As I attend the many end-of-year events leading up to Commencement Weekend, I am reminded of the importance of taking time to celebrate our successes and to be together as a community. The people are what make Villanova great, and the connections you have made here will last a lifetime.

From all of us in the Graduate Studies Office, I offer heartfelt congratulations and prayers for continued success to our 2022 graduates! You have persevered through unprecedented challenges, and you have enriched our community with your passion and resiliency. I am proud to now call you Villanova Alumni.

I look forward to celebrating with you on stage on Saturday!

James Ijames, associate professor of Theatre in Villanova University’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences is the 2022 Pulitzer Prize Winner in Drama. The Pulitzer Prize for Drama is given to a distinguished play by an American author, preferably original in its source and dealing with American life. A playwright, educator, director and performer, Ijames was awarded the Pulitzer for his play Fat Ham, a “loose,” according to the playwright, adaptation of Shakespeare’s Hamlet. READ MORE

Graduate history students celebrated the culmination of their semester-long public history practicum project with the opening reception of a new exhibit, Dox Thrash: Painted, Not Printed, in the Villanova University Art Gallery on Friday, April 29. The exhibit is open to the public through May 14 from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday, and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. READ MORE

Villanova University graduate psychology student Sam Sinemus took first place in the University's Three Minute Thesis (3MT) Competition in the Mullen Center for the Performing Arts earlier this year for his presentation "The Impact of Modeling Mental States on Goal-Directed Conversations." Sinemus advanced to the Northeast Regional Competition, held virtually on April 28. While the College held a virtual 3MT event the previous two years, 2022 marked the first time that the competition was open to graduate students from across the University. Twelve finalists were selected from the pool of video submissions for the live in-person event READ MORE and SEE THE VIDEOS

Graduate Student Commencement – May 14

The Master's and Doctoral Degree Commencement and Recognition Ceremony will take place at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 14 in Villanova Stadium, followed by the President’s Reception for Master’s and Doctoral Degree Graduates at 5 p.m. in various locations based on college. Events will be livestreamed for those not in attendance. Please visit the Commencement 2022 website for the most up-to-date information. Remember to share your photos on social using #NovaGrad2022!

If you are graduating in May 2022, please take a few moments to fill out the Graduate Outcomes Survey. This outcomes data is of critical importance to us in assessing how we did in our efforts to provide a robust graduate education experience.

If you are one of our campus-based graduate students in CLAS, you are permitted to take up to six credits in another discipline within the college (pending approval by your program director). Perhaps your graduate program does not offer many summer courses in the summer or you are interested in dipping your toe in another field! Many of these courses are being offered online, although some are also on-campus or in hybrid modalities. We have compiled a list of graduate courses being offered this summer that have been identified as courses that lend themselves particularly well to interdisciplinary study. Other options can be found in the master schedule. If anything seems interesting, be sure to consult with your program director for advising prior to registering. View interdisciplinary courses.

This May and June, Mike Westrate, PhD, Assistant Vice Provost for Graduate Education and Research, is holding two "boot camp" workshops for students interested in applying for fellowships and grants to support their research as well as applying for doctoral programs. Please see the linked flyers for more information: Grants and Fellowships - Humanities and Social Sciences; NSF-STEM Fellowships

Graduate students in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences may apply for funds to support their summer professional development efforts. This is a pilot program for summer 2022. A limited number of awards will be made based on demonstrated need and merit. Typical awards will be in the amount of $500, but more may be requested. All requests for funding must be submitted before the professional development activity takes place, and students will be reimbursed for expenses incurred between June 1, 2022 and August 23, 2022. To apply, send an email to GSDean@villanova.edu indicating the nature of the professional development to be pursued, the contribution of the activity to the student’s graduate education, the date of the activity and the amount needed.

Handshake – The Villanova Job Resource

Handshake is Villanova’s go-to resource for jobs, internships, events, and more! This mobile career management platform intuitively connects you to relevant opportunities based on your profile, interests and search activity. Through Handshake, you can apply for positions, explore companies and connections and sign up for career fairs and workshops all in one place. Learn more.

Villanova University has joined Interstride, a job search tool for international students providing job and internship postings from employers that focus on hiring international students, as well as networking and mentorship opportunities, visa and immigration support services and more! Explore Interstride.