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: April 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 April newsletter, we have the following topics:

Happy Graduate Student Appreciation Week!
Upcoming Student Events
Important Reminders
May 2025 Commencement Information
Career Services & Upcoming Career Events
Resource Highlight: Gelman Library Amenities and Study Spaces
Funding, Fellowships, Internships & Employment Opportunities

Thanks for Helping us Celebrate Graduate Student Appreciation Week!

Graduate Student Appreciation Week (GSAW) is an annual celebration of our amazing graduate students. The CCAS Office of Graduate Studies (OGS) and the Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Affairs (OGPA) hosted a number of events for students during the week of March 31 - April 4. We would like to extend our sincere gratitude to all of you who stopped by the office, attended our events, and submitted Shout-Outs!

Upcoming Student Events

CAPS Wellness Workshops

GW’s Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) workshops are interactive sessions, designed for both undergraduate and graduate students from diverse backgrounds, genders, and identities. CAPS will be holding two more workshops this semester:

Our Story of Resilience
Friday, April 11 from 2:00 - 3:30pm | MSSC Multipurpose Programming Room (USC 5th Floor)

This event is designed to foster community and belonging through storytelling and creative expression, specifically centering the experiences of students who hold BIPOC identities. Through guided reflection and art-based activities, students will explore personal and collective narratives of resilience in a supportive and affirming environment. Students can collage or draw their experience, but they are also contributing to a larger work of art that symbolizes collective strength and community.

Registration: complete the Google form or email [email protected]
MAY-King it Through Finals
Thursday, May 1 from 1:00 - 2:30pm | USC Room 308

CAPS will share quick, brain-boosting mindfulness tricks and teach you how to create your own affirmations jar. Think of it as a mini vacation for your mind, minus the travel expenses!

Registration: complete the Google form

Spring 2025 Finals Week Survival Goodie Bags

Monday, April 21 - Friday, April 25, 2025

Stop by the CCAS Office of Graduate Studies in Smith Hall 118 during the last full week of classes, April 21 - 25 from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, to make your own goodie bag filled with energizing snacks and beverages to help boost you through finals!

Important Reminders

Introducing GWorld Mobile Cards: Now on Your Phone!

The GWorld Office has launched new technology that allows the GW community to add and store their GWorld Card to their phone. Once installed, tap your Apple or Android mobile device where you typically tap a physical GWorld Card. Are you ready to Go Mobile? Setup is quick and easy. Visit the GWorld website and get started. If you do not have access to a mobile device or prefer not to use a GWorld Mobile Card, you can continue to use your physical GWorld Card.

Fall/Summer 2025 Registration

Registration for Summer 2025 courses is open. GWeb registration for Session I will remain open through May 25; registration for Session II will remain open through July 6. Please visit the Registrar’s Office’s Summer Sessions page for a full list of session dates and registration deadlines. You are not required to register in Summer Sessions to maintain enrollment unless specifically directed to do so by your program.

Registration for Fall 2025 classes will open in GWeb from March 27 - September 7, 2025. All CCAS graduate students are required to register continuously each fall and spring semester until the completion of their program.

Please visit the Registrar’s Office’s How to Register page for GWeb registration instructions. We recommend reaching out to your Director of Graduate Studies if you are unsure which classes to take. Feel free to contact us at [email protected] if you encounter technical difficulties in registering for classes.

Key Registration Dates this Month

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

April 7

Fall 2025 Waitlists open at 9am

First day to submit an RTF-EZ for Fall 2025 courses

If a course that you would like to take in Fall 2025 is full, you may add yourself to the waitlist for that course. If a seat becomes available, students on the waitlist will be notified in the order they joined the waitlist. Please see the Registrar’s Office Waitlists page for more information.

Using the RTF vs. RTF-EZ

You may have seen some references to forms called the RTF (sometimes called the RTF Classic) and the RTF-EZ. Students can register for most courses online via GWeb. When a student cannot self-register online, we use a registration form - either the RTF or the RTF-EZ - to help them register.

Please note that these forms also differ in how they are submitted:

RTF-EZ: submit to the Registrar’s Office
[email protected] or in-person at the USC Student Services Hub
RTF Classic: submit to Graduate Student Services
[email protected]

More information on the RTF and RTF-EZ can be found in the Registration section of the CCAS student handbook. If you are ever unsure which registration form you should use, please reach out to us at [email protected] for guidance.

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.

Any students with an outstanding Student Accounts Balance on April 15, 2025 will be charged a late fee equal to 5% of their current outstanding balance by the Student Accounts Office. 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.

Common Registration Holds & How to Fix Them

Sometimes, a student may have a hold placed on their account which prevents course registration. If you have a hold that prevents registration, you will need to complete the action listed in the hold message before the hold can be removed. A hold may only be removed by the office that placed the hold.

Here are a few common registration holds:

Hold Type	Action Required	Point of Contact
Transcript	Submit any outstanding required transcripts or other official documents	[email protected]
Student Accounts - balance over $2500	Reduce outstanding Student Accounts balance to below $2500	[email protected]
Student Health - immunization hold	Submit the Mandatory Health Form via your student portal (linked from the Student Health Center Immunizations page)	[email protected]

General information on common holds can be found on the Registrar’s Office website; information on financial holds can be found on the Student Accounts Office website. If you are unsure whether a hold on your account will prevent you from registering, please contact our office at [email protected].

Spring 2025 ETD Deadlines

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.

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.)

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.

The online graduation application is separate from registration for Commencement Week events. Once you have applied to graduate and submitted the mandatory Graduation Survey, you will be able to register for any Commencement Week events you would like to attend.

As we prepare for Spring 2025 graduation, please keep in mind the following dates:

Task	Deadline
Apply to graduate via GWeb.	March 14
Complete registration and name pronunciation verification in Tassel. Please see the Commencement Registration page for more details. Students are not required to attend Commencement week events.	April 18 **Please note that, from April 19-23, you may continue to register yourselves and your guests to attend Commencement Week events, but you will not be able to record your name and the AI-generated recording will be used.
Submit any name changes. If your name is incorrect in the Online Graduation Application, please submit a Biographical Updates Form as soon as possible and indicate that you have applied to graduate.	April 19: Change will appear in Commencement publications and on diploma. May 15: Change will appear on diploma only.
Submit any address changes. In the Online Graduation Application, you can add a new Diploma mailing address that is different from your current residential address, if needed. See step 5 in the graduation application instructions.	May 15
Spring 2025 degree conferral	May 18

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 register for Summer Session and apply to graduate. 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

Career Readiness Workshops

To wrap up our spring Career Readiness Workshops, we are offering a couple of critical sessions to prepare students for the current job market. Hint: Networking is KEY!

LinkedIn Profile Construction, 4/10
LinkedIn Professional Branding, 4/17

Minute Mentor Podcast: Quick Tips for Career Success!

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

Listen on Spotify or directly from our website! Our new miniseries on Navigating the Current Job Market will launch on Thursday, April 10. Check your email for important updates!

1:1 Coaching Appointments

Our career counselors are available throughout the year to answer your career questions! Schedule an appointment with Erin Ahart or Dr. Johnette Ruffner-Ceaser via Handshake. For more information and helpful resources, including the list of upcoming Career Readiness Series workshops, visit our website or email [email protected].

Resource Highlight: Gelman Library Study Spaces & Technology

As we head into the end of the spring semester, here are some lesser-known Gelman Library resources to help you prepare for exams, complete your final projects, and finish the semester off strong.

Graduate Study Spaces

The Graduate Student Study Room is a quiet study space on the fifth floor of Gelman Library, accessible via a tap of your GWorld card. The Global Resources Center on Gelman's seventh floor is open exclusively to graduate students outside of its staffed hours, also via your GWorld card.

In addition, students may reserve group study rooms and closed study carrels. If you really need to focus, consider reserving a closed study carrel on the 4th or 5th floors - closed study carrels are available for reservation by graduate students only, so you will not have to compete with undergraduate students to claim your spot.

Tech and Equipment

Books aren’t the only thing you can check out from the library! As a GW student, you can borrow audiovisual equipment including cameras, mics, tripods and lights, and more by submitting an equipment request. Students may keep borrowed equipment for up to one week at a time, and there is no fee.

Within Gelman Library’s CREATE Digital Studio, you can also use high-powered, multimedia editing computer workstations (both Mac and Windows), which are equipped with the full Adobe Creative Cloud suite of applications. If your editing or coding project is pushing your personal computer to its limits, consider stopping by the CREATE Digital Studio on the first floor of Gelman.

Giving a poster presentation? Need to print a custom part? You can also request large-format and 3D printing through Gelman.

Funding, Fellowships, Internships & Employment Opportunities

Archives, History and Heritage Advanced (AHHA) Internship Program

Application Deadline: April 21, 2025

The Library of Congress is now accepting applications for their Archives, History, and Heritage Advanced (AHHA) Internship program. This onsite, paid, part-time fall internship allows the next generation of archivists and knowledge workers to analyze, preserve, and bring to light collections that represent the rich heritage of the US. The program serves a wide range of interests/ areas of study.

Selected interns will work under the supervision and guidance of a senior specialist and learn the standards and techniques to properly arrange and provide descriptions for archival collection materials. This is a great opportunity to develop knowledge of the types of materials within the Library’s collections; network with Library staff, other interns, and subject matter experts; present information to groups and persons with similar understanding of the subject; and attend workshops, seminars, or meetings in relevant fields for professional development.

Please review the Library Of Congress’ AHHA page and How To Apply guide for more information on the program, projects available, eligibility requirements, and application process. You can also check out this 1-minute video in which former AHHA participants share their experiences.

Knowledge In Action Career Internship Fund (KACIF)

Summer Application Dates: April 1 - April 30, 2025 | Fall Application Dates: August 1 - 15, 2025

The GW Career Services Council established the Knowledge in Action Career Internship Fund (KACIF) to encourage GW students to pursue high-quality unpaid internships that foster career exploration and enhance their academic program, while reducing the financial challenges associated with unpaid internships. KACIF provides grants ranging from $750 to $3,000 to GW students pursuing internships that are necessarily unpaid. Necessarily unpaid internships are typically those with non-profit, governmental, educational and non-governmental organizations that genuinely lack the financial resources to pay salaries or wages to their interns.

Please review the eligibility requirements and application process to help you prepare to apply for the award. More information on this award, as well as a link to the application, can be found on the GW Career Center’s KACIF page.

Bryce Harlow Fellowship Program

Deadline: May 4, 2025

The Bryce Harlow Fellowship was created to support “highly motivated students in pursuit of a career in professional advocacy through government relations and lobbying.” Fellowships are awarded to students who work full-time and undertake graduate studies on a part-time basis. Graduate programs may include, but are not limited to, public policy, law, and business.

Selected fellows will receive a $9000 tuition award, paid directly to GW and applied to their Student Account. Fellows will also be paired with a mentor from the Bryce Harlow Foundation’s board - this is an invaluable resource for networking and gaining expertise in your field.

For full eligibility and application requirements, as well as the link to apply, please visit the Office of Graduate Student Assistantships & Fellowships website.

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 April 7, 2025