.

17. DOE OFFICE OF SCIENCE GRADUATE RESEARCH AWARDS

Deadline: May 1.

The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Science is accepting applications for the 2024 solicitation 1 cycle for its Graduate Student Research (SCGSR) program. Applications are due on Wednesday, May 1, at 5 p.m. ET.

The award program is open to current Ph.D. students in qualified graduate programs at accredited U.S. academic institutions, who are conducting their graduate research in targeted areas of importance to the DOE’s Office of Science.
https://graduateschool.vt.edu/funding/scholarships-and-fellowships/dept-of-energy-office-of-science-research-grant.html.

The SCGSR program provides supplemental awards to U.S. graduate students to conduct part of their graduate thesis research at a DOE national laboratory or facility in collaboration with a DOE laboratory scientist. The goal of the program is to prepare graduate students for scientific and technical careers critically important to the mission of DOE’s Office of Science. Supplemental awards are intended to cover incremental costs associated with living and travel expenses during the award period.

An application assistance workshop on Zoom is available to assist students on Saturday, April 20, 2-4:30 p.m. The workshop will guide attendees through the application process, answer general questions, provide guidance on proposal writing, and feature discussions with scientists and former awardees; register here: https://www.zoomgov.com/meeting/register/vJIscu6rqT4oGzObcYFT24tieAsFM-vAHqg#/registration

More information on the SCGSR program can be found at by visiting the SCGSR program website: https://science.osti.gov/wdts/scgsr. You’ll also find information on this webpage: https://graduateschool.vt.edu/funding/scholarships-and-fellowships/dept-of-energy-office-of-science-research-grant.html

Upcoming Events

18: SAVE THE DATE: ASIAN CARNIVAL

Tuesday, April 16 1-2 p.m., Virginia Tech Research Center-Arlington

The Asian Affinity Group will host an Asian Carnival to bring cultural awareness about five observances unique to the continent of Asia: Bengali New Year, Eid al-Fitr, Lunar New Year, Prayer to the God of Knowledge, and Persian New Year. The Asian Carnival will feature graduate student speakers discussing the cultural significance of each celebration, as well as an international food tasting. All are invited to attend!
For more information, contact Chontrese Hayes at chontresehayes@vt.edu.

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19. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT: INTRODUCTION TO CRUCIAL CONVERSATIONS

Friday, April 19, 2-4 p.m., Virtual (Zoom)

Learn how to use some of the principles of Crucial Conversations’ Model for Mastering Dialogue to embrace difficult situations in ways that strengthen relationships and improve results. In addition, we will begin to explore how an understanding of our Clifton Strengths can help us gain a common language that allows us to express how we work, what we value, and where we excel. Using this common language, we can also begin to appreciate our and our team members’ unique contributions to the team. With a new understanding of the benefits of constructive conflict, we will discuss ways to continue building on the knowledge and skills presented during this training because we understand that no single learning event can accomplish everything, and development is a journey. Register here: https://virginiatech.zoom.us/j/3528292709?omn=81523720795#success

Volunteers and research participants sought

20. PARTICIPANTS NEEDED FOR A STUDY OF SONS OF SINGLE MOTHERS STUDY

The Relationship Experiences Strengths and Strains (REST) Lab is recruiting men who were raised by single mothers to participate in 1.5-2 hour interviews about their lived experiences, definitions of masculinity, and how personal experiences shaped masculine identities.

Participants must identify as a man who was raised by a single mother without a residential father figure (biological, step, adoptive, etc.) and be willing to complete a 1.5-2 hour long qualitative interview. Compensation, if applicable, will be a $25 Amazon gift card. More details and application information can be found here: https://virginiatech.questionpro.com/t/AVVVtZ1Yr4

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: The affinity groups are:

Asian Affinity Group
Black Affinity Group
First-Generation Affinity Group
GRAD Parents Affinity Group
Latinx Affinity Group
Veterans Affinity Group
Women in TECH Affinity Group

Join an affinity group here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdW61FGWCbuhwUhsSF2NK0rqtjSxzqz_eTFhhpJf8W74ykaKA/viewform. For more information, contact Dr. Hayes at chontresehayes@vt.edu

• NORTHERN VIRGINIA RESOURCE CENTER LIBRARY: Monday-Thursday, 10 a.m.-9:30 p.m.; Friday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.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

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