What a year it has been! I am so proud of what you have been able to accomplish during your time at Villanova. This year, we have seen our students advance in national competitions such as the Three Minute Thesis and the NASPAA Simulation Competition; win prestigious fellowships, including a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship; publish papers and win scholarly awards; conduct path-breaking research; matriculate to top PhD programs; and launch new professional careers. At Commencement, we will see history in the making as our first Theology PhD students will graduate!

But, as I attend our many end-of-year events, I am reminded that your greatest accomplishments are the unique and lasting bonds that you have formed with your classmates and professors. The relationships you have nurtured here will last a lifetime, and I know that they will sustain you through whatever challenges you may face in the future.

From all of us in the Graduate Studies Office, I offer heartfelt congratulations and prayers for continued success to our 2023 graduates! Thank you for all you have done to enrich the Villanova community and advance the pursuit of knowledge in our world.

I look forward to celebrating with you at Commencement on Saturday!

On Saturday, May 20, 2023, the three inaugural graduates of the Villanova University doctoral program in Theology will gather on stage at the Master's and Doctoral Degree Commencement and Recognition Ceremony inside Villanova Stadium. University President the Rev. Peter M. Donohue, OSA, PhD, ’75 CLAS, will bestow upon them their academic hoods—a symbolic act recognizing their successful completion of the program and their transition from students to colleagues of the faculty. The Rev. Rebecca Irwin-Diehl '23 PhD, Andre Price '23 PhD and Sister Theresa Dung Trang, LHC, '23 PhD, who all entered the program in 2017, will make history as the first cohort of Theology PhD students to graduate. READ MORE

Krista Cantrell ’22 MA began her graduate studies in the summer of 2020, in the midst of a global pandemic and civil unrest. During this time of isolation and uncertainty, Villanova’s master’s program in Liberal Studies served as both an opportunity to connect with others and as a path to align her career with her personal values of equity and justice. Cantrell’s academic excellence led to her induction into the National Honor Society of the Association of Graduate Liberal Studies Programs, and, today, she works for a national nonprofit focused on changing the conversation about mental health. READ MORE

Graduate Chemistry student Eliana Uriona was the first runner-up at the Northeastern Association of Graduate Schools (NAGS) Three Minute Thesis (3MT) competition on April 28. She advances to the Council of Graduate Schools national 3MT competition in December. Uriona took First Place and the Audience Choice awards at the Villanova 3MT competition on February 24 for her presentation “Optimizing Biochar Properties for Heavy Metal Immobilization in Contaminated Soils.”

The Master's and Doctoral Degree Commencement and Recognition Ceremony will take place at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 20 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 2023 website for the most up-to-date information. Remember to share your photos on social using #NovaGrad2023!

All graduating students are strongly encouraged to fill out the Career Outcomes Survey. This information helps us to better advise current and future students. Students who complete the survey are entered into a drawing to win a diploma frame from the Villanova University Bookstore! Grad CLAS students are also able to request a “V” lapel pin as a token of appreciation for participating in the survey. Graduating graduate students can access the outcomes survey here. After completing the outcomes survey, you can request a pin here.

Graduate students in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences may apply for funds to support their summer professional development efforts. 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, 2023, and August 23, 2023. Please submit your requests through the Professional Development Support Request Form.

Are you looking for an hourly position on campus in the summer or fall? Check out the Graduate Student Funding Opportunities page for current openings for a variety of funding opportunities across campus as well as the Villanova Jobs Portal for upcoming campus positions!

In Person & Synchronous Online – Campus location: Bartley Hall Room 1001 

Students enrolled in this support program will learn how to identify and apply for multiyear and yearlong opportunities. The workshop will cover a multitude of fellowships and grants, including—but not limited to—those from the AAUW, Boren, Fulbright, Ford, Mellon and the NSF. There is no cost for the program. Registration required for all five sessions.

This interactive STEM Fellowships “Boot Camp” is offered at no cost and includes everything you need to know to get into PhD programs and win a major fellowship—awards like the National Science Foundation’s Graduate Research Fellowship, one of the largest, most lucrative and most prestigious multiyear graduate fellowships, and other major awards. Registration for all five sessions required.

The International Patristic, Medieval and Renaissance Conference is an annual academic conference at Villanova University that brings together keynote speakers and scholars from around the world. This year, the conference will be held from Friday, October 27 to Sunday, October 29, 2023, and the committee makes a special invitation to scholars to address the plenary theme: “And We Have Beheld…” The Visible Sacred in Theology, Art and Culture. The call for papers will be open beyond the plenary theme, and scholars are encouraged to propose papers and panels on all aspects of the premodern Mediterranean and European cultures of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Focusing papers on the visible sacred and related themes is encouraged, but not required. Learn more about the conference.

Villanova recognizes and supports the unique career needs of graduate student as they pursue 

new academic and career goals. With this in mind, the Career Center offers tailored advising and guidance as well as online resources that use the latest technology to network, polish your resume, job search, prepare for an interview and more. Learn more about Graduate Career Services.

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 about Handshake.