Love Persists: Finding Hope in Our Work That Matters

Dear CLAS Graduate Students, Faculty and Staff,

I’m going to start my monthly letter to you with an acknowledgement: It is hard out there.

It’s common for us to read and watch the news and feel frustrated and disheartened, or doomscroll on our devices and become angry or sad. I’m with you. We’re living in a moment where the world can feel heavy, marked by uncertainty and division, and where the news rarely uplifts us. It’s hard to find reason to feel hopeful, especially when we’re often stuck inside, and warmer days are but a distant dream.

And yet, as I reflect on this time of year, I’m confident that love persists, even if it’s easy to overlook.

In graduate studies here at Villanova, we often talk about our students’ potential to become thoughtful, engaged citizens who strengthen our society. That work doesn’t begin after they leave here with a master’s degree or a PhD. It’s happening now, in classrooms and labs; in research, writing and presentations; and through meaningful engagement in communities and across disciplines.

It’s here where we can choose to remain curious, not cynical, and become more engaged and invested rather than detached and defeated. Our work serves a larger purpose and that, in turn, will better shape our broader world. I’m convinced of it because I’ve seen and heard about it directly from our students and alumni.

Even in difficult moments, I hope you’ll remember that you’re part of a community that cares and one that strives to make a difference. Thank you for the generous ways you contribute to this work and show love.

Warm regards,

Emory H. Woodard IV, PhD

Dean of Graduate Studies, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Suzie Staherski '23 MA is a senior fiscal policy analyst for the City of Philadelphia’s budget office, where she develops the city’s five-year financial plan and acts as a liaison between administrative departments and City Council as part of the annual budget process. She credits her Villanova graduate program for preparing her for the demands of the position. “A lot of my classes prepared me to see politics play out daily,” Staherski said. “That’s useful when interacting with other offices, elected officials, or just engaging with policies on a wider scale.” READ MORE

Charles Withers ’19 MA, author of the forthcoming book Rooted, Restless, credits Villanova with shaping both his professional path and his enduring passion for history. As a history teacher at Haverford High School, Withers draws directly from the ideas and perspectives he encountered during his graduate studies, bringing Villanova’s influence into his classroom each day. His time at Villanova proved to be a defining chapter in his development as both an educator and a historian. The graduate history program challenged him to refine his voice as a scholar while deepening his appreciation for storytelling, elements that would later become central to his work as an author and teacher. READ MORE

Sophia Edwards '27 MS is a Graduate Student Ambassador and a member of Graduate Student Senate. In this video, she talks about how Villanova is helping her achieve her professional goals.

Graduate Student Survey: Complete It and Win Men's Basketball Tickets vs. UCONN

Please consider taking a few minutes to complete the Graduate and Law Student Survey recently announced by the Office of the Provost. This survey is an important opportunity to share your experience as a Villanova graduate student and to help shape the future of graduate education both across the University and within the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Your feedback will directly inform University- and College-level planning efforts, strengthen the graduate student experience and enhance the value of the degree or certificate you are earning. As a thank-you, CLAS graduate students who complete both parts of the survey by Wednesday, February 18, at 11:59 PM EST will be entered into a raffle to win courtside tickets to the Villanova vs. UCONN men’s basketball game on Saturday, February 21. All responses are confidential and administered by OSPIE. Take the survey here.

Villanova Theatre Presents Arcadia

In Tom Stoppard's masterpiece, time dances between 1809 and the present at the elegant Coverly estate. In one era, precocious thirteen-year-old Lady Thomasina and her tutor explore revolutionary ideas in mathematics, physics, and romance while the gardens transform from classical to Gothic. Two centuries later, competing scholars piece together a mysterious scandal involving Lord Byron from fragments of the past, unwittingly mirroring the intellectual and romantic pursuits of their predecessors. It is directed by Dr. Valerie Joyce. The play runs now though February 22. Click Here for tickets and information.  

Ignite Your Strengths for Graduate Students – February 18 at 12 p.m. on Zoom

Join Tyra Ford, Director of Professional and Personal Development, and Emily McCloskey, Director of the Grad Center, for an engaging and interactive session to help you unpack your strengths. Prior to the virtual session, you will receive instructions on how to complete the CliftonStrengths Assessment. Then, during the live Zoom session on Wednesday, February 18, you'll learn more about how to identify your talents, develop these talents into strengths, and apply these strengths in the classroom, in leadership opportunities, in your relationships and in your careers. Space is limited and that the Grad Center is purchasing the assessment for each student that registers, so please only sign up if you are absolutely certain you can complete the assessment and attend the debrief on Feb. 18.

Celebrate Grad Student Research at 3MT

The 2026 Villanova Three Minute Thesis (3MT) Competition is Friday, February 20, at 3 p.m. in the John and Joan Mullen Center for the Performing Arts. Experience firsthand the incredible talent, ambition and research capabilities of our grad students. Register here.

National First-gen Graduate & Professional Student Symposium (Virtual)

Join the Boston University Newbury Center, Duke University First-Generation Graduate Student Network and The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Carolina Grad Student F1RSTS, along with FirstGen Forward, for the ninth annual symposium for graduate and professional students on February 20, 2026 via Zoom. This national symposium is open to any student who identifies as a current first-generation graduate or professional student and is studying any discipline (defined as someone whose parents, guardians, or caregivers have not completed an advanced degree). Click here to register.

English Department Celebrates 28th Annual Literary Festival

This spring marks the 28th year of the Villanova University Literary Festival, welcoming acclaimed poets and novelists to campus to present readings and meet with students. Click here for more information.

Save the Date: 2026 CONCEPT Recognition Ceremony

Join us on Friday, April 24, from 2:30 to 4 p.m. in the Driscoll Atrium as we celebrate the launch of the 2026 issue of CONCEPT, the interdisciplinary graduate journal of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. The recognition ceremony will honor the recipient of the Graduate Research Prize for best paper and acknowledge all the student authors and editors, faculty editors and peer reviewers who made this year’s volume possible. The 2026 edition marks the 49th release of CONCEPT, which features scholarship from Villanova graduate students across the arts and sciences.

Conference Travel Support

The Office of Graduate Studies encourages graduate students in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences to apply for funding to attend conferences in which they will present research related to their graduate work. Students interested in receiving a conference travel award will compete an online form found here. On completion, the form will be sent to a faculty adviser, graduate program director and department chair for online sign-off. Once all parties have signed-off online, the form will be sent to the Office of Graduate Studies for final processing. Awards are limited! Students are encouraged to complete the form as soon as possible but no later than 30 days prior to the conference to ensure that the funding for their travel is approved prior to the conference.

Degree Works for Graduate Students

Students are encouraged to track and plan their academic progress towards degree completion with Degree Works, an online auditing tool for Villanovans that provides students with an academic roadmap that lays out their required courses, tracks their credits earned and updates their GPA status each semester. To access, search for Degree Works in myNova. For more information, including tutorials and FAQs, please visit the Degree Works information page.