GRAD CLAS NOTES
April 2024
We Are Here for You

This past Saturday, we welcomed 166 prospective students and guests and 86 members of the Villanova Community for our annual Preview Day, which was held for the first time in the Finneran Pavilion. It was a wonderful event designed to showcase the graduate student experience for those deciding on their academic futures. To everyone who helped make this day a resounding success, I cannot thank you enough. The positive feedback we've received from attendees speaks volumes.

In my opening remarks, I spoke about Villanova's Augustinian values of Veritas, Unitas and Caritas, Truth, Unity and Love, which are the pillars of our educational experience. We strive to build a strong, supportive and diverse community. Our passion for the pursuit of knowledge is infused with a desire to do good. We believe that scholarship is best done in community. That community shone through on Preview Day. Along with hearing from the Graduate Studies staff and a panel of current graduate students, our guests had the opportunity to interact with faculty from their programs of interest and engage with many of our partners across the University who work to support and enrich the graduate student experience.

I encourage our current students to take advantage of these resources. As you can see in this issue of GRAD CLAS NOTES, both the Career Center and Center for Research and Fellowships (CRF) offer programming and office hours to help you take the next steps in your academic and professional journeys. Our office is hosting our final Intersectional Reflection dinner of the spring, as well as our CONCEPT Recognition Ceremony. Finally, our friends in the Grad Center have a number of events planned, including a robust Student Appreciation Week this month. The Grad Center also hosts events such as the annual Three Minute Thesis competition, at which, this year, CLAS graduate students took first and second place! You can read more about 3MT in the News section.

If there was one message I hope our prospective students took away from Preview Day, it's that we are here for you. I hope that message resonates with you.






Emory H. Woodard IV, PhD, Dean of Graduate Studies, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Graduate Studies News
Biology, Environmental Science Students Take Top Spots at Villanova Three Minute Thesis Competition
Villanova graduate Biology student Claire Jones took first place, and graduate Environmental Science student Lorina Holterhoff took second place at the University's Three Minute Thesis Competition (3MT) on March 15 in the Mullen Center for the Performing Arts. Jones, whose presentation “How do chickadees communicate about the presence and absence of food?,” was rated the highest by a panel of faculty judges, advances to the Northeastern Association of Graduate Schools regional 3MT competition on April 26. Holterhoff won second prize for “The Urbanized World: Metal Pollution in Green Stormwater Infrastructure.” READ MORE
Spanish Tragedy Project Marks Theatre–English Program Collaboration
Throughout the 23-24 academic year, Villanova University faculty Chelsea Phillips, MFA, PhD, Theatre, and Alice Dailey, PhD, English, explored Thomas Kyd’s seminal Renaissance revenge play, The Spanish Tragedy (1582) through a scholarly lens. The innovative endeavor began with a new course offering, Legacies of Revenge, which enrolled both graduate and undergraduate students, many of whom are cast in the production. The production runs April 11-21, with the last dress rehearsal on April 10 free to the Villanova community. Learn more and get tickets.

April 19-20 features an academic symposium, which seeks to foster engagement with the play as a historical and contemporary artifact and to deepen understanding of the play’s place in revenge discourses, which continue to proliferate in popular culture. Learn more about The Spanish Tragedy Symposium.
HRD Student and CRF Assistant Director Earns Fulbright Award
Kelsey Fenner, an assistant director in Villanova’s Center for Research and Fellowships (CRF) and current graduate student in the Human Resource Development (HRD) program, has been granted a Fulbright International Education Administrators (IEA) Award by the U.S. Department of State and the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board. Overseen by the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program, Fulbright IEA awards offer higher education administrators the opportunity to participate in intensive two-week seminars abroad to learn about global higher education systems. Fenner participated in the U.S.-Taiwan International Education Administrators Seminar, which focused on Taiwan's higher education system, society and culture. READ MORE
Upcoming Academic Calendar Important Dates
Campus Courses
(including Classical Studies)
HRD and Online MPA Courses

  • April 8 – Registration begins for Fall 2024 classes
  • April 28 – Spring II last day for authorized withdrawal without academic penalty (WX)
  • May 12 – Spring II last day of classes
  • May 13 – Summer I first day of classes
  • May 17-18 – Baccalaureate and Commencement
Events, Reminders and Information
Career Center Office Hours in Vasey – April 9 
Stop by to have your resume/CV reviewed, learn about the Nova Network, or ask any professional development question you have! Casey Hilferty, Associate Director, Career Management, will be available in Vasey Hall, Grad Studies Office, G14D between 1 and 4 p.m. on April 9. Visit the Career Center.

Graduate Student Networking Workshop – April 9 
Join the Career Management and Grad Center teams for an interactive networking skills workshop and event for current graduate students and recent alumni. What are the top networking skills utilized by successful professionals? How do you make a networking event fruitful with new connections? This interactive event will begin with a one-hour presentation delivered by Villanova’s Associate Director of Career Management, Casey Hilferty, who will showcase powerful networking strategies and tips that empower professionals. The second hour will be an activation of learned best practices within a networking environment of conversations with fellow Villanovans. Light refreshments will be served. This event will be held at the Villanova Career Center in Garey Hall, Suite 117 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 9. Learn more and register.

Copyright and Your Dissertation or Thesis – April 10 
This presentation will consider both sides of copyright: using copyrighted materials in your thesis or dissertation, and your (copy)rights as an author. This virtual workshop will take place on Wednesday, April 10, 12-1 p.m. This event, sponsored by Falvey Library, is part of the Publishing, Copyright and Scholarship Series. It is intended for graduate students. Learn more and register.

Elevate Your Research Game: CRF Office Hours in Vasey – April 11 
Would you like to discuss research opportunities? Have a project in mind but don’t know where to begin? Dr. Gray Kidd from the Center for Research and Fellowships (CRF) is eager to chat with graduate students during drop-in hours in Vasey Hall, Grad Studies Office, G14D, on April 11 between 1 and 4 p.m. Visit CRF.

Waterhouse Family Institute's Transit Talks: Believability: Sexual Violence, Media and the Digitization of Doubt – April 11 
In honor of Sexual Assault Awareness Month in April, the Villanova Waterhouse Family Institute's (WFI) Annual Transit Talks will feature Sarah Banet-Weiser PhD, Dean of the University of Pennsylvania's Annenberg School of Communication. The annual series is a partnership between WFI and Temple University's Klein School of Communication, in which Villanova hosts a public lecture, and the following day the speaker gives a master class at Temple for graduate students from both universities. Dr. Banet-Weiser will present her lecture "Believability: Sexual Violence, Media and the Digitization of Doubt" from 4 to 5 p.m. on Thursday, April 11 in the Villanova Communication Department Studio, Garey 29A. The event is free and open to the public.

Retrospective Filming for Commencement – April 11-12
The Commencement Committee is looking for graduating senior and graduate students to reflect on their Villanova experience on camera! Share your favorite Villanova memories, look back on the moments that defined your time here, and talk about what you’ll miss most about being a Villanova student. Sign up using this link for a 15-minute time slot for on-campus filming on Thursday, April 11 (11 a.m. - 6 p.m.) or Friday, April 12 (10 a.m. -5 p.m.). Contact the Commencement Committee with any questions at commencement@villanova.edu.

Fulbright Information Session – April 16 
Did you know that Villanova graduate students have had great success winning Fulbright Scholarships? Did you know the Center for Research and Fellowships (CRF) is available to help you through this process? CRF is pleased to host an information session exclusively for grad students and recent grad alumni to review the Fulbright process and give you a chance to learn about opportunities for the next cycle! Register for the Zoom session.

Intersectional Reflection Dinner: LGBTQIA Identities – April 16 
The final Intersectional Reflections Dinner and Discussion will focus on LGBTQIA Identities. Join us as we enjoy a great meal and hear about the academic journeys of a panel of faculty, staff and graduate students who come to Villanova from diverse sexual and gender identities. Graduate students, staff and faculty of all identities are welcome and encouraged to attend this event. The reflection will take place from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 16 in the Grad Center Student Lounge in Vasey Hall. Learn more and register.

CONCEPT Recognition Ceremony – April 19 
Join the Grad CLAS community on Friday, April 19 from 2 to 3:30 p.m. in the Connelly Center Cinema to celebrate the launch of the 2024 edition of CONCEPT, the interdisciplinary journal of graduate students in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. The ceremony will recognize this year’s Graduate Research Prize for top paper, along with all of the student authors and editors, faculty editors and peer reviewers. The panel discussion will be held in the cinema, followed by a reception in the Grad Center Student Lounge in Vasey Hall. This event will also be live-streamed.

Grad Garden Party – April 19 
Join your fellow graduate students for the first Grad Garden Party, hosted by the Graduate Student Senate. Celebrate the end of the year with drinks and hors d'oeuvres at the Radnor Hotel on Friday, April 19 from 6 to 9 p.m. Tickets cost $30. The theme for the event is “Garden Casual,” so make sure to wear your spring finest. Learn more and purchase tickets.

Graduate Student Appreciation Week – April 22-26 
The Grad Center is proud to announce Graduate Student Appreciation Week! Join us for a week of celebrating you! Learn more and register for the events.

  • Monday, April 22 – Ice Cream Social: Bring your friends and family for free ice cream on Sheehan Beach from 3-5 p.m.
  • Tuesday, April 23 – Online Trivia Night: Pop quiz, hotshot! Play online trivia from 8-10 p.m. in the Grad Center, Vasey G13
  • Wednesday, April 24 – Chair Massage: Treat yourself to a free massage, available from 1-5 p.m., in 15-minute slots, in the Grad Center, Vasey G13
  • Thursday, April 25 – Movie Night: Movie night with hot dogs, pizza, and popcorn. Check our Instagram to help us pick the movie to watch in the Grad Center, Vasey G13.
  • Friday, April 26 – Food Truck Friday: Food just tastes better when it comes from a truck, especially when it's free and on campus.

Graduate Student Support Group 
This confidential group creates a safe space for graduate students to experience stronger emotional connections with others while also working through personal issues that may be unique to being a part of a graduate program at Villanova. The group will be led by Drs. Natalie Sheridan and Julia Stein and will meet in Vasey Hall, Room G12 Thursdays from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. For more information, please call the Counseling Center at 610-519-4050. 
Student Support Services Overview
Academic Support
 
Student Health and Well-Being
  • Student Health Center: Open 24/7 during semester. Offering health care to students with individualized attention and timely service. ($25 office visit for graduate students).
  • University Counseling Center: Providing services that help students function optimally with regard to emotional, academic, social and psychological issues.
  • Office of Health Promotion: Empowering students to create healthy learning environments and make responsible, educated choices to maintain balance.
  • Fitness Centers: Campus locations and operating hours available online.
  • Nova Nook: Providing supplemental personal necessities to students in need.
 
Tech Support
  • UNIT Tech Zone: Providing support for all hardware, software and technical problems that students may have with their personal laptop and other on-campus computing experiences.
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