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Week of April 29-May 3

2024

University Operations: Blacksburg campus offices to open at 11:00 a.m. on May 10

Virginia Tech's spring University Commencement ceremony is scheduled to begin at 8:30 a.m. on Friday, May 10, in Lane Stadium. The influx of graduates and their families arriving creates traffic congestion on the southern end of campus and along major arterial roadways.

To minimize congestion, Executive Vice President and COO Amy Sebring has approved an 11:00 a.m. opening for all university offices in Blacksburg on May 10.

Employees who are not involved with commencement exercises are urged not to travel to campus before the 11:00 a.m. opening. Employees who work fully remote or hybrid schedules or whose offices are located outside Blacksburg are expected to work their normal schedule at their alternate or regular work site.

For more information on the delayed opening for Blacksburg offices on May 10, read this campus notice. Details on spring commencement can be found on the Commencement 2024 website.

Commencement 2024: Updated ceremony information, schedules for faculty and guests

The Spring 2024 University Commencement ceremony will be held on Friday, May 10 at 8:30 a.m. in Lane Stadium and the Graduate School ceremony will be Wednesday, May 8 at 10:00 a.m. in Cassell Coliseum. The Graduate School Ceremony will only recognize Ph.D. candidates and Interdisciplinary Graduate Education Program (IGEP) master’s students. All other master’s degree graduates will be recognized during individual college ceremonies.

The Commencement 2024 website has detailed information on schedules, parking, live stream, regalia, and FAQs. Gates to Lane Stadium will open at 7:00 a.m. on May 10 for the University Commencement ceremony and will open one hour before the start of each college ceremony.

The Washington D.C. Area Commencement ceremony will be held on Sunday, May 12 at 1:00 p.m. at the GMU Center for the Arts (Fairfax), for graduates of programs located in northern Virginia. See complete event information and schedules on the Washington D.C. Area Commencement webpage.

For more information, schedule updates, and speaker announcements, visit the Commencement 2024 website. Requests for accommodations for guests attending commencement ceremonies must be made to the Office of Equity and Accessibility at least two weeks before the events.

VT Engage and SCHEV: ‘Day of Dialogue’ on civic learning, engagement set for May 30

The State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) will hold its "Day of Dialogue: Civic Learning and Engagement” on May 30 from 10:45 a.m.-5:00 p.m. in Squires Student Center on the Virginia Tech campus.

Hosted by VT Engage, the event will focus on discussions around different models for teaching, practicing, and assessing the skills needed to engage in productive conversation with others across lines of difference. “Day of Dialogue: Civic Learning and Engagement” has four primary objectives:

  • Continue affirming the value of civic learning and engagement for all students’ development and success, as well as the health of communities and society; 
  • Provide practical tools and strategies for teaching and assessing civic engagement; 
  • Share ideas, resources, successes and challenges across campuses and across roles; 
  • Build and strengthen relationships among civically-oriented faculty and staff within and across institutions.

Participation is open to anyone involved or interested in civic learning/engagement and higher education in Virginia, but the program will be geared primarily toward institutional faculty, staff, and administrators. There is no cost to attend, but registration must be submitted by May 3. Lunch will be provided.

For more information, visit the “Day of Dialogue: Civic Learning and Engagement” event webpage or email Jodi Fisler with SCHEV.

Hokie Wellness: Employee resources, workshops highlight Mental Health Awareness Month

May is Mental Health Awareness Month and Hokie Wellness is offering several workshops that provide employees with concrete strategies and resources to bolster their own mental health.

Throughout Mental Health Awareness Month, Hokie Wellness is offering workshops such as “Healthy Boundaries for Professionals” and “How to Find a Therapist 101.” A new resource available to faculty and staff is “Mental Health Media Hour,” which explores portrayals of mental health in film and television and offers a space for conversation around selected topics. Those who are interested in participating can register in PageUp.

For professional mental health support, employees may also register for TimelyCare to receive 12 free scheduled virtual counseling sessions. Employees have access to 24/7 crisis support through the TalkNow feature. TimelyCare also offers Self-Care Journeys, on-demand modules that compile resources centered on select topics, including sleep, resilience, and healthy eating.

For more information, read this campus notice or visit the Hokie Wellness website and find Employee resources. To access TimelyCare counseling and crisis support services, sign in with your VT email address on the TimelyCare app or website, and navigate to the Provider Care tab.

ICYMI: Campus internEXP to pilot wage matching program for fall 2024

Career and Professional Development (CPD) has been awarded an Institutional Internship Support Grant from the State Council for Higher Education in Virginia (SCHEV) that will allow CPD to pilot a wage matching program for Campus internEXP (Campus Internship Experience) beginning in fall 2024.

Campus internEXP is an on-campus internship program designed to capitalize on the variety of job functions and amazing professionals that work on the Virginia Tech campus to create accessible, paid internships for our students. The program advances CPD’s and the university’s commitment to provide quality experiential learning opportunities to Virginia Tech students through its internship, engaged learning, and cooperative education programs.

If you’re a department or faculty member who currently hires interns, would like to turn a student wage position into an internship, or would like to know more about the wage matching program, CPD invites you to register for a virtual information session. Weekly info sessions with CPD staff are available through May 21.

The supervisor application deadline to host an intern for fall 2024 is May 24.

For more information, read this campus notice. If you have questions, cannot attend an information session, or would prefer to meet one-on-one, email Julia Ward with CPD’s Professional Development and Experiential Programs.

Additional Resources and Updates

Please submit a Google form or email Provost Communications for comments or recommendations to improve the Weekly Communications Update or to share faculty, staff, and academic program personnel information.

Visit the provost’s website frequently for new and updated university information. All members of the campus community should also read their VT News daily email for further important updates, notices, and resources.