A New Semester and a Shared Purpose

Dear CLAS Graduate Students, Faculty and Staff,

Although I’m certainly not the first, allow me to be the latest to wish you a very happy new year as we usher in 2026 and the start of a new spring semester in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

Welcome back! I hope the winter break provided you with plenty of time for rest and renewal, but I also hope you enjoyed cherished time with friends and family. And if you’re joining us as a new community member this year, I extend the warmest of welcomes. I think I speak for everyone at Villanova in saying that we’re so glad you’re here.

As you read through this newsletter, the first story you’ll come to is a profile about Tom Foley ’13 MA, who earned his master’s in history here in CLAS and to whom I had the pleasure of presenting the Graduate Alumni Medallion last October.

You can read about his work in public policy and with current undergraduate and graduate students across the Commonwealth by clicking the link below, but I’m calling your attention to Tom’s story because of something he recently said: “There is so much brain power in higher education and there is such profound value in the liberal arts, particularly today. Despite the advent of new technologies, it is critical thinking—developed and fostered in places like Falvey Library—that helps us make sense of the world.”

I want to echo Tom’s words, but I also hope they inspire you because it’s quite true: the work you’re doing in your programs and beyond contributes not only to the mission of the University, but to the greater good in our world. It’s work that equips us not only for professional success but for meaningful and engaged citizenship and leadership, something we certainly need today.

Your scholarship is valuable, now and in the future, because it is teaching us how to think deeply, critically and ethically in moments that are complex and challenging. What you’re doing will truly make a difference. Please don’t forget that.

I wish you all the best this semester and I look forward to seeing what we can accomplish together.

Warm regards,

Emory H. Woodard IV, PhD

Dean of Graduate Studies, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Tom Foley ’13 MA, who was awarded the 2025 Graduate Alumni Medallion from the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, draws upon his Villanova experience to open doors for future leaders. For Foley, executive director of the Pennsylvania Office of Fellowship Strategy and Initiatives, the path to public service didn’t begin with a campaign or a policy memo, but with the big questions asked in classrooms at Villanova University while he was pursuing a graduate degree in history. Those questions, and the perspective gained from their answers, have followed Foley into a life of public leadership and he still draws upon them today. READ MORE

In November, Alexis Atwood '26 MA, Nikki Amoachi '26 MS, Blake Perry '26 PhD and Livia Graham '26 MS were among 32 CLAS graduate students who shared their research with the Villanova community during the annual Graduate Research Symposium. They recently took time to speak with Office of Graduate Studies graduate assistant Ashon Calhoun '27 MA about their experiences for a special video. Watch the video below.

3MT Information Session (Virtual)

Villanova is hosting its annual 3MT competition on Friday, February 20. Click here to register and receive a Zoom link for an information session taking place on Thursday, January 15, at noon. 

Graduate-Undergraduate History Student Forum

This event is a opportunity for History students of all levels to share more about their research and past internship experiences while learning about the 2026 Albert Lepage Center for History in the Public Interest internship application. The forum is scheduled for Wednesday, January 21, from 6 to 7 p.m. in SAC 403.

CONCEPT Call for Papers and Peer Reviewers

CONCEPT, our graduate research journal, is now accepting article submissions and seeking peer reviewers for its 2026 issue. Submissions should be based on research conducted as part of graduate work at Villanova, and authors may submit one article for consideration. The author of the best article will receive the Graduate Student Research Prize. The submission deadline is Sunday, February 1, 2026. Authors should register on the CONCEPT website and follow the posted submission guidelines.

CONCEPT is also inviting graduate students to volunteer as peer reviewers, contributing to the selection of essays for publication. The review process will begin shortly after the submission deadline. Interested students should review the peer reviewer job description on the CONCEPT website and contact the faculty managing editor, Dr. John Kurtz, to volunteer.

Roadmaps for Life Transitions
Join this five-week course designed to help you clarify your personal values and make life choices that align more closely with what matters most to you. Participants will explore strategies for building and strengthening positive relationships at school, work and in their personal lives, while also gaining tools to navigate transitions and challenges with greater confidence. This course is especially helpful for students adjusting to new academic demands, a new school or location, or preparing for what comes next after graduation.

The course is facilitated by Julia Stein from the University Counseling Center and meets on Tuesday afternoons from 4:30 to 6 p.m. on January 27 and February 3, 10, 17 and 24. Email julia.stein@villanova.edu or click here, scroll down to the information about support groups, click the “Therapy Group Interest Form” and ask for info about Roadmaps.

Apply for a Summer Research Fellowship
Graduate students in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences may apply for a summer stipend to support their scholarly efforts. Awards are made on a competitive basis in the amount of $4,000 for master's students and $5,000 for doctoral students for work in June, July and August. (Note: Biology and Chemistry students qualify for a $1,000 research prize). A completed application on InfoReady must be submitted no later than February 1. For more information and to apply, click here.

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 should complete the online form found here.

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.