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Student Newsletter - April 2023

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!

Graduate Student Newsletter Archive

April 2023

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:

Graduate Student Appreciation Week a Success!

The Columbian College of Arts and Sciences celebrated Graduate Student Appreciation Week (GSAW) by hosting several events from April 4 - 7. CCAS would like to thank all those who attended GSAW events and for submitting fantastic shout outs for all the great things CCAS graduate students are doing. And congratulations to all the winners of the GSAW daily drawing: James Crim (Statistics), Jacob Tafrate (Geography), Anthony King (Public Administration), Noah Weeks (New Media Photojournalism), and Grayson Heflin (Environmental Resource Policy). Below are pictures from GSAW events. Thank you!

 

Three students pose at a GSAW event

 

Two students pose at a GSAW event

 

Two students pose at a GSAW event

One student poses at a GSAW event

Two students pose at a GSAW event

One student poses at a GSAW event

Five students pose at a GSAW event
Three students pose at a GSAW event

Notice for New Students Admitted in Spring 2023

If you started your program of study in the Spring 2023 semester, please make sure that you have turned in all official documents and transcripts required as part of the admissions process. Students who are still missing documents will have a hold placed on their account and will not be able to register for the Fall 2023 semester until those documents are submitted.

Completing Your Degree in Spring 2023

If you are completing your graduate certificate, Master's degree or Doctoral degree requirements in Spring 2023, you must apply to graduate for Spring 2023. If you have not already applied, you can do so through GWeb. Instructions can be found on the Office of the Registrar's website. 

2023 Commencement Week Celebrations

Mark your calendars for the following CCAS and GW Commencement Week events:

Celebration Date and Time
Doctoral Hooding Thursday, May 18 at 5:00 pm
Master’s Celebration Friday, May 19 at 8:30 am
GW Commencement Sunday, May 21 at 10:00 am

ETD Deadlines

PhD Students:

April 12 at 5:00 pm - Final, approved dissertation containing all post-defense revisions and required formatting is approved by University ETD administrator 

Master’s Students:

April 23 - Submit ETD Access Approval Form to [email protected] and upload final, approved thesis to the ProQuest platform

April 28 at 5:00 pm - Submit all requested formatting revisions and receive the approval of the University ETD Administrator 

Fall Registration

Registration opens on April 13 at 9:00 AM for all degree-seeking graduate students and ends April 23. All CCAS graduate students are required to register continuously each fall and spring semester until the completion of their program. For instructions on how to register, please refer to the Office of the Registrar’s website.

Choosing Between RTF & RTF-EZ

In most instances, students will be able to register online through GWeb. In some cases, a paper registration form is required. If paper registration is required, there are two different registration forms, the RTF and RTF-EZ. Refer to our Class Registration page for examples of when you should use the RTF and when you need to use the RTF-EZ.

Gelman Library Graduate Student 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 with your GWorld card. Learn more about available study spaces on the Gelman Learning Spaces page.

GW Business & Policy Forum

The GW Business & Policy Forum will be taking place on Tuesday, April 25. The theme for this inaugural forum will be Attacking Cybersecurity Risks. Participants will gain invaluable insights and opportunities for interaction as we address the most significant issues related to this ever-evolving landscape and the profound implications they have for global business, markets and regulation. Please visit the event website for details on speakers, the schedule of events, and more. Registration is free for students and closes on Monday, April 17 at 11:59 p.m. ET. 

Career Services & Upcoming Career-Related Events

All CCAS graduate students have access to a dedicated career coach to help with resumes, cover letters, networking, interviewing, and many other areas. (Note: The Trachtenberg School and Data Sciences program have their own dedicated career counselors.) Paul Binkley is available to meet one-on-one by scheduling a time in the online career management system Handshake. More information on the services available to CCAS graduate students can be found on our Career Services website and via email at [email protected]. 

Support for Your Unpaid Internship: Knowledge in Action Career Internship Fund (KACIF) Summer Application Now Open

The Knowledge in Action Career Internship Fund (KACIF) provides grants ranging from $750 to $3,000 to GW undergraduate and graduate students pursuing domestic and international internships that are necessarily unpaid and NOT a degree requirement. The deadline to apply for summer support is Sunday, April 30. For more information and application instructions, visit the KACIF website. 

CCAS Career Services Hosts Virtual Resume and Cover Letter Workshop April 19, 12-1 p.m.

The end of the Spring 2023 is only a few weeks away, which means many organizations (public, private, and non-profit) are looking to fill internships or jobs as soon as they can. Now is a good time to make sure your resume and cover letter are as effective as they can be for the positions that interest you the most.

After attending this virtual workshop, attendees will:

  • Know how an effective way to structure and format their resume
  • Better understand how to analyze position announcements to focus on what employers are looking for
  • Know a methodology for describing their experiences that are skills-oriented and achievement-focused
  • Know how to write cover letters that are clear, concise, and focused on what employers are looking for

Please register for this event by accessing the Handshake event page.

Beyond the Professoriate: Free Online Career Conference for Doctoral Students May 1-6 (Virtual)

Over the past 9 years, Beyond the Professoriate’s annual online career conference has helped nearly 12,000 doctoral students and postdocs build careers beyond the professoriate. Join the event May 1-6 for workshops that will help doctoral students build a foundation for their job search strategy. On May 6th, attend career panels about career options and what it takes to pursue a nonacademic career with a Humanities, Social Science, or STEM PhD. For more information and to register for the event, visit the conference website.

Other Upcoming Career Events

  • Leadership Connect Training
    Hosted by TSPPPA
    April 11, 8:30-9:00 a.m.
    Learn from their Client Success Manager how to use this searchable service to identify and connect with alumni and key decision makers across all sectors. GW pays for this tool which is accessible in the resource section of Handshake. Register here.
     
  • USAJobs Series: GW Alumni and Students in Federal Jobs (Virtual)
    Hosted by the Elliott School
    April 11, 12:00-1:00 p.m.
    Current GW students and alumni will speak about their individual roles and how they navigated their way into federal posts. Register on Handshake.
     
  • Supply Chain Across Borders (Panel and Networking Event)
    April 11, 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
    Location: Elliott School Building, State Room
    Explore how current events have disrupted global supply chains in this compelling one-hour panel discussion, which will be followed by a networking event. Experts from academia, government, and industry will discuss how recent supply chain disruptions have impacted the State Department’s vital diplomatic mission.Learn more about this event and register here.
     
  • U.S. Department of State Site Visit
    April 13, 1:00-2:30 p.m.
    Location: U.S. Department of State Truman Building, 330 21st Street, NW
    Join this exciting and informative site visit to the National Museum of American Diplomacy (NMAD) hosted by the Metro Area Diplomat in Residence, Darion Akins. The visit will include: speakers, a discussion on diplomacy, a museum tour, and more. Space is limited. Register on Handshake.
     
  • Annual GW Capital Hill Career Panel (Virtual)
    April 14, 12:30-1:30 p.m.
    Hear directly from GW alumni who successfully built careers on Capitol Hill. Five alumni will talk about their experiences and there will be 3 breakout sessions to learn from more alumni. Learn more and register for the event on Handshake.
     
  • Writing Effective Resumes and Cover Letters (Virtual)
    Hosted by CCAS
    April 19, 12-1 p.m.
    Learn how to write resumes and cover letters that effectively show employers that you have the skills and experiences they are looking for. Please register for this event on Handshake here.

To find information on more events, simply access the Events section of Handshake and search by date, employer, or other filters.

Professional Head Shots Now Available at the Center for Career Services

All students can now get professional-quality headshots with the new professional headshot booth located in the Center for Career Services on the fifth floor of the University Student Center. A professional headshot is a window into your personal brand. It is often your first impression when featured on your social media profile and is a must-have on sites like LinkedIn. A professional headshot allows you to portray the professional version of yourself to prospective employers and can help you to stand out from other job seekers. For more information and to schedule an appointment to take your professional headshot, visit the Career Services Professional Headshot Booth page.

Funding, Fellowships, Internships & Employment Opportunities

Below are a number of great opportunities for funding, professional fellowships, internships, and employment. For information on other opportunities funded by CCAS, GW, and outside organizations that are available throughout the year, please visit the Funding Opportunities for Current Graduate Students website or the Office of Graduate Student Assistantships and Fellowships (OGSAF) website.

Academic Commons Student Support Specialist

Academic Commons is the one-stop shop for students to connect and engage with academic resources at GW. Academic Commons offers peer tutoring, course review sessions, data consultations, academic skills workshops, and more. They are seeking multiple current or incoming Graduate Students for the 2023-2024 academic year to support programming, manage scheduling, and assist with supervising undergraduate student staff. Please refer to the job posting for more details, and any questions can be directed to [email protected]. 

Exciting Opportunity at Hiroshima University – Writing Advisor Fellowship

Since 2016, the Writing Center at Hiroshima University (HU), Japan, has been managing the Writing Advisor Fellowship program. This program is ideal for a PhD candidate or recent graduate interested in spending up to a year in Japan and who wishes to gain professional experiences working with non-native English writers and speakers, focusing on academic writing at the tertiary level and above. The Fellow will work full-time mostly at HU Higashi-Hiroshima campus, which is the university's main campus, starting from August 2023. The Writing Advisor Fellow will provide consultations to HU graduate students and faculty researchers on academic writing in English. The writing is primarily papers for academic journals and abstracts for international conferences. The Fellow will also facilitate writing groups to encourage peer feedback and to support researchers during the writing process. Additionally, together with the Writing Center’s faculty members and independently, the Fellow will plan, organize, and lead seminars and workshops related to academic writing and presentation skills. The deadline to apply for this position is April 12 at 5 p.m. Japan time (4 a.m. DC time). Please refer to the Information Page and Application Guideline for more information.

Teaching Fellows Program at Sciences Po for 2023-2024 Academic Year

Sciences Po welcomes applications from post-doctoral and doctoral students who are in the final phases of their PhD for one-year teaching positions on one of three English-speaking undergraduate campuses in France: Le Havre, Menton or Reims. Each campus provides the core undergraduate curriculum of Science Po in addition to a geographic specialization in international relations study, culminating in a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Social Sciences and Humanities. Coursework in Economics, History, Law, Political Science, Political Theory, Sociology and Quantitative Methods applied to Social Sciences is taught in English. The area of expertise of successful applicants will be relevant to the disciplines taught at Sciences Po and to the regional focus of each campus. Given the international nature of the Teaching Fellowship, applications from Sciences Po university partners are strongly encouraged. 

The Reims Campus hosts two geographic specializations, on North America and Africa, the Menton Campus hosts the Mediterrean and Middle-East specialization, and the Le Havre Campus hosts the Asia and the Pacific specialization.

Teaching Fellowships will be offered for the 2023-24 academic year as follows:

  • Reims Campus (7 Fellowships) in the following disciplines:
    • Economics/quantitative methods for social sciences
    • History (2 Fellowships)
    • Law
    • Political science
    • Sociology
    • Political theory (political humanities)
  • Menton Campus (2 Fellowships) in the following disciplines:
    • Law
    • Sociology
  • Le Havre Campus (2 Fellowships) in the following disciplines:
    • Political science
    • History

1. TASKS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

As an integral part of the academic learning community, Teaching Fellows will be responsible for a teaching portfolio in relation to their disciplinary specialties and the core curriculum needs on each campus. The courses will be taught in English. The teaching commitment for the academic year is 128 lecture course hours, based on a standard French contract. For further details, please see the framework for pedagogical activity for Sciences Po Faculty. Fellows are expected to be present on campus for the duration of the academic year.

2. LENGTH OF STAY

Fellowships will begin at the end of August 2023. Each semester covers a duration of 15 weeks, including an orientation week, a week-long recess and 10-day final examination period. The autumn term is from September to December, the spring term is from January to May. For detailed dates of the 2023-2024 academic year, see the academic calendar, which is updated each spring. Fellowship contracts are for one calendar year, with the possibility of a one-year renewal. Teaching Fellows are expected to settle their residence near campus.

3. COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

The Fellowship is a full-time contract and cannot be held alongside other contractual commitments. Fellowship stipends are €2,308 gross per month, paid for the period from 28 August 2023 to 27 August 2024, and include full health benefits from the French national system with access to resources and facilities on all Sciences Po campuses.

4. REQUIREMENTS

Successful applicants will have completed a PhD or are in the process of submitting their dissertation in one of the following fields: Economics, History, Law, Political Science, Political Theory, Sociology or Quantitative Methods for Social Science. Their research and teaching interests should be relevant to the regional focus of the chosen campus. Teaching experience is strongly preferred and fluency in English is mandatory. While not required, applicants with linguistic ability in French or other non-English languages are appreciated.

5. APPLICATION PROCESS

Calendar:

Submission deadline: 17 April 2023 (EOB)
Final decisions will be taken end May 2023.

How to apply:

Applicants are requested to submit the following documents in English or French via an internal google platform, which requires a gmail address, to complete the application form including:

  • Curriculum Vitae,
  • Course proposal(s): In one document, a summary of one to three seminar elective course proposal(s) in English with a sample of main readings/resources the Fellow would like to teach, given the opportunity (please limit each course proposal to two pages),
  • Names of two referees,
  • In one document, evaluations of previous teaching experience, if available.
  • Two letters of reference, qualifying the applicant’s pedagogical ability, sent directly from referees to [email protected], before 17 April 2023. Letters can be written in English or French. The file will be named: CANDIDATE’s family name. Candidate’s first name. Referee’s name. Example: SMITH.Adam.Referee.doc.

6. CONTACTS

For information or any question about the application process, please contact: [email protected]

For information about the courses or the campus, please contact:

  • Reims: North America & Africa Campus
  • Le Havre: Asia - Pacific Campus
  • Menton: Mediterranean and Middle East Campus

 

Updated April 14, 2023

Graduate Student Newsletter Archive