As you sit for final examinations, prepare for presentations and put the finishing touches on end-of-term papers, please know that I am incredibly proud of you for your resilience, spirit and compassion for your fellow students (and professors!) this semester. While this year has certainly had its challenges so far, you have risen to the occasion as evidenced by the exceptional work exhibited at events such as our research symposium, and the wonderful graduate community you have fostered through our wellness initiatives and other meaningful interactions in class and on campus. Thank you for your essential contributions to our University.

Soon chestnuts will roast, sleigh bells will ring and many of us will revel in this most wonderful time of the year. Let us enjoy the season but not let our hearts get drowsy in the revelry. As we celebrate, let us continue to think of ways that we can give of ourselves to create a more just world. That would be the greatest gift we can give.

In this issue of GRAD CLAS NOTES, we offer a number of opportunities to share your work with a broader audience. Please start thinking about which paper, project or research idea would fit into one (or all!) of these fantastic opportunities to enhance your graduate student experience and build your resume. While many of these programs have cash prizes or funding attached, sharing your work is a gift we all can enjoy.

Good luck with finals, congratulations on a successful fall semester, and best wishes for a restful and rejuvenating winter break! On behalf of the Office of Graduate Studies, I wish you the happiest of holidays!

The digital edition of Villanova Magazine is now available online. The current issue's cover story features a sampling of the wide variety of courses across colleges and disciplines that inspire Villanova students to think critically and creatively, including a course on 21st-century American apocalypse fiction by English professor Heather Hicks, PhD. Other articles with a Grad CLAS hook include the University's efforts to run the on-campus COVID-testing lab with the help of Biology faculty, staff and graduate students, and a number of new gifts and grants that expand research opportunities. READ MORE

An article by graduate English student Em Friedman '22 MA, was recently accepted for publication in Milton Studies. Friedman's paper, "Unsexing Eden," is about the subjective difference between Eve and Adam in John Milton’s Paradise Lost. Friedman cites Professor Lauren Shohet, PhD, as a critical guide in the process. "After turning in my final paper, Dr. Shohet gave me generous feedback and encouraged me to continue working on it and send it to Milton Studies," Friedman says. "She has been such an incredible mentor, and I would have never known I had this in me if it were not for her help." READ MORE on the Graduate English Blog, The YAWP

Megan Povelones, PhD, assistant professor of Biology, has been named a co-principal investigator on a three-year, $509,154 National Science Foundation project that will help determine how to keep key pollinators, such as bees, healthier. The project will provide research opportunities for Villanova undergraduate and graduate students, offering them a multidisciplinary training environment and the chance to work with both Dr. Povelones and other co-principal investigators on-site at their universities. They will have the chance to conduct research directly with a parasitologist, ecologists and conservation biologists. READ MORE

Winter Break Coffee Chats with Alumni – December 15 - January 7

Students are invited to connect with alumni this Winter Break for virtual coffee chats. Students should log on to novanetwork.villanova.edu and search 14,000+ alumni of all career levels, industries and companies to learn more about next steps in your professional development.

All faculty, staff and students who will be physically on campus or taking in-person classes will be required to be tested for COVID in January. All on-campus graduate students will be tested the first two weeks of the semester (January 10 – 21) through the University's surveillance testing program. Surveillance testing will continue through the semester unless conditions warrant a change. Participation in arrival and surveillance testing is mandatory. You will receive an email with more detailed information about arrival testing in early January. See the latest COVID-related news and policies on the University's COVID-19 Campus Information page.

Graduate Research Virtual Information Session – January 14

There are a number of research and scholarship opportunities coming up for graduate students. Dean Emory Woodard will host a virtual information session to discuss all of these opportunities on Friday, January 14 at 1 p.m. This session will be an excellent opportunity for you to learn more, ask questions and connect with the Dean and other graduate students in CLAS. Please register using this form.

Three-Minute Thesis (3MT) Competition – Entries Due January 24

Three Minute Thesis (3MT) is a competition for master’s and doctoral students to develop and showcase their research communication skills. To be successful, competitors must effectively explain their research in three minutes to a non-specialist audience. This year, Villanova will be hosting its 3MT competition on Friday, February 18, 2022. Cash prizes are awarded for first and second places and for audience choice. The deadline for video entries is Monday, January 24. All students who participated in this fall's Graduate Student Research Symposium are automatically entered in the 3MT competition, but may submit new videos if they so choose. Learn more about 3MT.

Graduating this Spring? Application Deadline – January 31

If you plan to graduate in May 2022, you must apply by January 31. Please visit the Applying for Graduation page to review the graduation application requirements and procedures.

Summer Research Fellowships – Master's Student Applications Due February 1

Master's students in CLAS are encouraged to apply for a summer fellowship to support their research. For details regarding eligibility requirements, criteria, how to apply, deadline for proposals and review process, faculty evaluation of the project, and award recipients, please visit the Graduate Summer Research Fellowship page.

Publish Your Work in CONCEPT – Submissions Due February 1

CONCEPT is the interdisciplinary journal of CLAS Graduate Studies at Villanova University. Are you proud of the term paper or thesis chapter you are wrapping up? CONCEPT is looking for well-written and well-researched, not-too-technical papers of up to 25 pages. Scholars from ALL of the graduate programs in the College are invited to submit. CONCEPT seeks papers that are exemplary in their respective disciplines as well as papers that have an interdisciplinary appeal. The journal is now accepting article submissions through February 1. In addition, students are encouraged to apply to be editors and peer-reviewers. Visit the CONCEPT website to learn more.

Villanova Graduate Student Just Peace Symposium – Submissions Due February 1

The Villanova University Center for Peace and Justice Education and the Augustinian Institute announce the call for papers for the first annual Graduate Student Just Peace Symposium. This one-day workshop on March 18 is an opportunity for Villanova graduate students to present and showcase their research, providing expertise and perspectives on topics related to justice and peace. Learn more and submit your abstract.

Summer Research Fellowships – Doctoral Student Applications Due March 1

Doctoral students in CLAS are encouraged to apply for a summer fellowship to support their research. For details regarding eligibility requirements, criteria, how to apply, deadline for proposals and review process, faculty evaluation of the project, and award recipients, please visit the Graduate Summer Research Fellowship page.

The Office of Graduate Studies is excited to introduce a new Facebook group for Villanova University Graduate CLAS Students. Run by the graduate assistants in our office, this group will be a resource for all current students to interact on an informal basis, create community and even search for roommates. Use this link or search “Villanova Grad CLAS Students - 2021 – 2022” on Facebook to join. *Note – it is a private group so all incoming members will be verified by admin before being permitted to join.*