Among the many articles commemorating the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy last weekend, I came across this piece in The Conversation, which discusses Dr. King’s efforts to not only promote civil rights at home but also global justice. In that article, the author, Anthony Siracusa, PhD, Senior Director of Inclusive Culture and Initiatives, University of Colorado Boulder, writes, “In his 1967 ‘Beyond Vietnam’ speech, King called ‘for a worldwide fellowship that lifts neighborly concern beyond one’s tribe, race, class and nation … an all-embracing and unconditional love for all mankind.’”

I also read Tom Furst’s account at Inquirer.com of introducing Dr. King for a speaking engagement at Villanova when Furst was student body president. Furst notes that while we all do not have Dr. King’s oratory skills, we all have a voice, and he challenges us to use our voice, to think about the people who will listen to us and also those to whom we listen.

These articles remind me of the Augustinian values we aspire to live up to each day as Villanovans. Through love we are able to build a supportive community. By having truthful conversations, by taking the simple step of actually listening, we can affect change here and across the globe. In this issue of Grad CLAS NOTES, we feature an article about how a recent alum engaged with our community to advance her academic career, along with a number of upcoming opportunities to help you follow in her fine example.

I don’t need to enumerate the challenges we are facing, but please know I continue to be impressed by your resilience and excellence. As we start this Spring 2022 semester, let’s keep our Augustinian values in mind. Let’s listen. Let’s remember who needs to hear our voice. Let’s embrace the love that unites us.

Olivia Stowell ’21 MA, a graduate of the Villanova University master’s program in English, recently completed her first semester as a doctoral candidate in Communication and Media at the University of Michigan. A researcher of race and ethnicity, especially within food and cooking television, Stowell published her first academic article “There’s Certainly a Lot of History Here, But We’re Here to Roast Oysters: Afterlives of Trans-Atlantic Exchange in Top Chef: Charleston” in the journal Television and New Media in January 2022. Presently, she’s co-editing a collection of essays on dark academia for Post45 Contemporaries to be published in February. READ MORE

The Third Annual Graduate Research Symposium was held on Friday, November 12, 2021, in the Connelly Center. Each spring, graduate students in CLAS apply for competitive Summer Research Fellowships to support their research. We are proud to present the exceptional research conducted by this select group of students. Learn more about the event, see photos and watch videos of the presentations.

Under the leadership of Emory Woodard, PhD, Dean of Graduate Studies in Villanova University’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS), the College has made progress in recognizing and addressing issues around graduate student mental health and wellness, topics that have become more prominent in higher education across the country in recent years. Peer mentorship is one new initiative that shows promise. READ MORE

Graduate Studies in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences is pleased to offer a peer mentoring program for all graduate students at Villanova University. We have partnered with The Reflect Organization (Reflect), a mental wellness nonprofit with college and university chapters around the country, dedicated to empowering students to foster a culture of authenticity, self-love and allyship on campus. Groups will meet every other week for up to one hour and will consist of between five and 12 members, with at least one trained peer-facilitator per group. Please complete the form to indicate your interest in this opportunity: Graduate Student Mental Wellness Support Form

The annual Villanova University Literary Festival hosts poets and fiction writers on campus to give readings and meet with students. This year's line-up inlcudes Jericho Brown (Thursday, Jan. 27); Emma Dabiri (Tuesday, Mar. 15); Camille Dungy (Tuesday, Mar. 29); and Tiphanie Yanique (Thursday, Apr. 21). All events will take place at 7 p.m. in Falvey Memorial Library’s Speakers’ Corner, except for the Emma Dabiri talk, which will take place in the Presidents' Lounge, Connelly Center. Learn more.

Leap into 2022 with a quantum advantage. Be forward-thinking and attend VU Women in Tech's 7th annual conference on Saturday, Jan. 29, from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. Keynote speaker Jessica Nye '03 VSB will share her cybersecurity investigative work at the FBI and both the advantages and challenges of quantum computing. Breakout sessions to include tech change-makers, quantum experts and a young alumnae panel. This free conference will be presented both in-person at the Villanova Conference Center and virtually. Register for the conference.

All students, faculty and staff, without a medical or religious accommodation, are required to upload documentation of the COVID-19 booster to Villanova’s secure portal—Villanova.medicatconnect.com—by Monday, January 31. Individuals not yet currently eligible for the booster should upload documentation immediately following their booster. All documentation will be kept confidential. For the latest COVID-19 campus information, including booster clinics and masking requirements, please visit the COVID-19 Campus Information page.

Graduating this Spring? Application Deadline – January 31

If you plan to graduate in May 2022, you must apply by January 31. Please visit the Applying for Graduation page to review the graduation application requirements and procedures.

Are you interested in interacting with the Office of Graduate Studies and with other graduate students in the college? Are you willing to share your “Why Villanova?” story with prospective students? If so, we encourage you to apply to be a Graduate Student Ambassador! Student Ambassadors assist the Graduate Studies Office with recruitment events and help build community within the graduate student population. Learn more and apply.

Three-Minute Thesis (3MT) Competition – Entries Due January 31

Three Minute Thesis (3MT) is a competition for master’s and doctoral students to develop and showcase their research communication skills. To be successful, competitors must effectively explain their research in three minutes to a non-specialist audience. This year, Villanova will be hosting its 3MT competition on Friday, February 18, 2022. Cash prizes are awarded for first and second places and for audience choice. The deadline for video entries is Monday, January 31. All students who participated in this fall's Graduate Student Research Symposium are automatically entered in the 3MT competition, but may submit new videos if they so choose. Learn more about 3MT.

Summer Research Fellowships – Master's Student Applications Due February 1

Master's students in CLAS are encouraged to apply for a summer fellowship to support their research. For details regarding eligibility requirements, criteria, how to apply, deadline for proposals and review process, faculty evaluation of the project, and award recipients, please visit the Graduate Summer Research Fellowship page.

Publish Your Work in CONCEPT – Submissions Due February 1

CONCEPT is the interdisciplinary journal of CLAS Graduate Studies at Villanova University. Are you proud of the term paper or thesis chapter you are wrapping up? CONCEPT is looking for well-written and well-researched, not-too-technical papers of up to 25 pages. Scholars from ALL of the graduate programs in the College are invited to submit. CONCEPT seeks papers that are exemplary in their respective disciplines as well as papers that have an interdisciplinary appeal. The journal is now accepting article submissions through February 1. In addition, students are encouraged to apply to be editors and peer-reviewers. Visit the CONCEPT website to learn more.

Graduate Student Just Peace Symposium – Submissions Due February 1

The Villanova University Center for Peace and Justice Education and the Augustinian Institute announce the call for papers for the first annual Graduate Student Just Peace Symposium. This one-day workshop on March 18 is an opportunity for Villanova graduate students to present and showcase their research, providing expertise and perspectives on topics related to justice and peace. Learn more and submit your abstract.

Gender and Women's Studies Annual Spring Conference – Submissions Due February 11

All graduate students are invited to submit papers or alternative forms of expression (scripts, poetry, films) to the 32nd Annual Villanova Gender and Women's Studies Conference. Essays and creative work must engage gender, sexuality or feminist theories and have been written during Spring or Fall 2020 or 2021 or specifically for the conference. Submissions are due Friday, Feb. 11, and the conference will take place on March 25 at Villanova. Learn more about paper submissions.

Summer Research Fellowships – Doctoral Student Applications Due March 1

Doctoral students in CLAS are encouraged to apply for a summer fellowship to support their research. For details regarding eligibility requirements, criteria, how to apply, deadline for proposals and review process, faculty evaluation of the project, and award recipients, please visit the Graduate Summer Research Fellowship page.

The Office of Graduate Studies is excited to introduce a new Facebook group for Villanova University Graduate CLAS Students. Run by the graduate assistants in our office, this group will be a resource for all current students to interact on an informal basis, create community and even search for roommates. Use this link or search “Villanova Grad CLAS Students - 2021 – 2022” on Facebook to join. *Note – it is a private group so all incoming members will be verified by admin before being permitted to join.*