The Dean's Weekly Updates

Below you will find the archive of the Dean's Weekly Update emails from the last two semesters. The emails are sent on Fridays.

Other notices that might be relevant for graduate students:

Provost’s weekly updates at https://www.provost.vt.edu/provost-weekly-updates.html
GLC weekly emails to Blacksburg and Roanoke graduate students on Mondays at: https://glcweekly.graduateschool.vt.edu/
Weekly notices to Washington, D.C. metro area and online students on Fridays about region-specific programs and opportunities at Graduate Student Newsletter - D.C. area | D.C. Area | Virginia Tech

Spring Semester 2026

Dear Graduate and Professional Students,

Happy New Year! I hope you were able to take a bit of a break over the holidays. I had a relaxing time with a short visit with family and friends and then lots of long, contemplative, walks with the dogs. Along the way, I gazed at the stars and enjoyed watching the deer and the rabbits scamper away. I’m refreshed and ready to start the new term.

As usual, at the beginning of a new semester, I suggest that you create a plan for the semester. There are lots of tools and advice for how to do so, but I want to emphasize two of them. First, the National Center for Faculty Development & Diversity (NCFDD) has a useful webinar called “Every Semester Needs a Plan” (1). I recommend you take the time to watch it and go through the exercises. To keep me accountable, I’ve written down my plan (2) and will update you during the semester on my progress. My plan is broken down into: Administrative items, Grants and Research, Teaching, Professional, and Personal. Although you will have different categories in your plan, I encourage you to include personal goals to keep that aspect of your life as a priority.

Another way of prioritizing tasks is the “Eisenhower Decision Matrix” (3) which is a 2x2 matrix crossing urgency and importance. This is helpful in order to avoid what is called “precrastination” (3). Precrastination is defined as “the tendency to attempt to get things done as soon as possible, even if that involves extra effort (3, p. 229).” Although sometimes it can be helpful, in terms of reducing the cognitive load of having to remember to do a bunch of things, it has two major drawbacks: It can lead to “haste makes waste,” as often the task would take less time and be more successful with more thought, and it can also take up all of your effort and you end up not ever having time to do the important, hard tasks. The Eisenhower Matrix helps you understand which tasks need to be tackled right away, and which might need more deliberative planning.

Finally, I know that recent domestic and world events have been deeply troubling for many people, and I want to acknowledge that members of our community may be feeling a range of emotions right now. Some of you may also be navigating personal stress, worry about loved ones, or uncertainty. Please know that your well‑being matters. If you find yourself needing support—whether academic, personal, or logistical—feel free to reach out (5). Thank you for continuing to support one another and for being part of this community.

Next week I’ll formally welcome the new students to this space. Until then, enjoy the last weekend before the start of the fall semester.

As always, take care of yourselves and your loved ones, please reach out if you need anything. We are here to support you. Your problems, your worries, your fears, and above all you matter.

Aimée M. Surprenant, Dean of the Graduate School

Notes:

1 https://members.ncfdd.org/webinars/semesterplan25fall

2 https://drive.google.com/file/d/1bsL8qQeUdskCFe-9dpWJ-CevWquQuh88/view?usp=share_link

3 https://www.productplan.com/glossary/eisenhower-matrix/

4 Rosenbaum, D. A., Fournier, L. R., Levy-Tzedek, S., McBride, D. M., Rosenthal, R., Sauerberger, K., VonderHaar, R. L., Wasserman, E. A., & Zentall, T. R. (2019). Sooner Rather Than Later: Precrastination Rather Than Procrastination. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 28(3), 229-233. https://doi.org/10.1177/0963721419833652

5 Resources:

TimelyCare: https://ucc.vt.edu/timelycare.html

Cook Counselling Center: 540-231-6557, phone; https://ucc.vt.edu, website

Cranwell International Center: 540-231-6527, phone; https://international.vt.edu, website

Dean of Students Office: 540-231-3787, phone; https://dos.vt.edu, website

Hokie Wellness: 540-231-2233, phone; https://hokiewellness.vt.edu, website

Graduate Ombuds: 540-231-9573, phone; https://www.graduate.ombudsman.vt.edu, website

Dear Graduate and Professional Students,

Happy Friday! The new semester starts next Tuesday, and it is exciting to see all the activity on campus and the energy that comes along with the arrival of our new and returning students. Welcome back to all of our returning students and a big welcome to all our new students. I hope you all have a wonderful semester.

We’ve had a week of orientation sessions with various groups, and I’m sure you are all brimming with information. The spring semester orientations in the departments are sometimes overlooked, so those of you who are brand new to graduate education or Virginia Tech will need to be extra assertive in finding the information you need to be successful in your programs. Start with your graduate program coordinator—they usually know where you can find all the information you might need (1). Of course, the Graduate School is always a great place to look for information as well. (2).

One of the topics I cover in my Future Professoriate class is the hidden curriculum in academia. This hidden curriculum consists of terms and unwritten rules that students and faculty are expected to know, the presumed rules of conduct, and the implicit assumptions and tacit rules that those in higher education expect students to recognize (3). Elliot and colleagues (4) have a nice book (available in the library electronically) outlining the hidden curriculum in doctoral contexts, including in international contexts. But this is general advice and information, some of which is relevant and helpful in our context, but it doesn’t cover institution-specific norms and expectations. For the past few semesters in my class, I’ve been asking the students to work together to crowd source a VT specific document. We’ve distilled the information and it is now available to you all in a shared document (5).

I intend this to be a living document, so we’ve set up a form for suggested additions that you can find here (6). Feel free to add to the document or to create one for your individual department’s unspoken expectations. If you do so, please share it with me so I can link to those in our larger document. Together, as a community, we can work to make sure that all of us have the information we need to thrive at Virginia Tech.

That’s all from me for now, as always, take care of yourselves and your loved ones. Please reach out if you need anything. We are here to support you. Your problems, your worries, your fears, and above all you matter.

Aimée M. Surprenant

Dean of the Graduate School

1 https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fgraduateschool.vt.edu%2Facademics%2Fprograms%2Fprogram-contacts.html&data=05%7C02%7Ccathg14%40vt.edu%7C4ead15b1e892401b24c008de5522b154%7C6095688410ad40fa863d4f32c1e3a37a%7C0%7C0%7C639041804665084356%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=bs7Mhogm5ZGZx2XhTD6RpY9Jz3ouLJyHDt62vjTCY28%3D&reserved=0

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3 https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidehighered.com%2Fopinion%2Fcolumns%2Fhigher-ed-gamma%2F2024%2F05%2F16%2Fhow-hidden-curriculum-prepares-students-post-college&data=05%7C02%7Ccathg14%40vt.edu%7C4ead15b1e892401b24c008de5522b154%7C6095688410ad40fa863d4f32c1e3a37a%7C0%7C0%7C639041804665463779%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=Coo3BYWDoNwX%2FgC%2B3c1qA0WbCM%2F30QBuYCvOYgWYoi4%3D&reserved=0

4 Elliot, D. L., Bengtsen, S. S., Guccione, K., & Kobayashi, S. (2020). The hidden curriculum in doctoral education. Palgrave Macmillan. https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fvirginiatech.primo.exlibrisgroup.com%2Fpermalink%2F01VT_INST%2F1vlidq4%2Fcdi_askewsholts_vlebooks_9783030414979&data=05%7C02%7Ccathg14%40vt.edu%7C4ead15b1e892401b24c008de5522b154%7C6095688410ad40fa863d4f32c1e3a37a%7C0%7C0%7C639041804665493607%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=ZcOPlaDkM4SQmv71HQHSr9xj8O5bOdV3K%2B6VCiYmSxk%3D&reserved=0

5 https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fgs.vt.edu%2F26&data=05%7C02%7Ccathg14%40vt.edu%7C4ead15b1e892401b24c008de5522b154%7C6095688410ad40fa863d4f32c1e3a37a%7C0%7C0%7C639041804665523765%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=dQ9IeN1yvyugoggL3mz9exEG315hYUMDBs6WP44mTlk%3D&reserved=0

6 https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fgs.vt.edu%2F27&data=05%7C02%7Ccathg14%40vt.edu%7C4ead15b1e892401b24c008de5522b154%7C6095688410ad40fa863d4f32c1e3a37a%7C0%7C0%7C639041804665546403%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=DpNwUvz9WCXSrgbpMRAbLvVeFL6jV4RSaqrfvNe5FZQ%3D&reserved=0

Dear Graduate and Professional Students,

Happy Friday! I hope the first week of classes went well for you all. I attended an inspiring breakfast and presentation on Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, and spent the rest of the week on administrative projects and start-of-the-semester tasks as well as struggling with my Canvas courses. You would think after 30+ years in academia, I would be more ready for the start of the semester but, evidently, I never learn. I hope you are all ready for the snow and ice forecast for this weekend. Just dress warmly, take everything slowly, and be careful!

People often talk about the many roles that faculty juggle in their day‑to‑day work, but graduate students also manage multiple roles within the university, often taking different roles in the same domain. They are learners and instructors at the same time—engaging in their own education through coursework while also leading discussions, grading assignments, and teaching classes. Their work in research settings is equally dual in nature: they may serve as lab assistants and trainees one moment and help coordinate or even oversee the daily operations of a research group the next. Beyond academics and research, graduate students need to follow administrative rules and policies, but also frequently take on administrative and service roles, contributing to departmental operations, participating in committees, and engaging in the governance structures that shape university policy. In many ways, you all function as junior colleagues, supporting the university’s teaching, research, and administrative missions all at once.

Balancing all of these roles at the same time as managing family and the everyday demands of life can be difficult and can take a toll on mental and physical health. You can easily find research and advice on how to manage stress as a graduate student, including better sleep (1), emotional intelligence and mindfulness (2), and physical activity (3). All of these are great, evidence-based ways of reducing stress. However, there’s one that is a bit more relevant to our current circumstances: turning away from your phone, tablet, and computer (4). The headline of the story might suggest that it is the devices themselves that are the culprit, but instead, it seems like it is what we do on those devices that keep our nervous systems in a heightened state of arousal (5) and induce us to multitask (6). Added to that, the 24-hour news cycle of worldwide conflict makes it hard to focus. So, my advice is to read a book, listen to a podcast, watch a movie, or do whatever it is you do to relax—using whatever device you wish. But do only that—nothing else. What you’re aiming for is to reduce cognitive and emotional load and putting down your extra devices will help with that. Choose that one thing, sink into it fully, and let your mind remember what calm feels like.

That’s all from me for now, as always, take care of yourselves and your loved ones, please reach out if you need anything. We are here to support you. Your problems, your worries, your fears, and above all you matter.

Aimée M. Surprenant

Dean of the Graduate School

1 Allen HK, Barrall AL, Vincent KB, Arria AM. Stress and Burnout Among Graduate Students: Moderation by Sleep Duration and Quality. Int J Behav Med. 2021 Feb;28(1):21-28. doi: 10.1007/s12529-020-09867-8. PMID: 32124246; PMCID: PMC7483179.

2 Vasudevan V, Hanson B, Gittings L, Minda JP, Irwin JD. A systematic review of stress reduction interventions among graduate students. J Am Coll Health. 2025 May 20:1-22. doi: 10.1080/07448481.2025.2503827. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 40393001.

3 Samantha Donnelly, Kay Penny, Mary Kynn, The effectiveness of physical activity interventions in improving higher education students’ mental health: A systematic review, Health Promotion International, Volume 39, Issue 2, April 2024, daae027, https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdoi.org%2F10.1093%2Fheapro%2Fdaae027&data=05%7C02%7Ccathg14%40vt.edu%7Cc8d4cdab55fb4562e55108de5ab35102%7C6095688410ad40fa863d4f32c1e3a37a%7C0%7C0%7C639047923400929497%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=vw819lwITR5rSR3aD22BowKi1enbPQdk7S4I%2FK13MAY%3D&reserved=0

4 https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Ftheconversation.com%2Fwhy-unwinding-with-screens-may-be-making-us-more-stressed-heres-what-to-try-instead-272887&data=05%7C02%7Ccathg14%40vt.edu%7Cc8d4cdab55fb4562e55108de5ab35102%7C6095688410ad40fa863d4f32c1e3a37a%7C0%7C0%7C639047923400955495%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=bH9bRIkXQ3IfWCCv4oW6D0VyI%2BZqrSqKkJcPzLLGtPk%3D&reserved=0

5 Satani A, Satani KK, Barodia P, Joshi H. Modern Day High: The Neurocognitive Impact of Social Media Usage. Cureus. 2025 Jul 8;17(7):e87496. doi: 10.7759/cureus.87496. PMID: 40777702; PMCID: PMC12329480.

6 Hasan, Md. Kamrul MS. Digital multitasking and hyperactivity: unveiling the hidden costs to brain health. Annals of Medicine & Surgery 86(11):p 6371-6373, November 2024. | DOI: 10.1097/MS9.0000000000002576

Dear Graduate and Professional Students,

Happy Friday! I had an enjoyable “Lunch with the Dean” on Thursday with students from a diverse cross-section of disciplines and interests. An even bigger group of GPSS Senators met with President Sands on Thursday night. The questions raised in both forums were thoughtful and challenging, and I appreciated the candor and insight students brought to the conversation. Our discussion reflected the concerns and fears students are dealing with but also the optimism they have for a better future. I’m grateful for the opportunity to hear your perspectives directly. Although some of the questions didn’t have clear answers, we remain committed to working together as a community to create a constructive path forward.

This brings me to one of the keynote speeches at a conference I attended last year by Dr. Freeman Hrabowski, President Emeritus from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. He spoke powerfully about some of the key ideas in his new book, The Resilient University: How Purpose and Inclusion Drive Student Success (1. available in our library in electronic form). In the Prologue, Dr. Hrabowski writes: “It’s not about me. It’s about us.” ...A community of colleagues work together for a college or university to thrive.” The book focuses on the lessons learned during the height of the pandemic and how resilient universities managed to survive and grow during that time of crisis via “vision, openness, resilience, courage, passion, and hope (1).”

I particularly appreciated the chapter on openness and Dr. Hrabowski's mantra of “success is never final.” We can always do more to improve programs and our supports: “To do so, we must remind ourselves of our vision and our long-term goals; we must align our culture and values to support that vision and those goals; we must remain open to new ideas; and we must empower the people in our community to lead and do the work.” By embracing this mindset of continual growth, we ensure that our work—and our community—never stops evolving for the better.

When I asked the lunch bunch what I should write about in my email this week, one response was: the Olympics and Paralympics. This is a challenge for me as I have only a passing familiarity with the sports, but I found a tie-in to graduate education: One of the athletes in the Paralympics is PhD student Sydney Peterson, who is getting her degree in neuroscience from the University of Utah (2). Her story is inspiring and emphasizes how our lived experience can contribute to our research. It also demonstrates how having a passion outside of the lab is not only possible but can also help you, as Sydney says, “shut your brain off from one area and shift it over."

Finally, we talked about food, and I mentioned that I had made a fantastic batch of Italian Warm Butter Cakes. Here’s the recipe (3). Enjoy!

That’s all from me for now. As always, take care of yourselves and your loved ones, please reach out if you need anything. We are here to support you. Your problems, your worries, your fears, and above all, you matter.

Aimée M. Surprenant

Dean of the Graduate School

1 Freeman A. Hrabowski III with Peter H. Henderson, Lynne C. Schaefer, and Philip J. Ross
Johns Hopkins University Press, 2024, The Resilient University: How Purpose and Inclusion Drive Student Success. ISBN-13: 978-1421448442

2 https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.agm.us%2Fblog%2Ffrom-the-lab-to-the-snow-sydney-peterson-balances-double-duty-on-path-to-milan-paralympics-for-team-usa&data=05%7C02%7Ccathg14%40vt.edu%7Cbcaf751c4a314ab687bf08de659e638d%7C6095688410ad40fa863d4f32c1e3a37a%7C0%7C0%7C639059928143544160%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=bzn%2BZZS09RFSg7cnqwLIMtJMM%2BZuVHjqBtAzi1Cpmi8%3D&reserved=0

3 https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.poetryandpies.com%2Fhome%2Fitalian-warm-butter-cake&data=05%7C02%7Ccathg14%40vt.edu%7Cbcaf751c4a314ab687bf08de659e638d%7C6095688410ad40fa863d4f32c1e3a37a%7C0%7C0%7C639059928143569960%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=fZ5Rom8jLLwJnKphXW%2FV9JJEx%2Fg0JXkVSG8oSso0NMw%3D&reserved=0

Dear Graduate and Professional Students,

Happy Friday! The sun is out, the birds are singing, and the snow is starting to melt. It feels like spring is inching closer. I know I’m probably getting ahead of myself, as we’ll almost certainly get another cold snap, but I’m choosing to enjoy it anyway. I had a productive week with some great planning for Graduate Education Week (list of events coming soon), working on best practices documents for graduate programs, and reading and commenting on resolutions that are working their way through the shared governance system (1).

With Valentine’s Day falling on Saturday, it seemed like the perfect moment to highlight some recent research on love that has been making headlines. Happiness researchers Sonja Lyubomirsky and Harry Reis recently published a book titled “How to Feel Loved: The Five Mindsets That Get You More of What Matters Most (2).” They argue that although happiness has many components, the factor with the greatest influence is feeling loved. And by “feeling loved,” they don’t mean only romantic love, although that certainly counts. What matters most is feeling appreciated and valued by others. That may sound simple, but how do you actually increase the amount of love you feel? One powerful approach, they suggest, is to show genuine interest in others: listening closely, being curious, and truly hearing what people share.

Is there evidence to support this? A study published in PLOS One suggests that there is (3). Williams et al. (2025) asked participants to report their levels of both feeling loved and expressing love six times a day for four weeks. They found that people who actively express love, through kind words, thoughtful gestures, or caring actions, tended to feel more loved themselves. Increases in expressed love were followed by increases in felt love over time, suggesting a causal link. The authors argue that anyone can develop this skill: “with regular practice and heightened awareness in daily activities... individuals can become more adept at receiving and expressing love, which in turn can cultivate stronger feelings of love (3).” This, in turn, should result in happiness, to circle back to Lyubomirsky and Reis (2).

Importantly and stressed by Lyubomirsky and Reis, what this means is that you don’t have to change yourself to become more lovable by “becoming more impressive, more attractive, more successful (2)”; instead, you just need to focus on building deep connections with others. In doing so, you create the conditions for genuine warmth and appreciation to grow naturally around you.

That’s all from me for now. As always, take care of yourselves and your loved ones and please reach out if you need anything. We are here to support you. Your problems, your worries, your fears, and above all, you matter.

Aimée M. Surprenant

Dean of the Graduate School

1 https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fgovernance.vt.edu%2FResolutionTracker%2FUnderReview&data=05%7C02%7Ccathg14%40vt.edu%7Cec069b0d1ac045582bbf08de6b2b7e45%7C6095688410ad40fa863d4f32c1e3a37a%7C0%7C0%7C639066031721078093%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=J%2F5NP%2Bh2G6Rnqc%2BYNeOQFYI4Th%2BWe6VD3dRjwXNligI%3D&reserved=0

2 https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.rochester.edu%2Fnewscenter%2Fhow-to-feel-loved-five-mindsets-happiness-psychology-693962%2F&data=05%7C02%7Ccathg14%40vt.edu%7Cec069b0d1ac045582bbf08de6b2b7e45%7C6095688410ad40fa863d4f32c1e3a37a%7C0%7C0%7C639066031721103078%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=exYwc%2BfYlHRYNQSdvXKitzMPoRuu1zduA5Dr3cq6D%2BE%3D&reserved=0

3 Williams L, Kim SH, Li Y, Heshmati S, Vandekerckhove J, et al. (2025) How much we express love predicts how much we feel loved in daily life. PLOS ONE 20(7): e0323326.

Dear Graduate and Professional Students,

Happy Friday from the Conference of Southern Graduate Schools meeting in Baton Rouge, Louisiana! This conference brings together graduate school professionals from the southern region to share best practices, tools, and information for supporting graduate students and graduate education. Of course, we also get to meet up with others who are working in the same space to share our challenges and triumphs, our hopes and our fears.

Speaking of fears, one of the speakers talked about fear and hope. Fear motivates us in many ways and, in the short term, can result in increased focus and concentration, heightened alertness and responsiveness, enhanced problem-solving skills, and greater persistence and determination (1). Regina Dugan, VT alum and CEO of Welcome Leap, addressed fear in her 2025 commencement address (2). Her insight is that fear can be helpful in that it is telling us that there’s something important confronting us. I’ll let her say it in her own words:

“Fear isn’t weakness – it’s a signal. It points to what matters most. And walking toward fear is how you build a life of meaning (2).”

But in the long term, living in a state of constant fear is stressful and debilitating (3). In contrast, psychological literature shows strong links between hope and measures of psychological and emotional well-being (4, 5). So, how do we cultivate hope in these uncertain times? Hope isn’t naive optimism or pretending everything is fine. It’s a way of moving forward that doesn’t let uncertainty and fear paralyze us. As graduate students, you’re living in a place where the future feels both wide‑open and, at the same time, uncertain. That tension can be exhausting.

I’ve said some of these things before, but I think they are worth reiterating. First, focus on what you can control. Fretting over what lies beyond your influence only drains the energy you need for what truly matters. Second, lean on your community; your support network is a source of strength. Third, take time to think back and reflect on what you’ve already accomplished; you’ve already come farther than you think. Fourth, celebrate the small wins; they are the proof that progress is happening. Finally, help someone else along the way, because acts of generosity don’t just lift others: they elevate your own sense of purpose and happiness (6).

That’s all from me for now. As always, take care of yourselves and your loved ones and please reach out if you need anything. We are here to support you. Your problems, your worries, your fears, and above all, you matter.

Aimée M. Surprenant

Dean of the Graduate School

1 Brown, J. S., & Jacobs, A. (1949). The role of fear in the motivation and acquisition of responses. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 39(6), 747–759. https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdoi.org%2F10.1037%2Fh0062836&data=05%7C02%7Ccathg14%40vt.edu%7Ccc57470e15904858683b08de709ee36d%7C6095688410ad40fa863d4f32c1e3a37a%7C0%7C0%7C639072024894850618%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=XzZ6DRowxtbD8Ic9xR%2FdWKG97AwvUYSOVyFvY2kyT%2Bg%3D&reserved=0

2 https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.linkedin.com%2Fposts%2Fregina-dugan-321687121_graduation2025-commencementspeech-activity-7330670903518748674-5VRF&data=05%7C02%7Ccathg14%40vt.edu%7Ccc57470e15904858683b08de709ee36d%7C6095688410ad40fa863d4f32c1e3a37a%7C0%7C0%7C639072024894875894%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=QtOGCkGYnNGhQwrxq4ZQ0xgYPvmocFNqXrNfqPJTLZk%3D&reserved=0

3 Ropeik D. The consequences of fear. EMBO Rep. 2004 Oct;5 Spec No(Suppl 1):S56-60. doi: 10.1038/sj.embor.7400228. PMID: 15459737; PMCID: PMC1299209.

4 Colla R, Williams P, Oades LG and Camacho-Morles J (2022) “A New Hope” for Positive Psychology: A Dynamic Systems Reconceptualization of Hope Theory. Front. Psychol. 13:809053. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.809053

5 Conversano C, Rotondo A, Lensi E, Della Vista O, Arpone F, Reda MA. Optimism and its impact on mental and physical well-being. Clin Pract Epidemiol Ment Health. 2010 May 14;6:25-9. doi: 10.2174/1745017901006010025. PMID: 20592964; PMCID: PMC2894461

6 Weiss-Sidi M, Riemer H. Help others-be happy? The effect of altruistic behavior on happiness across cultures. Front Psychol. 2023 Jun 23;14:1156661. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1156661. PMID: 37425146; PMCID: PMC10326385.

Dear Graduate and Professional Students,

Happy Friday, everyone! We’ve made it to the final weekday of February. It has been said that April is the cruelest month (1), but for anyone in academia, it’s March that deserves the title. It’s the month when winter refuses to leave, daylight savings steals the evening light, and the semester’s end feels impossibly far away. After the short month of February, the 31 days in March seem to drag on. Yesterday I told myself, “Just survive today and tomorrow, and then you can spend the weekend catching up on all the things you were supposed to catch up on last weekend.” But, we’ll push through, as we always do, and soon enough April will arrive with the first real glimpse of the semester’s end and all the celebrations that come with it. Hang in there!

This week I had a productive lunch conversation with our part time graduate students. These are folks who take up a graduate program while working full time and managing the other responsibilities that come with adulting (2). These students usually come with a wealth of transferrable work- and life-skills and are typically highly motivated to succeed. They also have a great deal of knowledge that we can learn from and have the ability to draw interdisciplinary and real-world connections into their courses and research. However, they face many challenges in an environment that was built for full-time students. They sometimes feel unseen, unsupported, dissatisfied, and disconnected from their program and the university (3). Additionally, they sometimes lack knowledge of the “hidden curriculum” of graduate school (4, available electronically in the library), including how to navigate through the processes and procedures required to make progress in their programs, their relationships with their advisors and departments, and what is expected at various milestones such as prelim exams and dissertations.

Under the best conditions, community building is challenging for graduate students, and those challenges multiply when we are working with part time students. Zhang et al. (3) suggest using technology to help in this area including “the development of a virtual community of practice with an emphasis on e-mentoring...such as communication tools, social media and asynchronous communication with which mentors and students can collaborate and build their virtual community to address salient issues of part-time doctoral students including mentorship, career goals and academic self-efficacy (p. 202).”

In addition to social and community building, structural issues--including scarcity of online or asynchronous offerings, weekday‑centric scheduling, “age‑limits” on transferable credits, and the need to frequently redo plans of study—can slow progress, increase time‑to‑degree, and erode motivation among part‑time graduate students.

Tackling these issues will involve collaboration between the Graduate School and academic units. My thanks to those who participated in the discussion and for starting the conversation and bringing these issues to light.

That’s all from me for now. As always, take care of yourselves and your loved ones and please reach out if you need anything. We are here to support you. Your problems, your worries, your fears, and above all, you matter.

Aimée M. Surprenant

Dean of the Graduate School

1 https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.poetryfoundation.org%2Fpoems%2F47311%2Fthe-waste-land&data=05%7C02%7Ccathg14%40vt.edu%7C5ecb79d6665b46aac09c08de761ce337%7C6095688410ad40fa863d4f32c1e3a37a%7C0%7C0%7C639078063612181962%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=l55lSLlxJ4HdtAXKhORckAaO4JLdgkDPONkGbRRxHmE%3D&reserved=0

2 https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fstudentlife.usc.edu%2Ftrojan-tea-time%2Fadulting-sorta-kinda-my-experience-working-being-in-grad-school%2F&data=05%7C02%7Ccathg14%40vt.edu%7C5ecb79d6665b46aac09c08de761ce337%7C6095688410ad40fa863d4f32c1e3a37a%7C0%7C0%7C639078063612208060%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=K9huQkwQM3Q0whfAFwil%2BYgWX7h6q67MtzQ1e8unc4o%3D&reserved=0

3 Zhang, S., Carroll, M., Li, C., Lin, E. (2021). Supporting Part-Time Students in Doctoral Programs: A Technology-Based Situated Learning Model. Studies in Graduate and Postdoctoral Education .https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fdx.doi.org%2F10.1108%2FSGPE-11-2019-0082&data=05%7C02%7Ccathg14%40vt.edu%7C5ecb79d6665b46aac09c08de761ce337%7C6095688410ad40fa863d4f32c1e3a37a%7C0%7C0%7C639078063612228117%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=otDh0NGzi5Kkkv8UxqnzttT7rfFqMnu8zSkBrEndHPM%3D&reserved=0

4 Elliot, Dely Lazarte ORCID logo, Bengsten, Soren S.E., Guccione, Kay, and Kobayashi, Sofie (2020) The Hidden Curriculum in Doctoral Education. Palgrave Macmillan: London. ISBN 9783030414962 (doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-41497-9)

Dear Graduate and Professional Students,

Happy Friday before spring break. The campus is already quieter with many undergraduate students off on trips home or elsewhere. The weather in Blacksburg has become warm and beautiful. Perhaps it is false spring, but I’ll take it for as long as it lasts. Today, along with a group of graduate students, I’m visiting New River Community College and Radford University as part of our re-imagined Global Perspectives Program, now called Higher Ed 360.

It has been a difficult week in terms of world events. On Thursday, the Provost sent out a letter of support with resources for faculty, staff, graduate, and undergraduate students (1). In her note she asked for patience, empathy, and flexibility for “students who are navigating academic responsibilities while under emotional strain.” I have echoed those words in a message to Graduate Program Directors where I asked faculty to broach the topic of how to incorporate breaks with all of their students; recognizing that students may feel reluctant to do so.

Living in the New River Valley, where the majority but not all of our graduate students are, often feels like you’re in a bubble: Everything is calm and beautiful with sunny skies, no traffic, and very little drama. Somewhat counterintuitively, when the rest of the world is in turmoil, this calmness can be disorienting and even stressful. When you are safe and comfortable, but family, friends, and others are not, it is normal to feel guilt and anxiety (2). You need to give yourself permission to accept your feelings and take some time to process them: Guilt, anxiety, and grief mean that you care deeply. However, from a practical point of view it is helpful to concentrate on those things that are under your control. This is difficult: accepting uncertainty goes against our nature because we are used to planning, anticipating, getting ahead, preventing uncertainty. The best advice I can give is to find community, whether in Blacksburg, the DC campus, or elsewhere, share your thoughts and feelings with others, and realize that you are not alone.

Finally, realize that the fact that you are safe and comfortable is actually comforting for your friends and family. They can imagine you working on your research and your scholarship and can continue to feel proud of your accomplishments. So, rather than feeling guilty about focusing on your work, use it as a way to feel good about your progress, to think optimistically about the future and to make a positive difference.

I’ll be taking a break from writing my Friday email next week, so have a good week, and I’ll be back the week after. As always, take care of yourselves take care of yourselves and your loved ones and please reach out if you need anything. We are here to support you. Your problems, your worries, your fears, and above all, you matter.

Aimée M. Surprenant

Dean of the Graduate School

1 https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.provost.vt.edu%2Fprovost-messages%2Fprovost-ross-continued-support.html&data=05%7C02%7Ccathg14%40vt.edu%7C868da6c690594a5e930d08de7ba56f73%7C6095688410ad40fa863d4f32c1e3a37a%7C0%7C0%7C639084147640356809%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=4SYP2mVxugFjsI0dTv653xPGmMXbv9f2kqVK9Bbp2iw%3D&reserved=0

2 https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.apa.org%2Fmonitor%2F2025%2F10%2Fcoping-loved-ones-war-zones.html&data=05%7C02%7Ccathg14%40vt.edu%7C868da6c690594a5e930d08de7ba56f73%7C6095688410ad40fa863d4f32c1e3a37a%7C0%7C0%7C639084147640382782%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=u%2BNyZcv6H0HzdJoP4JFo8GaYWy1ml8y7VEKB0HizERo%3D&reserved=0

Dear Graduate and Professional Students,

Happy Friday! Spring break already feels like a long way in the past, but I hope you were able to take some time to rest or at least to slow down a bit. We’re now in the acceleration phase of the semester with events ramping up to the crescendo at the end. Happy Spring Equinox and Eid Mubarak to those who celebrate!

My email is going to be short this week—I had an early morning meeting, then some meetings that ran long and haven’t had the time to work on my idea for the week. So, you’ll have to wait until next week to hear my musings.

However, I did want to let you know that earlier this week I gave a presentation at VT's Mentoring Forum introducing the Graduate School’s Mentoring Toolbox (1). The toolbox has mentoring expectations, sample letters of understanding and authorship, tools and presentations on managing expectations, student tools, and more. Feel free to take a look and let me know what we can add that would be helpful to you or your faculty.

Also on Monday, University Council approved a change to the Faculty Handbook (2) to add the possibility for minor sanctions for “failure to meet established professional responsibilities; neglect of duties; inappropriate conduct toward colleagues, students, or staff; disregard of institutional policies or reasonable directives; or ongoing unprofessional behavior or other actions inconsistent with the standards of professional conduct expected of members of the faculty.” Once approved by the President, the Faculty Senate and Faculty Affairs will be working out procedures around that. This change came about in part due to work by graduate students over the past few years—thank you to those who championed this cause. Change is slow, but it does happen!

That’s all from me for now, as always, take care of yourselves and your loved ones and please reach out if you need anything. We are here to support you. Your problems, your worries, your fears, and above all, you matter.

Aimée M. Surprenant

Dean of the Graduate School

1 https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fgs.vt.edu%2Ftoolbox&data=05%7C02%7Ccathg14%40vt.edu%7C1fc7f0521a1742ca328508de86a8564c%7C6095688410ad40fa863d4f32c1e3a37a%7C0%7C0%7C639096254722145488%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=g1oszA3Z4qe41aXDhC2wWwopV%2BAcQPXCADsRvbj6tY8%3D&reserved=0

2 https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fgovernance.vt.edu%2FResolutionTracker%2FUnderReview%2F3%3Fid%3D571%26handler%3DDownload&data=05%7C02%7Ccathg14%40vt.edu%7C1fc7f0521a1742ca328508de86a8564c%7C6095688410ad40fa863d4f32c1e3a37a%7C0%7C0%7C639096254722172070%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=14kC4li0bU2P8gNyGIFmDsKizVwiAA8gu7RBa9Wmtds%3D&reserved=0

Dear Graduate and Professional Students,

Happy Friday! Yesterday and this morning I've been in Farmville Virginia at the Virginia Council of Graduate School’s spring meeting at Longwood University. It is a nice town with a historic main street, river, and trail. There’s also the Moton Museum (1), and a National Historic Landmark, which is a fascinating place with impactful exhibits, videos, and tours. It is certainly worth the drive to visit.

On the agenda at the VCGS meeting are such varied items as fraudulent applications, program director resources, and the results of a “secret shopper” activity examining how graduate programs respond to prospective student inquiries. We’ll be sharing high impact or big challenge initiatives and discussing graduate enrollment for next year. It is a diverse group ranging from small colleges to R1s, and I always learn something.

This week has been filled with Graduate Education Week (GEW) events, starting with donuts on Monday morning and culminating with our Big Barbeque later this afternoon. In between, we held writing retreats, bingo, Hokie hiccups, the GPSS research symposium, awards, and much more. There were also many events in Roanoke and Alexandria and some remote activities. We don’t have the numbers yet, but there was plenty of bustle in the GLC and at our other locations, and I know that we reached a good portion of our community.

One important aim of GEW is to help build community and belonging. These are vitally important for your success in graduate school. Among the many reasons for this is that they help bolster against the so-called “imposter syndrome” -- the persistent feeling that you are not qualified for your position and sometime soon you will be “unmasked” as an imposter. People often assume that competence and confidence go together, but that is not always true.

Not surprisingly to those of us in academia, graduate students are quite susceptible to these feelings (2). When it is severe, it can lead to harmful outcomes, including decision paralysis and increased mental and physical illnesses. Sverdlick, et al. (2) conducted surveys of doctoral students from across disciplines and found that “perceived belongingness was found to be a negative predictor of imposter syndrome (and) that, in turn, predicted higher levels of depression, stress, and illness symptoms (2, abstract).” They recommended professional development and events such as those we offer during GEW to help build students’ well-being. So, in essence, that is why, we offer things like GEW and a great many other opportunities throughout the year and I urge you to take advantage of them when you can.

That’s all from me until next week, as always, take care of yourselves and your loved ones and please reach out if you need anything. We are here to support you. Your problems, your worries, your fears, and above all, you matter.

Aimée M. Surprenant

Dean of the Graduate School

1 https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fmotonmuseum.org%2F&data=05%7C02%7Ccathg14%40vt.edu%7C92e38d3333914fd5d83c08de8c1ce3bc%7C6095688410ad40fa863d4f32c1e3a37a%7C0%7C0%7C639102252905791997%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=98EMQXL94vm8%2F5Hr2VBc6xtOsJeibr54rNCOpZ0lvHE%3D&reserved=0

2 Sverdlik, Anna & Hall, Nathan & McAlpine, Lynn. (2020). PhD Imposter Syndrome: Exploring Antecedents, Consequences, and Implications for Doctoral Well-Being. International Journal of Doctoral Studies. 15. 737-758. 10.28945/4670. https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.researchgate.net%2Fpublication%2F347777180_PhD_Imposter_Syndrome_Exploring_Antecedents_Consequences_and_Implications_for_Doctoral_Well-Being&data=05%7C02%7Ccathg14%40vt.edu%7C92e38d3333914fd5d83c08de8c1ce3bc%7C6095688410ad40fa863d4f32c1e3a37a%7C0%7C0%7C639102252905816016%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=j8WxV82Kj9hLuGxEHHXhMny%2FI3i7E37L9fhPLpZzDi8%3D&reserved=0

Dear Graduate and Professional Students,

Happy Friday! It has been a busy week with lots of year end events, ceremonies, receptions, and dinners--culminating in our Ut Prosim Society weekend starting today (1). The weekend is an opportunity for us to show our alums and donors the amazing things that are happening at VT. It will include campus tours, the Dennis Dean Undergraduate Research and Creative Scholarship Conference, tours of research labs, Nutshell talks, and a visit to The Market, Virginia Tech’s food pantry. The Market tour will be an opportunity for attendees to hear about food security, coalition building, and areas for growth (i.e., donations!). At the same time, the International Street Fair (2), a yearly celebration of cultures from across the world, will be taking place on Alumni Mall. Folks from across the country and around the world will be on campus this weekend. I hope you have the opportunity to experience the fair—it is a lot of fun with good food and music.

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about what advice to offer folks who are coping with hard experiences. There’s a tendency for us as a society to talk about “building resilience” and to reinforce the myth that “grit” or “being tough” is important or even that “what doesn’t kill us makes us stronger.” Those messages implicitly encourage us to pretend that we are strong and that we can push through difficult times alone. This strategy is quite counterproductive and can lead to poor mental health outcomes (3). In contrast, recent research shows that distress and resilience often go together (4). Kevin Bellizzi, Professor of Human Development and Family Sciences, University of Connecticut wrote in his article entitled “‘Bouncing back’ is a myth – resilience means integrating hard experiences into your life story, not ignoring them (5)”: “Resilience, in other words, is not about erasing pain and suffering. It is about learning how to integrate difficult experiences into a life that continues forward.” This framework gives us the permission to grieve when necessary and to acknowledge that the challenges we experience change us forever: we will never be the same person we were, we will not “bounce back” without scars. Processing our experiences, both good and bad, takes time and is an ongoing journey. Like any journey, there are places where we move forward and others where we slide back. Ultimately, resilience is less about bouncing back than about finding ways to carry our experiences with honesty and compassion as we continue to move forward (5).

That’s all from me until next week, as always, take care of yourselves and your loved ones and please reach out if you need anything. We are here to support you. Your problems, your worries, your fears, and above all, you matter.

Aimée M. Surprenant

Dean of the Graduate School

1 https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.give.vt.edu%2Fgiving-societies%2Fut-prosim-society%2Fweekend.html&data=05%7C02%7Ccathg14%40vt.edu%7C77c95d8b7abd4ff20cc308dea21e3e41%7C6095688410ad40fa863d4f32c1e3a37a%7C0%7C0%7C639126447939212084%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=FJ88DuQEtGcppy50NzRj4es182LMIg2BOcCgPPAOY68%3D&reserved=0

2 https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Finternational.vt.edu%2Fstudent_experience%2Finternational_street_fair.html&data=05%7C02%7Ccathg14%40vt.edu%7C77c95d8b7abd4ff20cc308dea21e3e41%7C6095688410ad40fa863d4f32c1e3a37a%7C0%7C0%7C639126447939238696%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=AXgVcVuNq1XZnmqlSsIa6b4WMgZPPGIUj3OhuiUG5tI%3D&reserved=0

3 Goel, Vishwam, "Tough It Out": An Investigation on the Societal Pressure to Persevere (December 27, 2023). Available at SSRN: https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fssrn.com%2Fabstract%3D5361161&data=05%7C02%7Ccathg14%40vt.edu%7C77c95d8b7abd4ff20cc308dea21e3e41%7C6095688410ad40fa863d4f32c1e3a37a%7C0%7C0%7C639126447939259482%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=5nQd%2FRIPqNmi3eNRLNYim9lnB5RHSa6NFuWM0IKqCPo%3D&reserved=0 or https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fdx.doi.org%2F10.2139%2Fssrn.5361161&data=05%7C02%7Ccathg14%40vt.edu%7C77c95d8b7abd4ff20cc308dea21e3e41%7C6095688410ad40fa863d4f32c1e3a37a%7C0%7C0%7C639126447939280582%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=jHECsSnLzc%2B%2Bz4a2NDyV%2FqV%2BOJ3u5SYwj9DluUtpusY%3D&reserved=0

4 Bellizzi, K.M., Smith, A., Schmidt, S., Keegan, T.H.M., Zebrack, B., Lynch, C.F., Deapen, D., Shnorhavorian, M., Tompkins, B.J., Simon, M. and and the Adolescent and Young Adult Health Outcomes and Patient Experience (AYA HOPE) Study Collaborative Group (2012), Positive and negative psychosocial impact of being diagnosed with cancer as an adolescent or young adult. Cancer, 118: 5155-5162. https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdoi.org%2F10.1002%2Fcncr.27512&data=05%7C02%7Ccathg14%40vt.edu%7C77c95d8b7abd4ff20cc308dea21e3e41%7C6095688410ad40fa863d4f32c1e3a37a%7C0%7C0%7C639126447939301763%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=IEeNdQioiBQNr6xkE1UjbbkkJOtljKIdhS64b%2Bo96qk%3D&reserved=0

5 https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Ftheconversation.com%2Fbouncing-back-is-a-myth-resilience-means-integrating-hard-experiences-into-your-life-story-not-ignoring-them-275069&data=05%7C02%7Ccathg14%40vt.edu%7C77c95d8b7abd4ff20cc308dea21e3e41%7C6095688410ad40fa863d4f32c1e3a37a%7C0%7C0%7C639126447939327644%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=rfbEdHOKfkjXi%2FBOGptjfeabvgoconNQpok0Zh5Y%2Bbs%3D&reserved=0

5 Bellizzi, K. M. (2025). Falling forward : the new science of resilience and personal transformation (First edition). Thrive Press.

Dear Graduate and Professional Students,

Happy May Day! This spring holiday can be traced back to the ancient Romans, who honored Flora, the goddess of flowers (1). It’s also International Workers’ Day, celebrated in many countries (2). In the United States and Canada, for historical and political reasons (3), these celebrations take place on Labor Day in September. Across all versions of the holiday, we recognize major labor innovations such as the eight‑hour workday, the weekend, and safer working conditions.

In my class a few weeks ago I had a panel of successful academics who talked about their career trajectories. One of the panelists, Dr. Ashleigh Maxcey, is a research assistant professor and senior lecturer in Psychology at Vanderbilt. She teaches Positive Psychology and recorded a TEDx talk called “What happens when you teach joy (4)?” It is an insightful, evidence-based discussion with advice and techniques on how you can incorporate joy into your everyday life. She tested those techniques in her class via a series of required exercises. And it worked, it really did—students loved it and they found habits that worked for them. However, in the end, even though they found that the techniques increased their happiness, the students stopped doing them once they were no longer required for the class. One student said, “happiness doesn’t count on a resume, I’d rather spend my time doing something I know will pay off later”.

Along with Ashleigh, I understand why you would postpone joy, thinking that it will come later; once you finish grad school, once you get your dream job, or have a family. I think her diagnosis about why we do this is spot on: our structures and rewards do not include prioritizing happiness, nor do they support taking time for yourself. We look around and see how everyone is busy all the time working endless hours and we think that is what success looks like. But I can tell you that appearances can be deceiving. My observation is that most people who work devastatingly long hours are not being productive during those hours and would actually get more done if they took a break. This observation is not mine alone. Dr. Exequiel Hernandez from Harvard Business School wrote: “The scarcest resource in academia is insight, not time (5).” You don’t get insight by sitting at your desk for 15 hours a day. You don’t get it by losing sleep and sacrificing your family time and health. Like Dr. Hernandez, I’ve found that most tasks take as long as you give them. If I start working on my weekly email on Monday, it takes until Friday to finish it. If I start it on Friday morning, I still get it done in time to send it off by Friday afternoon. I’m not suggesting that you procrastinate, rather, that you assign time for a task where you can focus exclusively on that task. I can tell you that many extraordinarily successful people “maximize insight instead of maximizing time (5).” Taking time for joy isn’t indulgent; it’s the very thing that allows your insight, energy, and purpose to prosper.

That’s all from me until next week, as always, take care of yourselves and your loved ones and please reach out if you need anything. We are here to support you. Your problems, your worries, your fears, and above all, you matter.

Aimée M. Surprenant

Dean of the Graduate School

1 https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FMay_Day&data=05%7C02%7Ccathg14%40vt.edu%7Cbaa4fe6be9954fbeeccd08dea78ba887%7C6095688410ad40fa863d4f32c1e3a37a%7C0%7C0%7C639132415426130665%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=JDuUtDZAqQ6nm%2FCwR48DfEgbhdKUf2JsentmwundRlk%3D&reserved=0

2 https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.britannica.com%2Ftopic%2FMay-Day-international-observance&data=05%7C02%7Ccathg14%40vt.edu%7Cbaa4fe6be9954fbeeccd08dea78ba887%7C6095688410ad40fa863d4f32c1e3a37a%7C0%7C0%7C639132415426169034%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=3S8s07YCFgDj%2BMVn2%2BTghVAuHlu74iIXJsqsIRcDWvs%3D&reserved=0

3 https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.britannica.com%2Ftopic%2FWhat-Is-the-Difference-Between-May-Day-and-Labor-Day&data=05%7C02%7Ccathg14%40vt.edu%7Cbaa4fe6be9954fbeeccd08dea78ba887%7C6095688410ad40fa863d4f32c1e3a37a%7C0%7C0%7C639132415426198109%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=Gyf8pUjfLSUBCIvZoLA3WebYW2R61UGE5zPzJ2z6aEk%3D&reserved=0

4 https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DZ9WuO-6lc9Y&data=05%7C02%7Ccathg14%40vt.edu%7Cbaa4fe6be9954fbeeccd08dea78ba887%7C6095688410ad40fa863d4f32c1e3a37a%7C0%7C0%7C639132415426237679%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=SIKbxpi29zQCOg%2FJTziUZDvWQmFEojJyPnBwK8mIzlI%3D&reserved=0

5 https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fhbsp.harvard.edu%2Finspiring-minds%2Fyes-you-can-succeed-in-academia-and-still-have-a-personal-life&data=05%7C02%7Ccathg14%40vt.edu%7Cbaa4fe6be9954fbeeccd08dea78ba887%7C6095688410ad40fa863d4f32c1e3a37a%7C0%7C0%7C639132415426267220%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=HxcVFdYXhOiBnr7VxArAX0Nxe8YLUyEGvWLFtToPkFY%3D&reserved=0

Dear Graduate and Professional Students,
Happy Friday. I want to start by saying that I spent quite a bit of time yesterday working on an inspirational message to share with you today. Given the Canvas disruption, however, I’m going to hold that for a later date. You can expect to see it in the next few weeks, assuming events allow.

We’ve been working hard to communicate quickly, which means information may be scattered across multiple channels. For your convenience, I’ve reproduced the message that went out to faculty this morning below my sign-off. We know there are still unanswered questions, and we’re keeping a running list: updates will continue to be added to the status page (1).

Regarding the Canvas outage: service now appears to be restored (1), and the company that owns Canvas has released a FAQ with additional information (2). Even with systems back online, all exams originally scheduled for Friday have been moved to Sunday. Faculty may still offer their exams today, but only if they are also available on Sunday. I recognize this is far from ideal and that it creates additional work for faculty and GTAs, not to mention students who are quite stressed, to say the least.

Blacksburg Transit is working on beefing up Sunday bus routes and will be posting an update by 5 pm today (3). Of course, they rely on students as drivers so they may not be able to staff all the routes to full weekday levels. They are amazing partners and I’m impressed with their responsiveness.

Sunday is not only a day with religious and other commitments for many—it is also Mother’s Day. Because of that, I know that some of you already have plans that do not involve coming to campus to administer or take an exam. If you are a GTA or a student taking an exam and need an accommodation, please reach out to the instructor for your course to discuss what is needed. If you are unable to adjust your schedule, please work with the course instructor, graduate program director, department head, chair, or school director so they can help navigate your individual circumstances. Everyone has been asked to be as flexible and understanding as possible.

I know these disruptions are not insignificant, particularly at the close of an already demanding semester. Crises are, by nature, unexpected and disruptive—but by supporting one another, communicating openly, and extending grace where we can, we will get through this together.

That’s all from me until next week, as always, take care of yourselves and your loved ones and please reach out if you need anything. We are here to support you. Your problems, your worries, your fears, and above all, you matter.

Aimée M. Surprenant

Dean of the Graduate School

1 https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.vt.edu%2Fstatus.html&data=05%7C02%7Ccathg14%40vt.edu%7Cc1aecf8a71884db5ea8108dead1a54d8%7C6095688410ad40fa863d4f32c1e3a37a%7C0%7C0%7C639138525781295927%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=w4WFpN5eL8Ewji8hyA9BCZwMGnfo16LDVFkikY0JE%2Fk%3D&reserved=0

2 https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.instructure.com%2Fincident_update&data=05%7C02%7Ccathg14%40vt.edu%7Cc1aecf8a71884db5ea8108dead1a54d8%7C6095688410ad40fa863d4f32c1e3a37a%7C0%7C0%7C639138525781324469%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=eSzOjldod0G%2F57vJEt%2F2bzYM7Wg43Dq3TSMa6DZVNds%3D&reserved=0

3 https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fridebt.org%2Froutes-schedules&data=05%7C02%7Ccathg14%40vt.edu%7Cc1aecf8a71884db5ea8108dead1a54d8%7C6095688410ad40fa863d4f32c1e3a37a%7C0%7C0%7C639138525781347495%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=vSz25GwwaMCkwguITFZY0cych2evFJmK46LpjHBZSEc%3D&reserved=0

*** Please forward to all instructional faculty and graduate student instructors of record ***

Message to Dear Colleagues,
As announced last night, due to the Canvas outage, all final exams scheduled for today (Friday, May 8th) have been moved to Sunday. Faculty do not have the authority to override this decision and hold finals today unless today’s exam is optional and the exam will also be offered as scheduled on Sunday. Any optional exam today should be given in the same location and at the time originally scheduled to avoid any schedule conflicts. Remember, classrooms are being used today for more than just exams, and students may have other commitments, so please don't assume availability.

As we work through this situation, the Provost’s Office encourages instructional faculty and graduate student instructors of record to exercise appropriate flexibility with exams and other end-of-semester assignments where circumstances warrant. Faculty should work with their department heads, chairs, school directors, and departmental directors of undergraduate and graduate programs regarding individual circumstances and/or unique situations as they arise.

We recognize that this disruption comes at an especially demanding point in the semester and has created significant challenges for students, faculty, and staff alike. As always, we have confidence in your judgment, your commitment to your students, and your ability to navigate these challenges while maintaining the integrity of your courses and academic expectations.

Along with the associate deans for undergraduate and graduate affairs, we are available to answer questions and provide assistance as needed. We will share additional information as it becomes available.

Sincerely,

Ron Fricker, Jill Sible, and Aimee Surprenant

P.S. Note that faculty who have been relying on Canvas to communicate with students may access student email addresses through HokieSPA as follows:

Login to https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hokiespa.vt.edu%2F&data=05%7C02%7Ccathg14%40vt.edu%7Cc1aecf8a71884db5ea8108dead1a54d8%7C6095688410ad40fa863d4f32c1e3a37a%7C0%7C0%7C639138525781369226%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=x%2B5eR9jBqu%2FiY4LaJGAj7n6iOxR6%2F7lVILJ9SOSKtmU%3D&reserved=0.

From the main menu, select Faculty Access
Select Summary Class List
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IMPORTANT STEP - DO NOT CLICK THROUGH QUICKLY - Select Spring 2026
Select CRN from dropdown

Dear Graduate and Professional Students,

Happy Friday! Exams have wrapped up, and the campus already feels quiet with so many people heading out. It has been a fun week with our PhD commencement and college and university commencement ceremonies, wrapping up with our Sunday ceremony in the DC area. I’m especially excited to be attending a ceremony on Saturday for one of my brothers, who is receiving his master’s degree from the University of Maryland Global Campus. He finished his bachelor’s degree during the pandemic, so we never had the chance to celebrate that milestone in person. This time, the whole family is going all in, and we fully intend to embarrass him in the best way. I’m incredibly proud of his perseverance, and I would like to extend that same pride to all of you who have completed your graduate degrees, no matter what stage of life you’re in. Congratulations!

(As an aside, if you are graduating, please fill out our exit survey (1)—it helps us make arguments for meaningful change.)

A few weeks ago in this forum, I talked about imposter syndrome and how it can paralyze us with self‑doubt. However, feeling like we don’t know everything isn't always a bad thing. I’d argue that certain elements of imposter syndrome—specifically something called “confident humility”—can actually be beneficial. As Adam Grant notes in his book “Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don’t Know”, we need a healthy measure of both factors: “confidence without humility breeds blind arrogance, and humility without confidence yields debilitating doubt.” Confident humility allows us to believe in ourselves while still questioning our strategies and staying open to other ideas. Ultimately, we can reframe uncertainty not as a weakness but as a powerful driver of growth.

On the same theme, I’ve just finished reading a memoir by Jacinda Arden, the former Prime Minister of New Zealand. Ms. Arden was Prime Minister through a series of crises. First, there was a mass shooting in 2019 where 51 people were killed and many others injured. Second, a volcano erupted unexpectedly in a popular tourist location. Finally, she was Prime Minister during the COVID pandemic. Oh, and she also had a baby in the first year of her term! During all of those crises she was famously empathetic and human. Surprisingly, she was beset by doubts about her abilities but used her imposter syndrome to her advantage. Her advice on this was:

“If you have impostor syndrome, or question yourself, channel that. It will help you. You will read more, seek out advice, and humble yourself to situations that require humility to be conquered. If you’re anxious, and overthink everything, if you can imagine the worst-case scenario always, channel that too. It will mean you are ready when the most challenging days arrive. And if you are thin-skinned and sensitive, if criticism cuts you in two, that is not weakness; it’s empathy. In fact, all of the traits that you believe are your flaws will come to be your strengths. The things you thought would cripple you will in fact make you stronger, make you better. They will give you a different kind of power, and make you a leader that this world, with all its turmoil, might just need (3).”

For those of you navigating the uncertainty of graduate school, her words affirm that doubt isn’t a disqualifier — it’s often the sign that you’re growing into the work you’re meant to do.

Please note: I’ll be cutting back to one email a month over the summer months unless something comes up that I think you need to know about. As always, take care of yourselves and your loved ones and please reach out if you need anything. We are here to support you. Your problems, your worries, your fears, and above all, you matter.

Aimée M. Surprenant

Dean of the Graduate School

1 https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fgraduateschool.vt.edu%2Fnumbers%2Fexit_surveys.html&data=05%7C02%7Ccathg14%40vt.edu%7Cc516b2ea0f8a499f4f1708deb28b8f15%7C6095688410ad40fa863d4f32c1e3a37a%7C0%7C0%7C639144509694225168%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=QwHOpMDsJf6klze8HJ07XOb6HYGVwJjWKAFi8jatgA8%3D&reserved=0

2 Grant, A. (2021). Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don't Know. Ebury Publishing. (this is in the library in hard copy but I have it checked out—will bring it back soon)

3 Ardern, J. (2025). A Different Kind of Power: A Memoir. Crown Publishing Group. 9780593728703

Fall Semester 2025

Dear Graduate and Professional Students,

Congratulations on making it through the first week of the semester! To those of you who have just joined us at Virginia Tech: Welcome, I hope you are settling in and finding your way around. To those of you who are returning: Welcome back, I hope you are re-charged and ready to dive into your work.

To help you make the most of your semester, here are some planning tips:

1. Set Clear Academic and Research/Scholarship Goals: Define what you want to achieve this semester. Break larger goals into manageable milestones to stay motivated and on track.

2. Create a Detailed Schedule: Map out your classes, study sessions, research time, and any professional commitments. Use digital calendars or planners to keep everything organized. Make sure to include family responsibilities and time out for illness or other emergencies.

3. Prioritize Self-Care: Graduate and professional studies can be intense. Make sure to allocate time for rest, exercise, and social connections to maintain your well-being.

4. Engage with Resources: Take advantage of campus resources such as the library, (1) writing center (2), career services (3), and counseling (4). Don’t hesitate to seek support when needed.

5. Network and Collaborate: Connect with peers, faculty, and professionals in your field. Collaboration often leads to new insights and opportunities.

Remember, you have full access to the National Center for Faculty Development and Diversity (NCFDD) (5), which has webinars and resources to help you engage in thoughtful planning now to set you up for success throughout the semester and beyond. We’ve been working all summer to plan activities and sessions for social/personal development, career planning, and professional development opportunities for you in collaboration with our partners across the university. Please read the Monday newsletter carefully and take advantage of the many resources available to you.

We’re here to support you every step of the way. Let’s make this semester one of growth, achievement, and progress toward your degree and your life goals.

As always, take care of yourselves and your loved ones, please reach out if you need anything. We are here to support you. Your problems, your worries, your fears, and above all you matter.

Aimée M. Surprenant

Dean of the Graduate School

Notes:
1 Library Events - University Libraries

2 Writing Center | University Libraries | Virginia Tech

3 Graduate Students – Career and Professional Development | Virginia Tech

4 Cook Counseling Center | Cook Counseling Center | Virginia Tech

Dear Graduate and Professional Students,

Happy Friday! For those of you in Blacksburg, I hope you’ve been enjoying the energy on campus with lots of events and gatherings over the past few weeks. I have a great vantage point as my office overlooks the GLC lawn where lots of activities occur. I especially like the petting zoo visits—they bring llamas (or alpacas—I can’t tell the difference) and goats and other animals to campus. For those of you in Alexandria, I hope you are enjoying the activity in the new building. For those of you elsewhere, I hope you are enjoying whatever is going on around you!

As I was reading through social media this morning, I came across a post from a professor that inspired my topic for this week. The professor wrote:

“New Ph.D. students this week. ...We got some really good ones! The 3rd year one really developed a lot. He used to treat me like a buddy and took his work not so serious; now he sends plots ahead of meetings, has an agenda, thinks ahead and drives the project.”

I also spoke with a student earlier this week who had just defended her thesis who told me that her committee was impressed by how she had made her project her own. She was rightfully proud of her work and felt prepared for the next steps in her career.

From a professor’s point of view, the best graduate students are those who take ownership of their ideas and drive their projects forward. No one will care about your research or scholarship as much as you do—so it’s up to you to make it the best it can be. There’s a nice article in the Chronicle of Higher Education on this topic (1). The author has some specific steps for you to follow to take charge of your Ph.D. Step 1 is to identify how hands-on or off your supervisor is. Interestingly, there is a complex interaction of supervisory styles and student motivation (defined as academic passion) and psychological capital (defined as hope, efficacy, resilience, and optimism) that predicts a student’s performance in graduate programs (2). Like in any multiple regression those dimensions can trade off and a successful relationship can be achieved with any number of combinations of variables.

My main point is that graduate school is a time for you to establish your independence and to think for yourself. Somewhat counterintuitively, the best students I have had are the ones who have argued with me, presented compelling evidence to support their view, and convinced me to allow them to take a different approach to the one I had expected. There’s nothing like the proud feeling of a supervisor watching their student forge their own path!

As always, take care of yourselves and your loved ones, please reach out if you need anything. We are here to support you. Your problems, your worries, your fears, and above all you matter.

Aimée M. Surprenant, Dean of the Graduate School

NOTES
1 Taking Charge of your Ph.D., a column from Inside Higher Ed

2 Yang, B., Guo, S., & Xu, J. (2022). Supervisory styles and graduate student innovation performance: The mediating role of psychological capital and the moderating role of harmonious academic passion. Frontiers in Psychology, Educational Psychology, Volume 13. Frontiers | Supervisory styles and graduate student innovation performance: The mediating role of psychological capital and the moderating role of harmonious academic passion

Dear Graduate and Professional Students,

Happy Friday! It has been a busy week for me with the start of all the meetings for the semester that were paused over the summer. This week I’ve met with the Global Distinction Committee, Research and Innovation Council, Graduate Program Directors and Coordinators, Commission on Graduate and Professional Student Affairs (CGPSA), President’s Council, Academic Affairs Council, and the Deans with the Provost meeting. We had lots of presentations, including updates on the federal research landscape, leave policies, the IT strategic plan, the Academic Resource Alignment exercise, a few discussions around AI, and more. Of most interest to you is that the chair of CGPSA discussed the report that the Working Group to Formulate University Policy to Combat Unprofessional Behaviors Towards Graduate and Professional Students, which was just sent to the Provost. I believe that the report will be discussed in the next GPSS meeting and you will have the opportunity to provide your input into the proposed process via the Senate.

We also held a 2-hour webinar for Graduate Program Directors, Coordinators, and faculty who are advising international students. The Graduate School partnered with Cranwell International Center to describe the labyrinth of regulations and procedures required to keep our students’ status. We emphasized the various additional pressures on our students (both domestic and international) due to global climate and political turmoil. We want our faculty and support staff to know about when and where to send students who need help.

Speaking of that, and given that September is National Campus Safety Awareness Month (1), this is a time for all of us at VT to reflect on the importance of safety in fostering student success. Sadly, Virginia Tech has a lot of experience in this area. Our campus is safer than any time before, thanks to the diligence and hard work of our emergency management crew, Dean of Student’s Office, the dedicated university police department, and all the supporting security programs and infrastructure.

Here are a few resources: First, there are helpful safety tips (2), such as common scams, theft prevention and more. We have the Hokie Ready mobile app (3) that provides campus maps, global travel, and emergency response guides, including emergency contact information. There is also VT Alerts (4), which is used to communicate critical information with the Virginia Tech community in the event of an emergency on or near Virginia Tech campus locations. VT Alerts are issued when there is a need for community members to take immediate protective action from a threat to the safety or health of the university community; during significant changes to university operations; or during system-wide testing in the fall and spring semesters. You can sign up for text alerts, phone calls, or email alerts (or all three!). Alerts are available at different campuses.

Finally, we have a Threat Assessment team at VT (5). This team is comprised of representatives from student affairs, law enforcement, human resources, counseling services, and residence life. The team meets on a regular basis to evaluate threat referrals, develop case management plans and, if necessary, intervene in a manner appropriate to the situation. If you have any concerns or need assistance yourself, please reach out to them. They are quite friendly and helpful.

All of this is summarized on the Be Hokie Ready web site (6).

As always, take care of yourselves and your loved ones, please reach out if you need anything. We are here to support you. Your problems, your worries, your fears, and above all you matter.

Aimée M. Surprenant, Dean of the Graduate School

NOTES

1 https://www.campusdrugprevention.gov/news/september-national-campus-safety-awareness-month

2 https://police.vt.edu/safety-security/safety-tips.html

3 https://emergency.vt.edu/programs/HokieReadyApp.html

4 https://www.alerts.vt.edu/

5 https://threatassessment.vt.edu/

6 https://emergency.vt.edu/ready.html

Dear Graduate and Professional Students,

Greetings! I hope you have enjoyed your week and can take some time to unwind over the weekend. Today I’m visiting Norfolk State University to discuss ways for us to collaborate more closely. Next week I travel to Kisane, Botswana, to visit Dr. Kathleen Alexander’s research station (1) and meet with local university administrators to see how we can work together. I’m looking forward to the visit and I hope to take a day to see the scenery.

It has been a busy week as we’ve started to put into action the plans we made over the summer. The Commission on Graduate and Professional Studies and Policies (CGPS&P) met for the first time on Wednesday. We have a busy agenda looking at a variety of policies with an eye toward making sure they continue to meet the needs of students and programs. One big project is our sub-committee examining course-only master’s programs to evaluate the systems, policies and procedures for course only graduate programs and develop a plan for implementing these changes. Another group is working on revising policies for improving our accelerated master’s programs. You can find the minutes of the meetings on the governance website (2). I’ll keep you updated on our activities.

I’ve been reading a book called Leading Quietly: An Unorthodox Guide to Doing the Right Thing by Joseph L. Badarocco (3) and have found it both enjoyable and horrifying in turns. The author’s thesis is: “The vast majority of difficult, important human problems — both inside and outside organizations — are not solved by a swift, decisive stroke from someone at the top. What usually matters are careful, thoughtful, small, practical efforts by people working far from the limelight. In short, quiet leadership is what moves and changes the world (p. 9).”

What is enjoyable about the book is that it describes a leadership style that I resonate with — an emphasis on "preparation, caution, care, and attention to detail (p. 6)” along with humility, collaboration, and compromise. What is horrifying are the examples of how this is done in practice — often bending rules, protecting the status quo, compromising principles, acting with mixed motives, and prioritizing self-preservation. We prefer our leaders to act with moral clarity and for the good of society with an unfaltering dedication to noble causes. We expect them to inspire and to be better than regular people. This can lead to bitter disappointment when a leader makes a mistake, and trust can be shattered with a single misstep. However, when we recognize that our leaders are as flawed as we are, it empowers us to take a leadership role in everyday matters. I encourage you to take a minute to consider what small, meaningful changes you can make over time to improve your departments and communities.

As always, take care of yourselves and your loved ones, please reach out if you need anything. We are here to support you. Your problems, your worries, your fears, and above all you matter.

Aimée M. Surprenant, Dean of the Graduate School

Notes
1 Home | CARACAL

2 Governance | CGPSP

3 Leading quietly : an unorthodox guide to doing the right thing - Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Dear Graduate and Professional Students,

Happy Friday! As I mentioned last week, I’m currently visiting Virginia Tech’s research station in Kisane, Botswana (1). The facility is impressive, with a wildlife rehabilitation area, extensive sample banks collected from animals and humans over decades, and equipment and facilities for tracking disease through socio-ecological systems. They take a systems-biology approach, integrating communities, wildlife, and ecosystem dynamics to solve emerging societal and environmental problems. They also integrate their research programs with education and outreach initiatives, including a wide array of integrated government partners. The purpose of this trip is to start to create formal connections with local universities to find ways for their students and faculty to use the facility, participate in the programs, and collaborate on research and educational programs with our students and faculty. We also hope to encourage students and faculty at VT to think about how they might engage with the resources at the facility. The possibilities go well beyond wildlife ecology and include opportunities for truly engaging in a comprehensive one-health paradigm. The large amount of data available makes it an outstanding opportunity for computational modelling and other edge computing approaches. Kisane is a beautiful place with impressive wildlife: In the short time we had going through Chobe National Park (2), I saw elephants, giraffes, crocodiles, impalas, bush bucks, and even a hippo or two! It is a wonderful and welcoming community. I’m excited to see the next steps for this project.

On Monday and Tuesday, I’ll be in Alexandria at an NSF-funded workshop focused on Expanding STEM Ph.D. Funding Streams (3). Given that only about 34% of our Ph.D. students choose to take academic positions (4), it is essential for us to ensure that their training includes activities that will prepare them for all types of careers. The Council of Graduate Schools survey (5) shows that Ph.D. earners who entered industry were generally very happy with their degree — about 75% of respondents (N=8,173) indicating that they definitely, or probably, would pursue a Ph.D. again. The top-rated job skills were analytical thinking and adaptability/flexibility, certainly skills all graduate students obtain over the course of their programs. The workshop will include a series of presentations from successful partnerships, and breakout sessions to allow us to explore approaches for collaboration with industry at the Ph.D. level. We’ll address important issues such as intellectual property, financial and administrative management, program life cycle, co-mentoring, and we will discuss how to ensure our students can engage in scholarship and research that is worthy of the Ph.D. degree while still providing value for our industry partners. I’m looking forward to it and hope to come back with ideas for smoothing the way for more of our students and faculty to create and sustain these industry partnerships.

That’s all from me for now. As always, take care of yourselves and your loved ones, please reach out if you need anything. We are here to support you. Your problems, your worries, your fears, and above all you matter.

Aimée M. Surprenant, Dean of the Graduate School

Notes

1 https://www.caracal.info

2 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chobe_National_Park

3 https://web.cvent.com/event/f0dcc073-f51e-463c-9da6-cdfe2185c465/summary, for a Sept. 29-30, 2025 workshop

4 National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics. (2023). Survey of Doctorate Recipients, 2021. NSF 23-319. National Science Foundation. https://ncses.nsf.gov/pubs/nsf23319

5 https://cgsnet.org/project/understanding-phd-career-pathways-for-program-improvement

Dear Graduate and Professional Students,

Happy Friday! Monday and Tuesday this week I attended a workshop on university-industry partnerships for Ph.D.s sponsored by NSF and UIDP (1). We talked about expanding funding streams beyond federal funding, intellectual property and publication rights, and program life cycle (how much time at the industry partner, when is that time best spent, etc.). Once the report from that meeting gets published, I’ll talk with faculty, students, and LINK (2) to figure out how to best think about this from a Virginia Tech perspective. Then on Thursday and today I am attending the Virginia Council of Graduate Schools meeting at UVA in Charlottesville. I’m learning about what other graduate schools in the state are doing to support their students as well as brainstorming about how we can highlight the great work you all do and the value that brings to the Commonwealth and the world. I updated the group on our working committee on mentor-mentee interactions, and they are very interested in implementing something similar at their institutions.

As you are aware, the US Federal Government failed to pass a continuing resolution to fund the budget, so the government has shut down all but essential activities. You can find a message from the Provost here (3). In terms of federal funding for grants, although grant proposal preparation and submission are still available and existing deadlines are in force, the review process will not begin, and new awards may be delayed. Once normal operations resume, there will be guidance on new funding timelines. For existing grants, grantees may continue performance under their existing awards to the extent funds are available. Specific information for grantees can be found at NSF (4). Other federal funding agencies follow similar guidelines. For the time being, there should be no direct impact on your funding or on the day-to-day operations of the university.

However, although for most of us the shutdown will not have a big effect on our daily lives, for those of you who have family or friends who are in the federal workforce, or are part of it yourselves, this is a difficult and stressful time. Federal workers and active-duty military service members will not receive a paycheck during the government shutdown. This is not a small number of people: about 750,000 federal employees are expected to be furloughed each day, according to the Congressional Budget Office (5). Hundreds of thousands more are required to keep working without pay until funding resumes, including essential staff like air traffic controllers and border patrol agents. Although employees will receive back pay when the government opens again, the uncertainty about the length of the shutdown and job prospects when it ends means deep financial uncertainty for them. We all hope this shutdown gets resolved soon. In the meantime, please keep our federal workforce in your thoughts.

That’s all from me for now. As always, take care of yourselves and your loved ones, please reach out if you need anything. We are here to support you. Your problems, your worries, your fears, and above all you matter.

Aimée M. Surprenant

Dean of the Graduate School

Notes
1 Summary - Expanding STEM PhD Funding Streams: A UIDP Workshop, on Sept. 29-30, 2025

2 LINK: Center for Advancing Partnerships | Innovation and Partnerships | Virginia Tech

3 Message from Provost Cyril Clarke and COO Amy Sebring: Monitoring Federal Government Shutdown | Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost | Virginia Tech

4 This was a link to the National Science Foundation page regarding issues related to the U.S. government shutdown. The page has since been deactivated.

5 Potential Effects of a Federal Government Shutdown

6 University Guidance and Updates | Virginia Tech

Dear Graduate and Professional Students,

Happy Friday! I hope you have had a good week. I spent Monday through Wednesday catching up on meetings after traveling for 2 weeks and am ending the week with a visit from representatives from Norfolk State University to talk about ways in which our institutions can better collaborate.

The Federal shutdown is still in place, and the university is monitoring the impact it is having on our community. As was the case last week, you can get updates on this web page (1). Nothing much has changed with that situation, so we’re still in a holding pattern.

We’re already halfway through the fall semester and will soon be in panic mode preparing for the end of the semester. The pressure on students (and faculty) begins to build during this time, and it is tempting to take shortcuts to get through crunch times. Thus, I thought it would be a good time to talk about the supports the Graduate School provides for students to help them navigate the ethical challenges and risks to integrity they might face. Our Graduate Honor System is set up not to punish offenders, but to try to “promote honesty and ethical behavior in all academic pursuits, including, but not limited to, study, research, teaching, and extension” (3). We also provide resources for avoiding plagiarism, addressing AI issues, navigating ethical dilemmas, and more on our website (4). I’m proud of the way in which our honor system has been developed for and by graduate students and the way in which it has a restorative justice rather than a punitive core. This priority is consistent with our educational mission and the way in which we try to have all of our activities take a student-centered lens.

Of course, academic pressures are one thing, but there are also pressures on you and your faculty members to produce publishable research or scholarship. Our Office of Research Integrity has an educational focus similar to that of our honor code, with training, resources, consultation, and events focused on helping our community navigate the ethical dilemmas and grey areas in research (5). They are available for consultation on the day-to-day decisions we make in the lab and how to ensure that those decisions are ethical and follow our policies. Of course, like the honor code, there is a process for complaints and allegations of misconduct, but the goal is to do everything we can to prevent that process from ever being needed. Please reach out to them if you need advice if you are ever unsure about a situation you are in or have observed.

That’s all from me for now. As always, take care of yourselves and your loved ones, please reach out if you need anything. We are here to support you. Your problems, your worries, your fears, and above all you matter.

Aimée M. Surprenant

Dean of the Graduate School

1 https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.vt.edu%2Ffederal-guidance.html&data=05%7C02%7Ccathg14%40vt.edu%7C4b5481cab2c7413778af08de081e6229%7C6095688410ad40fa863d4f32c1e3a37a%7C0%7C0%7C638957123742905959%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=HzOaCt%2BiffKIwrR%2FoyroZI3w6Ohj8o6TLQXc62TEhzg%3D&reserved=0

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5 https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.research.vt.edu%2Fsirc%2Fricp%2Findex.html&data=05%7C02%7Ccathg14%40vt.edu%7C4b5481cab2c7413778af08de081e6229%7C6095688410ad40fa863d4f32c1e3a37a%7C0%7C0%7C638957123743039080%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=mHMn%2BS2LO%2FesV0SRd9aNp996moI%2B43lRkv4KkjgJa4g%3D&reserved=0

Dear Graduate and Professional Students,

Happy Friday! This week’s weather in Blacksburg has been stunning — crisp blue skies overhead and the trees turning their autumn colors. And to top it all off, I caught a glimpse of a shooting star during my morning walk this morning. I hope you have been able to take advantage of it and get outside for a while.

Recently, the Nobel Prizes were announced, and I wanted to take the opportunity to remind you all that every scientific breakthrough is built on a foundation of careful, incremental work done by hundreds, if not thousands, of scientists like yourselves. The 2022 Nobel Prize winner in Chemistry, Dr. Carolyn Bertozzi, put it well: “Knowledge becomes the foundation for the next generation (1, 20:53).”

Scientific breakthroughs that earn things like Nobel Prizes begin not with fanfare, but with quiet persistence. They are built on incremental insights, careful experiments, and small discoveries made by researchers like you. The double helix, the Higgs boson, CRISPR — all these transformative ideas stood on foundations laid by thousands of scientists who may not be household names, but whose contributions were essential.

Your experiments may refine a method; your paper may clarify a mechanism; your observation may challenge a long-held assumption — these are the foundations on which future discoveries are built. You may not see the impact today or tomorrow, or even in your lifetime, but remember that, as they say, science is not a marathon, or a sprint; it’s a relay. Each step forward, no matter how small, brings the field closer to a moment of profound change.

So, keep going. Stay curious. Be rigorous. And remember: the Nobel Prize is not just a recognition of genius — it’s a tribute to the collective effort of a scientific community. One day, someone may stand on a stage, honored for a discovery that was only possible because of the work you’re doing right now.

That’s all from me for now. As always, take care of yourselves and your loved ones, please reach out if you need anything. We are here to support you. Your problems, your worries, your fears, and above all you matter.

Aimée M. Surprenant, Dean of the Graduate School

Notes
1 https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nobelprize.org%2Fprizes%2Fchemistry%2F2022%2Fbertozzi%2Finterview%2F&data=05%7C02%7Ccathg14%40vt.edu%7Cdf1cf75661174979c3ac08de0da55971%7C6095688410ad40fa863d4f32c1e3a37a%7C0%7C0%7C638963200971890507%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=E2tfW4Ldetuef8SlpWDogTEhJtcM%2FHWskhlLIWG6ruE%3D&reserved=0

Dear Graduate and Professional Students,

Happy Friday! Fall is here in Blacksburg, with beautiful colors, crisp, cold mornings, and vast starry skies above. If you can, please get outside for a while, even if it is to just sit on a bench. Interestingly, merely spending time in a “natural environment” improves cognitive performance. In one study, “participants were randomized into walking and sitting groups, with cognitive performance measured before, after, and 10 min. post intervention. Both groups demonstrated improvements in cognitive performance, with no significant difference between groups (1).” Note that these improvements were observed after just 10 minutes outdoors. The sample size is only 50, so generalizing from this is a bit dangerous but, even so, it is an impressive result.

The government shutdown has now entered its 24th day and, unfortunately, there's no end in sight. Many federal employees won’t receive paychecks today; their first full missed payday. Our colleagues in Northern Virginia are seeing and feeling this up close every day. Many of our students, faculty, and staff are directly affected or have family, close friends, or acquaintances who are furloughed or laid off. The uncertainty generates a great deal of stress and anxiety. Please keep them in your thoughts.

Earlier this week, the candidate for the Provost and Executive Vice President (2), Dean Julie Ross, gave a public presentation outlining her approach to the position. Before I tell you about that, I want to answer the question: “What is a Provost, anyway?” At Virginia Tech, the Provost is our Chief Academic Officer and oversees the academic side of the university (3). They are responsible for overseeing all academic affairs, including curriculum development, faculty hiring and evaluation, research initiatives, and student academic policies. They serve as the bridge between the faculty, deans, and executive leadership and provide the budgets for all the academic units. The graduate dean reports directly to the provost and so they indirectly support initiatives aimed at enhancing teaching, research, and student success for you all.

In her presentation, Dr. Ross described her number one priority as “supporting our people,” which includes recruiting, nurturing, challenging, and retaining talent by fostering a positive environment and supporting a healthy work-live balance. A second priority, building on the first, is “supporting our work” through resources, including financial, infrastructure, and policies that may help or get in the way of that work. The third priority is “supporting a thriving academic culture” by fostering open communication and transparency, clearly articulating shared values, vision, and mission, and promoting strong, healthy relationships. She specifically noted that she includes all of our community in each priority: faculty, students, and staff. I’m encouraged by her approach and am looking forward to working with her, should the committee recommend her appointment.

That’s all from me for now. As always, take care of yourselves and your loved ones, please reach out if you need anything. We are here to support you. Your problems, your worries, your fears, and above all you matter.

Aimée M. Surprenant, Dean of the Graduate School

Notes
1 Bailey AW, Kang HK. Walking and Sitting Outdoors: Which Is Better for Cognitive Performance and Mental States? Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 Dec 11;19(24):16638. doi: 10.3390/ijerph192416638. PMID: 36554519; PMCID: PMC9778927.

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Dear Graduate and Professional Students,

Happy Halloween! We’ve had some much-needed rain in Blacksburg, and it has turned cold and blustery all of a sudden. On the plus side, I’ve been able to make use of my rain pants on our morning walk.

Unfortunately, I don’t have good news to share on the government shutdown. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits will be cut off this weekend. Our governor has authorized emergency funding from Virginia (1) for those who are receiving SNAP benefits. The Market at Virginia Tech (2), as well as the local Thrive Network (3), offers food options and other resources, and both are accepting donations. Other resources for families can be found under the references below.

I’m at the Institute for Teaching and Mentoring meeting in Atlanta (4), where I’m learning from and sharing ideas with other graduate deans and professionals. Although the main program is for students, a parallel track is for institutions with grants from the Sloan Foundation. In my sessions, we are focusing on mentoring and tools that can be accessed and used by our faculty and students. I’m learning a lot and sharing some, too. It is always fun spending time with other people who think about graduate education and graduate students all the time.

I came across a cartoon the other day that I really liked (5). It describes a strategy of zooming out on your perspective to make the point that many of the things we are stressing about right now, in the grand scheme of things, are not that important. It also reminded me of a research strategy that has worked well for me in my career—zooming in and zooming out. Our day-to-day research is often focused on very small, incremental steps, and it can be a bit demotivating and isolating if you spend all of your time zoomed in on your small problem. But, when you zoom out, you see how your little piece adds to the universe of knowledge and is a solid brick in the cathedral of knowledge that we are all building (6). So, take some time, zoom out and remind yourself of the purpose of your work. Then, zoom back in and buckle down to solve that problem.

That’s all from me for now. As always, take care of yourselves and your loved ones, please reach out if you need anything. We are here to support you. Your problems, your worries, your fears, and above all you matter.

Aimée M. Surprenant

Dean of the Graduate School

1 https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdss.virginia.gov%2Fvena%2Findex.html&data=05%7C02%7Ccathg14%40vt.edu%7Cee3270df31b34db9fb3d08de18865b7b%7C6095688410ad40fa863d4f32c1e3a37a%7C0%7C0%7C638975162497510388%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=Cc6gpUgzQf7FR%2BsOOKfkY43%2BPhtJPAo0foiQfTHVdJ0%3D&reserved=0

2 https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Ffoodaccess.vt.edu%2F&data=05%7C02%7Ccathg14%40vt.edu%7Cee3270df31b34db9fb3d08de18865b7b%7C6095688410ad40fa863d4f32c1e3a37a%7C0%7C0%7C638975162497533946%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=%2BMKwIUBHU6vIRjk%2BlVCGDFC7neeHrsYNOfu7taLd0jE%3D&reserved=0

3 https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcfnrv.org%2Fthrive-food-access-network%2F&data=05%7C02%7Ccathg14%40vt.edu%7Cee3270df31b34db9fb3d08de18865b7b%7C6095688410ad40fa863d4f32c1e3a37a%7C0%7C0%7C638975162497551665%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=%2F3ByiupF1W6ahZpMKWwDZ1xxiSme059m3mBelRvIE34%3D&reserved=0

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Family resources:

Huddle Up Moms is a nonprofit that empowers women through education, meaningful support, and community connections. We have two programs where we support mothers and families:

Moms Under Pressure for pregnant individuals to help prevent preeclampsia and other cardiovascular diseases; and

Support Shop and Diaper Bank for families with children ages three and under. We provide diapers, wipes, formula, baby clothes, baby items, and maternity/nursing clothing free to the community.

Dear Graduate and Professional Students,

Happy Friday, I hope you have enjoyed your week. Mine was jam packed with meetings including discussing seed fund grant proposals, a dissertation defense, CGPS&P (1), planning with co-presenters for a national conference, meeting with the Graduate Program Directors and Coordinators, dinner with some graduate student athletes, a reception celebrating research, and various other meetings with students and faculty in the Graduate School. It was busy, but interesting.

I have nothing new to share with you on the federal government shutdown or any major university initiatives that could affect you. The new Provost was officially announced (2), and I am pleased that Dr. Julie Ross, Dean of the College of Engineering, was chosen for the role. She is an outstanding academic and a wonderful human being. We are very lucky that she agreed to take on this position at such a turbulent time.

I want to tell you about a report that has been hanging over my head for the past month. It had been haunting my sleep, following me on my walks, ping-ponging around my brain, and generally causing me stress and worry and rumination. Yesterday I sat down and got most of it out of the way in about two hours. This happens all the time and every time I resolve to just buckle down and do something right away rather than let it weigh me down for a long time. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized that it had been marinating around in my mind the whole time. Psychologists call this phenomenon “incubation” and there has been quite a bit of debate about the mechanism behind it. Three major explanations of this phenomenon are: intermittent conscious work; beneficial forgetting; and unconscious work. Recent research seems to verify my intuition: Gillhooly (2016) reviewed the literature and argued in favor of unconscious work that occurs probably through some sort of neural consolidation. I also found a study that shows that sleep facilitates problem solving (4) via a similar mechanism (which supports my pre-existing bias toward sleep being a cure for many things!). In short, if you are working on a problem requiring insight (a problem that does not have an immediately obvious solution), put it in the back of your mind, take a nap, or otherwise think of something else for a while. When you consider it again, you’re more likely to have found a solution than if you had worked on it constantly for the same amount of time.

In closing, I just found out about a wonderful Town of Blacksburg/VT symposium “bringing together Virginia Tech and Blacksburg community members, policymakers, and thought leaders from across the Commonwealth to explore climate policies and opportunities for public participation in light of an evolving federal landscape (5) being held on November 19. Please attend if you can!

That’s all from me for now. As always, take care of yourselves and your loved ones, please reach out if you need anything. We are here to support you. Your problems, your worries, your fears, and above all you matter.

Aimée M. Surprenant

Dean of the Graduate School

1 https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fgraduateschool.vt.edu%2Fabout%2Fmission-and-governance%2Fcgsp.html&data=05%7C02%7Ccathg14%40vt.edu%7C7ae68db5e19e448ad28f08de1e2205d8%7C6095688410ad40fa863d4f32c1e3a37a%7C0%7C0%7C638981328633291264%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=XCbuEp51q2KMpkmJW%2FOlAcbwvYV3kSeuLHcCl4n6Hxc%3D&reserved=0

2 https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fnews.vt.edu%2Farticles%2F2025%2F11%2Fpresident-ross.html&data=05%7C02%7Ccathg14%40vt.edu%7C7ae68db5e19e448ad28f08de1e2205d8%7C6095688410ad40fa863d4f32c1e3a37a%7C0%7C0%7C638981328633311217%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=wpIKFyew5%2BDAnPV1%2FUtGpKbCFr3Tob6AuVlgVo%2B2mqs%3D&reserved=0

3 Gilhooly KJ. Incubation and Intuition in Creative Problem Solving. Front Psychol. 2016 Jul 22;7:1076. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2016.01076. PMID: 27499745; PMCID: PMC4956660.

4 Beijamini F, Valentin A, Jäger R, Born J, Diekelmann S. Sleep Facilitates Problem Solving With No Additional Gain Through Targeted Memory Reactivation. Front Behav Neurosci. 2021 Mar 3;15:645110. doi: 10.3389/fnbeh.2021.645110. PMID: 33746720; PMCID: PMC7965947.

5 https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fclimatefuture.vt.domains%2F&data=05%7C02%7Ccathg14%40vt.edu%7C7ae68db5e19e448ad28f08de1e2205d8%7C6095688410ad40fa863d4f32c1e3a37a%7C0%7C0%7C638981328633330506%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=aGuDlq6m%2FDi7eT2aF2IozsBlv1F8M9%2BYleRbPPAe9gs%3D&reserved=0

Dear Graduate and Professional Students,

Friday has rolled around again, and we are working toward the crescendo of the semester. We are now in the ramp up to a frantic few weeks and tensions are running high. Make sure to pause and take a breath sometime during your busy day, look up into the sky and bask in the sunshine—even if it is just for a minute.

As you know, the government shutdown has ended, but it will take some time for things to settle down. Hopefully, the agencies will be able to restart operations soon.

This week we held our annual Little Hokie Hand-Me-Down event co-sponsored with the GPSS (1) and the Women’s Center (2). The room was packed with families bringing home items donated by the community. It was, as always, a rousing success and a fun time for all.

Yesterday we spent some time refreshing the Future Professoriate Certificate (3). Our goal is to equip graduate students with the tools, knowledge and skills to thrive in diverse career paths. Your department and college provide disciplinary expertise, while we strive to provide experiences and opportunities that fill in the gaps in order to prepare you for diverse work and professional environments regardless of discipline. I’m excited about the new courses and new direction and look forward to sharing it with you when it is finalized.

I recently wrote a report outlining some ideas about reimagining graduate education. The report started with a description of the future we want to see, from my point of view. I said: “The future we want to see is one in which graduate education fulfills its highest purposes in an environment where students truly thrive. It is a future where every student experiences a sense of intellectual excitement and personal growth; where their journey through graduate school is both rigorous and human, challenging and supportive. In such an institution, graduate education is not a test of endurance, but a period of discovery—of self, of knowledge, and of purpose.”

I hope you can resonate with that and we can work together to make that vision a reality.

That’s all from me for now. As always, take care of yourselves and your loved ones, please reach out if you need anything. We are here to support you. Your problems, your worries, your fears, and above all you matter.

Aimée M. Surprenant

Dean of the Graduate School

1 https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fgpss.vt.edu%2F&data=05%7C02%7Ccathg14%40vt.edu%7C29e94f87d9fd499212b508de23a1288c%7C6095688410ad40fa863d4f32c1e3a37a%7C0%7C0%7C638987372261707030%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=KIE3a%2B%2FukBtzaweHxMg4urXP%2F29JwxFROr9iZtBi024%3D&reserved=0

2 https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.womenscenter.vt.edu%2Findex.html&data=05%7C02%7Ccathg14%40vt.edu%7C29e94f87d9fd499212b508de23a1288c%7C6095688410ad40fa863d4f32c1e3a37a%7C0%7C0%7C638987372261739872%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=%2FKySYdwt7LN15BUyywtn%2FL8gBN17LQqsSQyHgUsXEPQ%3D&reserved=0

3 https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fgraduateschool.vt.edu%2Facademics%2Fprograms%2Fgraduate-certificates%2FFuture_Professoriate_Certificate.html&data=05%7C02%7Ccathg14%40vt.edu%7C29e94f87d9fd499212b508de23a1288c%7C6095688410ad40fa863d4f32c1e3a37a%7C0%7C0%7C638987372261764642%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=0yKiY9LJQspxYUExhPlE1oq2pBvod%2BihpRblhMuHaYU%3D&reserved=0

Dear Graduate and Professional Students,

I hope you have enjoyed your week and are looking forward to having no classes next week. Campus will be nice and quiet, and we can get lots of work done!

However, I hope you can take some time to have a break and celebrate, even if it is for a while. This year College of Science Dean Kevin Pitts and his wife, Toni, have opened their annual Thanksgiving meal to all undergraduate and graduate students and post-doctoral fellows (1). When Dean Pitts was asked if he was worried that too many people will come, he quipped: “Isn’t the saying ‘There’s always room for one more?’ ... We may be about to find out.” Of course, you and your families are also welcome to come to our Graduate School Thanksgiving lunch on November 25 in the Graduate Life Center Multipurpose Room (2). The fantastic staff and faculty in the Graduate School make the most awesome chili (vegetarian/vegan/GF versions available) and desserts. It is always a wonderful event.

I’m going to make this short today and just say that I’m so thankful to be part of this amazing community and to wish you all a wonderful Thanksgiving week. I will not be sending my Friday email next week, so I’ll talk to you again in December!

As always, take care of yourselves and your loved ones, please reach out if you need anything. We are here to support you. Your problems, your worries, your fears, and above all you matter.

Aimée M. Surprenant

Dean of the Graduate School

1 https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fnews.vt.edu%2Farticles%2F2025%2F11%2Fscience-thanksgiving-celebration.html&data=05%7C02%7Ccathg14%40vt.edu%7Ca0a1870e13ee4ba618c208de291a5d7b%7C6095688410ad40fa863d4f32c1e3a37a%7C0%7C0%7C638993390367926138%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=TA%2FC0lz6GefhNQqMLEhcmFsiYnEk1PbyptrjcTRCoQM%3D&reserved=0

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Dear Graduate and Professional Students,

It is hard to believe but today marks the last day of the last full week of the semester—this semester has flown by in a flash. For me, the next few weeks will be filled with end of semester celebrations, commencements, congratulations, and lots of requests from students and faculty for end of semester exceptions, last minute course changes, grade changes, etc. It is always a busy time, but also a joyful one.

It has been a difficult week, however. Tragically, a graduate student was struck and killed by a police car while crossing Main Street (1) and there was a fire at Foxwoods Apartment complex, which displaced about 65 people, including 38 students (2). Thankfully there were no injuries from the fire, but it has still been quite traumatic for those affected. Many lost all of their possessions in the fire. All of the residents were provided with housing, and the students have been supported by a caring community, including the Dean of Students office, Cranwell International, the Graduate School, and the GPSS.

Today I am at the Council of Graduate Schools Annual meeting in Washington, D.C., and I will be on a panel later this afternoon discussing graduate student professional development. I’ll be talking about our Future Professoriate Certificate (3), including some new modifications and additions to the program. You may not know this, but opportunities like these courses and the certificate are quite rare at other universities. Although professional development opportunities for graduate students have been increasingly offered, our program is unique in that it is credit bearing, transcriptable, and comprehensive. We aim to provide our students with the knowledge and skills to be successful as future faculty, administrators, industry leaders, and researchers. I’m looking forward to hearing what the other panelists have to say and hopefully will bring back some new initiatives for us to enhance our offerings.

That’s all from me for now, as always, take care of yourselves and your loved ones, and please reach out if you need anything. We are here to support you. Your problems, your worries, your fears, and above all you matter.

Aimée M. Surprenant, Dean of the Graduate School

Notes

1 https://www.collegiatetimes.com/news/virginia-tech-pedestrian-killed-by-a-blacksburg-police-officer/article_d6b63226-bf1f-47d8-aad6-f8c07284b5b2.html

2 https://www.collegiatetimes.com/news/blacksburg-apartment-fire-displaces-residents/article_5b9d680d-56d3-4347-9dae-09506edaa785.html

3 https://graduateschool.vt.edu/academics/programs/graduate-certificates/Future_Professoriate_Certificate.htmll.html

Dear Graduate and Professional Students,

Happy Friday! It has been a week filled with ice and snow, which resulted in cancellations and disruptions to our normal routine. But meetings can be moved to Zoom, much work can be done remotely, and life goes on. Please take care walking on campus—the grounds folks are busily salting the sidewalks, but you might still find some slippery spots.

Last night I bumped into a lab group gathering for a holiday dinner and was reminded how community-building activities add value to our work, both professionally and personally. The cycle of faculty mentoring students, senior grad students mentoring new ones, and passing along wisdom and advice is an important part of the experience. That pattern repeats at every level in the university like a fractal: “colleges and universities are fractal systems--complex organizational structures where the same patterns repeat at every scale, creating emergent behaviors that defy simple interventions (1).”

Dr. Skip Myers, the author of the blog post above, argues that this is why seemingly simple policy changes can have unpredictable outcomes. He suggests that: “Rather than fighting the system's complexity, we can work with it. The same recursive patterns that make simple solutions fail can also make thoughtful innovations spread throughout the institution.”

What this also means is that the mission and values of the university reverberate through the university, and those core values are duplicated and reflected throughout every level. One thing that I love about Virginia Tech is that our motto, Ut Prosim (3), and our Principles of Community (4), are on the lips, in the minds, and in the hearts of everyone, from undergraduate students to the President. The collective commitment to these values helps us build a community where we support each other and makes us stronger. As is often said, a chorus can hold a note for much longer than a soloist because when one member stops singing to take a breath, the others fill in that gap. Circling back to the beginning of this note, that lab group dinner is a part of building and reinforcing this community and, since patterns repeat at every level in a fractal, these values also cascade outwards in every direction.

That’s all from me for now. As always, take care of yourselves and your loved ones, and please reach out if you need anything. We are here to support you. Your problems, your worries, your fears, and above all, you matter.

Aimée M. Surprenant

Dean of the Graduate School

1 Why Your Quick Fix Won't Fix Higher Ed (And What Fractals Teach Us About Complex Systems)

2 Hrabowski, Freeman A., III. The Resilient University : How Purpose and Inclusion Drive Student Success, Johns Hopkins University Press, 2024. ProQuest Ebook Central, ProQuest Ebook Central - Book Details

3 That I May Serve | You're In...Now What? | Virginia Tech

4 Principles of Community | Virginia Tech

Dear Graduate and Professional Students,

Today is Fall Commencement Day at Virginia Tech, and I’m attending both the undergraduate and graduate ceremonies. Commencement refers to the start of something, and in an academic context, the ceremony signifies that you're starting the next chapter of your lives. So, congratulations to all of our graduates—we are so thankful for all that you have given us and look forward to hearing about your future accomplishments.

I often hear students say, “I don’t want to go to commencement—it’s just a meaningless ceremony.” And in one sense, that’s true. Commencement doesn’t add another line to your CV or get you another publication. You’ve already earned your degree through years of hard work, late nights, and persistence.

But here’s the thing: ceremonies are not about grades or CVs. They are about meaning. They are about marking transitions in our lives. Commencement is a ritual—a rite of passage—that says to the world: I have completed this chapter, and I am ready for the next. Ceremonies matter because they give us closure. They help us pause, reflect, and recognize the journey we’ve taken. They remind us that we are part of something larger than ourselves—a family, a community, part of Virginia Tech, a story that goes well beyond ourselves.

And commencement is not just for you. It is for your family, your friends, your mentors—the people who cheered you on, supported you, and sometimes sacrificed for you to be here today. When you walk across that stage, you are giving them a moment too: a moment to celebrate, to feel proud, to see the culmination of years of encouragement and love.

So yes, commencement may be “just a ceremony.” But ceremonies are powerful. They transform achievement into celebration, effort into memory, and endings into new beginnings. And that is why commencement matters. Have fun, celebrate the milestone, be happy, be proud of yourself, as we are proud of you.

That’s all from me for now. As always, take care of yourselves and your loved ones, and please reach out if you need anything. We are here to support you. Your problems, your worries, your fears, and above all, you matter.

Aimée M. Surprenant, Dean of the Graduate School

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September 5, 2025

September 12, 2025

September 19, 2025

September 26, 2025

October 2025

October 3, 2025

October 10, 2025

October 17, 2025

October 24, 2025

October 31, 2025

November 2025

November 7, 2025

November 14, 2025

November 21, 2025

December 2025

December 5, 2025

Notes

December 12, 2025

December 19, 2025

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