Graduate School Newsletter

May 2026

Important Announcements

Message from the Dean

Dear Graduate Students,

This is my last newsletternotefor you, as I am retiring June 1. I have been at the University for most of my adult life and it will be unsettling for me to step off into the unknown land of retirement. However, it is time and I am thrilled that we interviewed good candidates for the new position that has been created called the Vice Provost of Graduate Education and Director of the Graduate School. This new position will allow the Graduate School to take a bigger view of graduate education and broaden its mission within Montana State.

I especially want to commend the Graduate Student Leadership Council for all their work in promoting the interests of graduate students. They have been working behind the scenes to advocate for graduate students and I am impressed by their energy, commitment, and courage in doing so. The members of this Council are leaving their positions and are looking for new members to take their places. If you have any interest in this work, please let me know in the next two weeks.

I wish you all well in your graduate degree progress and I look forward to reading about your accomplishments in the coming years. We have outstanding students at MSU. Best wishes to each of you!

Deborah Haynes, Ph.D.
Dean, MSU Graduate School

We're Moving!

The Grad School is moving out of Montana Hall this Summer at the end of May while the building is being renovated. You can find us in the 2^nd floor of Sherrick Hall until the renovations are finished (likely until August). Come on by, we'll still have snacks!

Grad School GSA Opportunity

The Grad School is hiring a Graduate Assistant to work with the Graduate Success Office to support wellbeing and student success activities. For more information, or to apply, visit the Grad School Fellowship page. Applications are due by Friday July 6th.

Graduate Wellness Champions

The Graduate School is accepting applications for the 2026-2027 academic year. To support the well-being of graduate students, department-level initiatives are key – both in running local well-being events, but also to help change culture and practices. A $500 fellowship ($250 per semester) is available for graduate student wellness champions who will advocate and organize well-being events in their departments. This fellowship is to support the student for organizational work during the academic year. For more information or to apply, please visit the GradCat Wellness Champion Program website.

Graduate First Year Communities

The Graduate School is accepting applications for the 2026-2027 academic year. The First Year Communities are meant to connect first-year graduate students and senior departmental peers in a stress-free, informal, and mutually supportive environment. First Year Community mentors participate in meetings throughout the semester with fellow mentors and the program coordinator. Online students are welcome to participate. Mentors receive a fellowship stipend in the amount of $500 for the academic year to be distributed in two $250 installments at the end of fall and spring semester. Applications are due August 3^rd for the Fall semester. For more information or to apply, please visit the Graduate First Year Communities Program website.

Upcoming Dates & Deadlines

Full List of Grad School Dates & Deadlines

May 7: Last day of classes. Spring Semester ends. Last day to withdraw Graduation Application and file for One-credit Extension.
May 8: Spring Commencement 2026
May 18: Summer Semester Begins
May 25: Memorial Day (no classes, offices closed)
June 4: Last day for master’s and doctoral comprehensive examination or thesis/dissertation defense for One-credit Extension.
June 10: Last day for graduate students to file for graduation in MyMSU or via a Graduation Application (only used when a student has applied for the same degree in a prior term).
June 11: One-credit Extension deadline; last day for formatting approval of Electronic Thesis or Dissertation (ETD) by the formatting advisor. 5PM deadline.
July 3: Independence Day (no classes, offices closed)
July 24: Last day for comprehensive exam or defense if graduating summer. 3cr registration is required to comp or defend in summer term.
July 31: Last day for formatting approval of Electronic Thesis or Dissertation (ETD) by the formatting advisor. 5PM deadline. Submission of draft at minimum 2-3 weeks prior.
August 7: Last day of classes. Summer Semester ends. Last day to withdraw Graduation Application and file for One-credit Extension.

Funding & Fellowships

Identify Scholarships and Research Funding for Your Graduate Education!

The University of Illinois has an excellent Fellowship Finder featuring awards that are open to grad students from any university. It features several filters to aid your search.

The National Research Council postdoctoral program is used by federal agencies across the country to support postdoc searches. This is a great place to look when you are close to finishing your PhD and the salaries are quite good. Quarterly application deadlines.

The NSF National Research Traineeship (NRT) program

Extreme Biofilms at MSU has received a no‑cost extension and will offer a one‑year traineeship for MS and PhD students beginning in August 2026.

The Extreme Biofilms NRT program is a university‑wide community of graduate students in engineering, microbiology, computing, biochemistry, and environmental sciences, providing focused graduate training and professional development centered on biofilm‑forming microorganisms in extreme environments.

Applications received by June 12, 2026, will receive priority consideration for 6–8 fellowship awards. Fellows must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents, and their thesis defense must be scheduled no earlier than May 7, 2027. Each fellow will receive $34,000 in stipend support for one year, along with tuition and fees (up to 9 credits per semester), $1,000 toward health insurance, and $4,000 in travel support. Preference will be given to students in participating programs whose research would benefit from the required NRT Extreme Biofilms course.

You can learn more about the program and application components by visiting the NRT website: https://tbi.montana.edu/nrt-extreme-biofilms/

If you have any questions, feel free to email Dana Skorupa at dana.skorupa@montana.edu.

For more funding opportunities, visit MSU’s Research Funding Opportunities and the MSU Graduate School's Funding and Fellowships webpage.

Workshops & Events

Fall 2026 NSF GRFP Workshop Series

Calling all rising 1^st year STEM graduate students! Join the MSU Office of Research Development for our 7-week workshop series to prepare final-year undergraduate and 1^st graduate students to apply for the National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP). This workshop series will take place every Wednesday from 3:30 - 5:30pm starting August 26th, ending October 7th before the GRFP 2026 estimated due date in mid-October. During this workshop, students will learn about and write their GRFP application, with step-by-step instruction, assignments for accountability, faculty review of prepared proposals, and GRFP tips and tricks, all while also learning overall grantsmanship skills. The goal of this workshop is to successfully submit a GRFP application for the FY2027 cycle by the 2026 due date.

Applications for workshop participation are due by August 12^th. For more details and to apply, visit this link: https://montana.infoready4.com/#freeformCompetitionDetail/2013788

For further information, please contact Dr. Helaina Owens (helaina.owens@montana.edu).

MSU Writing Center

The MSU Writing Center is OPEN for graduate students this summer!

Do you need a space to work and/or peer support for your summer writing projects? Come write with us in Wilson 1-114. We will have an air-conditioned space and a dedicated, grad-specific writing tutor on staff all summer, offering one-on-one support for graduate students across the disciplines. We can work with you on proposals, theses, dissertations, professional papers, articles, personal statements, CVs, and other projects. Graduate students are welcome to come in once or make a recurring appointment for accountability and continuity. Check our website for scheduling: https://www.montana.edu/writingcenter/

Interested in participating in a Writing Center-facilitated writing group this summer? Writing groups are great for keeping you on track during the summer months. Sign up here: Graduate Writing Group Sign-Up – Fill out form.

Professional Development: GradCat 360

GradCat 360 is a comprehensive professional development program for graduate students at Montana State University. It is a series of programs and events designed by the Graduate School and departments across campus that center around nine focus areas. These areas are tailored to help students cultivate a unified set of skills and knowledge for educational success and professional preparation.

Check out our GradCat 360 Event Calendar, specifically curated for Graduate Students. We are constantly updating the GradCat 360 calendar with workshops and events that are uniquely useful for Graduate Students.