I hope everyone is enjoying a productive start to the fall semester! We in the Office of Graduate Studies are excited to have the buzz of students back on campus as well as the hum of activity as our online students make connections in their virtual classrooms. Last week, we kicked off the semester in style with the University-wide Graduate Community Welcome Picnic, which had more than 500 attendees! Thank you to everyone who attended this event filled with great food and better conversation. You can see photos from the picnic and other Grad CLAS events on our Facebook page.

In this issue of our newsletter, we continue graduate student programming with Peer Mentorship Program Kick-off Events (including online options), a Graduate Student Retreat and a DEI Welcome Dinner, among other opportunities to get involved. Also in this issue, we share a comprehensive list of services from our friends in Student Life. These services cover areas such as academic support, health and well-being, and tech support, and are designed to complement and support your academic experience. Please take a few moments to explore these services, which can help you make the most of your investment in a Villanova graduate education.

Faculty and staff in Graduate Studies, our College and across the University are here to support you in your academic journey. Please take advantage of these opportunities! Wishing you the best this semester. Go Nova!

This August, Villanova University President the Rev. Peter Donohue, OSA, PhD, announced a $7.5 million gift from an anonymous donor to establish the William and Julia Moulden Dean in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS). The gift honors the late William and Julia Moulden, a Black, Catholic couple who provided crucial support to the Villanova Augustinians in the 19th century. Much of what we know about the Mouldens is the result of the research of History master's student Angelina Lincoln ’18 CLAS, ’20 MA, whose work has evolved into the ongoing Rooted Project, which explores the relationship of Villanova to minority communities in the Main Line and the Philadelphia region. READ MORE

Over the past several months, the Villanova University Department of Public Administration worked to lay the groundwork for several initiatives and changes that launched this fall, including the hiring of a new director of the Master of Public Administration (MPA) program, the beginning of a new undergraduate major in Public Service and Administration (PSA), and the reorganization of its graduate course offerings to allow for greater flexibility and convenience for its students. READ MORE

Graduate theatre students play leading roles in all aspects of Villanova Theatre productions. This year, Villanova Theatre begins its season Sept. 22 - Oct. 2, 2022, with Men on Boats, Jacklyn Backhaus’s satire on an American odyssey – the “conquest” of the Colorado River following the Civil War. Next is House of Desires, a 17th-century romantic comedy of errors and mistaken identities by Mexican nun Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz Nov. 10-20, 2022. Feb. 16 - 26, 2023, brings Kathryn Petersen’s new play Chrysalis, in which a brilliant Swiss naturalist and her daughter grapple with science, religion and each other in a patriarchal world. Finally, Apr. 13 - Apr. 23, 2023, brings to the Topper Theatre stage Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine’s groundbreaking musical Sunday in the Park with George. READ MORE

All graduate students in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences can use their Wildcard to access the Graduate Student Lounge on the third floor of Old Falvey, Room 306. The lounge has been fully renovated and is stocked with coffee and snacks. The lounge is a great study space that is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

As we all know, graduate school can be stressful. The increased academic rigor coupled with

other life demands can be challenging. The Office of Graduate Studies is dedicated to promoting mental wellness and seeks to provide graduate students with opportunities to talk about what’s on their mind in a welcoming and supportive setting. With that goal in mind, we kickoff of our 2022-2023 Peer Mentorship Program. The program offers students pursuing any graduate program an opportunity to participate in a mentorship group. Students can participate in either an online or in-person peer mentorship group. Our in-person mentorship groups kick off with a Wellness Roundtable Dinner and Discussion from 5:30 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, September 8 at The Inn at Villanova (601 County Line Rd., Radnor, PA 19087). Our online mentorship groups kick off with a Virtual Wellness Discussion from 6 to 7 p.m. on Friday, September 9 on Zoom. PLEASE NOTE: The in-person dinner is full, but you can still sign up for the virtual kick-off discussion and in-person or online groups. To sign-up to join a peer mentorship group and register for the online kick-off event, students should complete the mentorship program form found here.

Are you excited—and maybe a little stressed—about your graduate studies this year? You’re not alone. Come and meet your Villanova peers, reflect on your hopes and fears, and develop supportive relationships at a grad-student retreat, 9 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., Saturday, September 10, in Garey Hall 10A. You will hear from current grad students, share in small groups and learn how Villanova’s Augustinian tradition invites you to “become what you are not yet.” The event is free and open to participants of any or no faith tradition. Breakfast and lunch will be provided. RSVP for the Retreat here.

Located on the second floor of the library in Room 218A, the Digital Scholarship Lab supports Villanova faculty, students and staff who are working on developing digital projects, or are interested in learning more about digital media, digital humanities, or data-intensive research and teaching. Please join library staff for its Digital Scholarship Lab Open House anytime between 10:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, September 14. Learn more about the lab.

Graduate students in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences are invited to attend the inaugural lecture, of the Villanova Law School's Heritage Series on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at 12 p.m. on Thursday, September 15 in the Laurence E. Hirsch '71 Classroom (Room 101), John F. Scarpa Hall. The inaugural lecture will feature Teresa A. Nance, PhD, Villanova Vice President of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and Chief Diversity Officer, speaking on the topic of "Identifying DEI Goals and Objectives." Learn more and register.

Please join us for a Welcome Dinner & Discussion on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in Graduate Education from 5:30 to 7 p.m. on Friday, September 16 in the O’Dea Terrace Lounge in the Talley Athletic Center. This informal roundtable discussion seeks to make connections among graduate students, encourage discussion about DEI in graduate education at Villanova, share resources, and garner feedback about student experiences at the University. Register for the DEI Welcome Dinner and Discussion here.

Are you outgoing, motivated and want to make the most of your Villanova experience? Do you want to meet fellow graduate students, speak to prospective students and share your “Why Villanova?” story? If so, apply to be a Graduate Student Ambassador! GS Ambassadors assist the Office of Graduate Studies with events and initiatives to help recruit new students and build community amount our current graduate students. Apply to be a Graduate Student Ambassador here.

The University Counseling Center is available weekdays by appointment to help students with personal and emotional concerns. With a variety of services and resources, the Counseling Center helps individuals facing emotional, academic, social and psychological issues.

In addition, Villanova has partnered with Uwill, a leading mental health platform for universities, to expand upon the services offered by the University Counseling Center. Uwill telehealth counseling provides a free, secure and convenient path to clinical services offered beyond business hours at the Counseling Center, including evenings and weekends. This service also provides a crisis help line, available 24/7/365, reachable at 833-646-1526.