Student Newsletter

Welcome to the CCAS Graduate Student Newsletter! Designed to keep you up to date with news and events, policies and processes, and all things for CCAS graduate students!

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Latest Issue: February 2025

The Student Services Team is here to advise, guide, and provide you with resources to aid in your success, as well as help you navigate university policies and procedures. Our office is located in Smith 118, and we are open during normal business hours on Monday – Friday from 9:00 am - 5:00 pm. You can schedule a virtual, phone, or in-person appointment with your Student Services Coordinator and Career Counselor.

For our February newsletter, we have the following topics:

Upcoming Student Events
Spring 2025 Reminders
May 2025 Commencement Information
Career Services & Upcoming Career Events
Resource Highlight: Mental Health Resources at CAPS
Funding, Fellowships, Internships & Employment Opportunities

Upcoming Student Events

Career Services Open House and Valentine’s Day Cookies

Thursday, February 13 from 10:30am - 5:00pm | In-Person (Smith Hall, Room 118)

Come grab a free cookie and meet your career counselors, Erin Ahart and Dr. Johnette Ruffner-Ceaser, in-person in Smith Hall Room 118! Ask us any career-related question and learn how CCAS Graduate Career Services can support your career journey.

This event will take place on Thursday, February 13.

CCAS Research Showcase - Poster Abstract Preparation Workshop

Tuesday, February 18 from 12:30 - 2:00pm | Gelman Library Teamsters Room | Registration

The CCAS Research Showcase is an opportunity for students and postdocs in CCAS programs to present their work to the broader CCAS community in a poster session. The Showcase is a vibrant event where students, faculty, staff, and guests discuss the impactful research contributions of CCAS students and postdocs.

Presenters will be required to submit a poster abstract for approval. In order to help you prepare for abstract submission and the CCAS Research Showcase, the Office of Research will hold a workshop on poster abstract preparation, relevant across all disciplines. The workshop will take place on Tuesday, February 18 from 12:30 - 2:00pm in the Teamsters Room on the 7th floor of Gelman Library. Please register in advance to attend.

If you are interested in participating in the CCAS Research Showcase, please keep in mind the following dates:

Abstract submission deadline: Monday, March 3, 2025 at 12:00 noon EDT
CCAS Research Showcase: Wednesday, April 2, 2025 from 10:00am - 2:30pm

More information about the Showcase, including abstract submission instructions and guidelines, can be found on the CCAS Research Showcase website - please reach out to [email protected] with any questions.

Three Minute Thesis (3MT)

Thursday, February 20 from 2:00 - 5:00pm | University Student Center Amphitheater

A dissertation can take years to prepare - now imagine explaining it in three minutes! Developed by The University of Queensland (UQ), the Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) competition celebrates the research being conducted by students. At GW’s 3MT Competition, sponsored by the Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Affairs (OGPA), doctoral students from across the university will compete to see who can best explain their research in three minutes or less, using language appropriate to a non-specialist audience.

Come support your fellow students and learn about research happening across the university at the 2025 GW 3MT Competition on Thursday, February 20 from 2:00 - 5:00pm. More information can be found on the 3MT website.

Spring 2025 Reminders

Key Registration Dates this Month

Please review the Registrar’s Office’s Fall/ Spring Schedule page for a full list of key registration dates.

February 7

Last day to add a course using the RTF-EZ.

Last day to drop a course using the RTF-EZ without academic penalty.

February 9

Last day to drop a course on GWeb.

Spring 2025 courses dropped via RTF-EZ after February 7, 2025 will be assigned a grade of W. After February 9, 2025, the option to drop a course via GWeb will be removed - the only option you will see in GWeb will be to withdraw from the course with a grade of W.

Student Accounts Late Fee Policy

Please continue to keep in mind the Student Accounts Late Fee policy, especially if you have recently made changes to your course schedule or if you owe an outstanding balance from a prior semester.

The Student Accounts Office charges late fees for each semester in two rounds: a flat, $75 fee earlier in the semester, and a 5% fee based on the total amount owed later in the semester. In spring, the $75 late fee is charged in March, and the 5% fee is charged in April. The Student Accounts Office will charge their first round of late fees for students with an outstanding balance on March 14, 2025.

More information on the late fee policy, as well as the full fee schedule, can be found in the Late Payments section of the Student Accounts Office website.

Spring 2025 ETD Deadlines & Ph.D. ETD Workshops

Please continue to be mindful of ETD clearance deadlines for both Ph.D. students and for Master’s students completing a thesis.

Ph.D. students should visit our Ph.D. Clearance Deadlines page, and Master’s students completing a thesis should review our Master’s Thesis ETD Submission page.

Ph.D. students planning to defend in the Spring semester are strongly encouraged to attend our Ph.D. ETD Workshops:

Spring 2025 CCAS Ph.D. ETD Workshop I:
Wednesday, February 5 from 10:00 - 11:00am | Virtual (Zoom)
Learn more about the ETD submission process, formatting requirements, and upcoming deadlines for CCAS Ph.D. students. Please register in advance to attend. This workshop will be repeated on Thursday, March 6.
Spring 2025 CCAS Ph.D. ETD Copyright Workshop:
Thursday, February 13 from 3:00 - 4:00pm | Virtual (Zoom)
Join us for this informative copyright workshop hosted by members of the GW Libraries Scholarly Communications Team. CCAS Ph.D. students whose dissertations will include previously published works are strongly encouraged to attend this workshop. Please register in advance to attend.

Completing Your Degree in Spring 2025

If you are completing your graduate certificate, Master's degree or Doctoral degree requirements in Spring 2025, you must apply to graduate for Spring 2025 via GWeb. Instructions can be found on the Office of the Registrar's website.

If you wish to participate in commencement/celebration activities in May 2025, then you must apply to graduate no later than March 14, 2025. To ensure there are no delays or issues, we strongly recommend that you apply much earlier than the deadline. You must be registered for Spring 2025 courses in order to submit the graduation application.

May 2025 Commencement Information

May 2025 Commencement Celebration Dates

Please save the date for the following CCAS and GW Commencement Week events:

Celebration	Date and Time
Doctoral Hooding	Thursday, May 15 at 5:00 pm
Master’s Celebration	Friday, May 16 at 8:30 am
GW Commencement	Sunday, May 18 at 10:30 am (Graduates and guests must be seated by 10:15 a.m. EDT.)

Please continue to check your GW email and the Commencement website for updates on registration and ticketing for both guests and graduates.

Student Speaker Competition

Members of the graduating Class of 2025 are invited to enter the Commencement Student Speaker Competition! The winning student will have the opportunity to address classmates and the GW community at the university-wide Commencement on the National Mall on May 18. The deadline to enter the competition will be 11:59pm ET on Friday, February 21, 2025. Information on eligibility, application materials, and the judging process can be found on the Student Speaker Competition page.

Faculty Speaker and Graduate Mentor Award Nominations

We invite you to nominate a CCAS faculty member to speak at this year’s CCAS Master’s Celebration. If you are a Master’s student and know a faculty member who you believe would be a compelling speaker, you may submit your recommendation via the Faculty Speaker Nomination form. Please note that nominations for Faculty Speaker will only be accepted from Master’s students.

We are also seeking nominations for the CCAS Award for Excellence in Graduate Mentoring. You may nominate a CCAS faculty member who has been particularly helpful and supportive to graduate students, whether in a formal or informal capacity. Doctoral students should submit the Doctoral Faculty Nomination form, and Master’s students should submit the Master’s Faculty Nomination form.

Nominations for all three honors are due by Friday, February 21, 2025. Please reach out to [email protected] with any questions.

Notice for Summer 2025 Graduates

Some students who will complete their degree requirements over the summer will still be eligible to participate in May 2025 Commencement. If you will complete your degree requirements in the summer but wish to participate in May 2025 Commencement, please wait until Summer 2025 course registration opens and apply for Summer 2025 graduation when you register for classes. Please be sure that you do not apply for Spring 2025 graduation, as this will cause delays with your graduation clearance.

If you plan to complete your degree in Summer 2025 and are unsure whether you are eligible to participate in May 2025 Commencement, please review our Attending Commencement Week Events page or reach out to us at [email protected].

Career Services & Upcoming Career Events

Come grab a free cookie and meet your career counselors, Erin Ahart and Dr. Johnette Ruffner-Ceaser, in-person on Thursday, February 13th! Ask us any career-related question and learn how CCAS Graduate Career Services can support your career journey. Our spring Career Services Open House will be on Thursday, February 13th from 9am - 4pm in Smith Hall 118.

Check out our February Career Readiness Workshop schedule below:

Effective Job Searching with ChatGPT, 2/5 at 12:00pm
A Cover Letter is Like a Love Letter, 2/12 at 5:00pm
Professional Etiquette, 2/27 at 12:00pm

Introducing Our NEW Career Podcast, Minute Mentor: Quick Tips for Career Success!

In this podcast series, career counselors Erin Ahart and Paul Binkley distill must-have career insights to help you be more successful as you explore who and what you want to be.

Erin and Paul work at the George Washington University in Washington, DC, and have decades of combined work experience helping undergraduate and graduate students as well as alumni and working professionals achieve their career goals. Whether you’re currently job searching or simply looking to develop professionally, Minute Mentor delivers the career information you need in just five minutes per episode. Tune in each week and keep striving for career success!

Listen to Episode 1, It’s All About the Employer, directly from our website! More episodes will be available following our official launch on Thursday, February 13th.

Resource Highlight: Mental Health Resources at CAPS

We would like to take a moment to highlight a few of the wide range of resources offered by GW’s Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS). CAPS is dedicated to offering comprehensive mental health support to help students navigate various challenges and support their overall wellbeing. These resources are designed to ensure that you have access to the support you need to succeed both personally and academically.

TimelyCare

TimelyCare provides GW students with 24/7 access to virtual counseling, psychiatric, and medical care from anywhere in the United States at no cost. Students can access TimelyCare by visiting GW’s TimelyCare portal or by downloading the TimelyCare app on an iPhone or Android. TimelyCare offers a variety of services to GW students, including:

TalkNow: Students can access 24/7, on-demand emotional support for a variety of concerns, including anxiety, relationships, depression, and school-related stressors. This service provides immediate support whenever it’s needed.
Scheduled Counseling: Students can schedule up to (9) free counseling sessions per year, choosing the day, time, and mental health provider that best suits their needs. These visits reset annually on August 1st.

Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS)

Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) is available by phone 24 hours a day, seven days a week at 202-994-5300. You can access CAPS in-person and virtually from 12-4pm Monday-Friday for a consultation session. You can call from anywhere, including off-campus, for a single session phone consultation or a crisis call. If additional services are needed, next steps will depend on the student’s needs and physical location.

CAPS also offers a number of group sessions, including:

Healthy Relationships Group: A processing space to help students gain insight and tools to improve all types of relationships.
International Students Group: A safe and caring environment where international students can explore shared themes, process their emotions, and enhance their well-being.
UniQue Voices: Mental Health for the GW LGBTQ+ Community: A supportive therapy group providing a safe and inclusive space for LGBTQ+ students to share experiences and explore their identities.
Sexual Assault Survivors Group: A support and healing space for femme/female-identifying individuals who have experienced sexual assault. This group offers a collaborative space to learn about trauma, process complex emotions, and integrate the experience into a healthier self.
Grief and Loss Support Group: A supportive therapy space where students can receive peer support from others who understand their experience, explore their emotions, and learn coping strategies to help them heal.

Services are free, including the initial consultation, 24/7 crisis support, and groups. More information on CAPS services can be found on the CAPS website.

Student Outreach & Support

We encourage all students, faculty, staff, and families who may be concerned about a student in need of additional support to reach out to the university’s CARE Team by submitting a CARE Referral. For more information, please contact the CARE Team at 202-994-6555 or [email protected].

Funding, Fellowships, Internships & Employment Opportunities

Office of Graduate Student Assistantships and Fellowships (OGSAF) Funding Awards

Multiple Deadlines between January 3, 2025 and February 15, 2025

Applications for funding awards provided by OGSAF are now open for the 2025-2026 academic year. The focus of these awards varies, so whatever your area of study, you should be able to find an award suited for you.

We would also like to direct your attention to the Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Affairs’ (OGPA) 2024-2025 Graduate Student Handbook. This handbook is a collection of university-wide resources that are available to the graduate student population.

Knapp Fellowship for Entrepreneurial Service-Learning

Proposal Submission Deadline: May 23, 2025

The Knapp Fellowship was established to recognize, reward, and facilitate creative public service and academic engagement. Selected students design and implement entrepreneurial service-learning projects that make a significant difference in the lives of others. Selected Knapp Fellows work with the Honey W. Nashman Center for Civic Engagement and Public Service and a faculty member advisor to implement projects in collaboration with other students and/or community partners. Fellowship projects will be conducted over the course of the 2025-2026 academic year.

Knapp Fellowship projects should integrate scholarly work in the student’s discipline with the design and implementation of the service project. Projects should also involve collaboration with a local community organization or community members, and be heavily informed by their knowledge and experience. These projects are substantial and rely on Fellows having prior experience working with their community partner and/or the social issue. Knapp Fellows also receive professional development opportunities, preparing them to work with community partners and/or faculty members who are subject experts. For more information on the Knapp Fellowship and application process, please visit the Knapp Fellowship page.

Updated February 3, 2025.