Graduate and Professional Student Appreciation Week 2021
National Graduate and Professional Student Appreciation Week was started in 1993 by the National Association of Graduate-Professional Students to support and appreciate graduate and professional students. The week is aimed at highlighting the great contributions and high value that graduate and professional students bring to our community.
Graduate and Professional Student Appreciation Week is April 5 to 10.
This series of events, to show our appreciation for students, includes a number of socially distanced grab-and-go food opportunities, outdoor yoga, educational sessions, a park clean-up, and an online movie screening. The week’s activities are sponsored by Rackham Graduate School, Graduate International Student Organization (GISO), Graduate Rackham International (GRIN), and Rackham Student Government (RSG).
Monday April 5
Central Campus Ballcaps and Beverages
9:00 to 11:00 a.m.
Graduate and professional students do so much for our campus, and we at Rackham want to thank you. Enjoy a free beverage and treat from Bear Claw Coffee and pick up your very own Rackham baseball cap. In order to maintain social distancing, please select a time below that works best for you. Please note that mask-wearing and safe distancing are required. The Bear Claw Coffee food truck will be located in front of the Rackham Building.
Important: All attendees must be registered before arrival. No “walk-ups” are allowed to participate.
Sponsored by Rackham Graduate School
Tuesday, April 6
North Campus Ballcaps and Beverages
9:00 to 11:00 a.m.
Graduate and professional students do so much for our campus, and we at Rackham want to thank you. Enjoy a free beverage and treat from Bear Claw Coffee and pick up your very own Rackham baseball cap. In order to maintain social distancing, please select a time below that works best for you. Please note that mask-wearing and safe distancing are required. The Bear Claw Coffee food truck will be located on the North West Surface Parking Lot NC-48 in front of the Bob and Betty Beyster Building – 2260 Hayward Street.
Important: All attendees must be registered before arrival. No “walk-ups” are allowed to participate.
Sponsored by Rackham Graduate School
Wednesday, April 7
International Faculty Panel
5:30 to 7:00 p.m.
Considering a career in academia in the United States? Join GRIN and GISO for a discussion panel with current U-M (Ann Arbor and Dearborn) faculty members who once were international graduate students. Listen to how they transitioned to their current positions, get advice on how to develop a career in academia, and ask questions of our panelists. Plus, win a prize in one of the raffles happening during the event!
Sponsored by Graduate Rackham International (GRIN) and Graduate International Student Organization (GISO)
Thursday, April 8
Donut Grab and Go
10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Take a break from your workday to grab a donut on North Campus from Washtenaw Dairy for Graduate Student Appreciation Week. RSG will have a table set up outside the Duderstat Building on the patio. Due to COVID-19 campus restrictions, we ask those attending to obey social distancing. Masks are required and compliance with our contact tracing measures will be enforced.
Sponsored by Rackham Student Government
Friday, April 9
Let’s Talk About Mental Health: Developing Skills to Support Peers
10:00 to 11:00 a.m.
GRIN is organizing a training workshop for people to develop skills surrounding mental health. The workshop is conducted by Taylor Pahl, M.S.W., Outreach and Education Program Coordinator at the University of Michigan Depression Center.
This training will teach participants some of the common signs and symptoms of depression and anxiety. We will also spend some time discussing how culture impacts mental health and can contribute to stigma around discussing mental health and help-seeking. The second half of the training will focus on how to talk to a peer, colleague, or friend about mental health. This will include practicing reflective listening and sharing appropriate resources for help-seeking.
Sponsored by Graduate Rackham International (GRIN)
Ice Cream Cart Grab and Go
12:00 to 2:00 p.m.
Head out to the East Lawn of the Rackham Building to enjoy an ice cream or ice pop for Graduate Student Appreciation Week! Due to COVID-19 campus restrictions, we ask those attending to obey social distancing. Masks are required and compliance with our contact tracing measures will be enforced.
Sponsored by Rackham Student Government
Outdoor Yoga at Elbel Field
4:30 to 5:30 p.m.
Join RSG for an outdoor yoga session hosted by RecSports at Elbel Field. Participants must be six feet apart and be wearing a face covering at all times. Bring a yoga mat or towel if you have one! Participants must come prepared with the completed ResponsiBlue screen and verification of COVID-19 test.
Sponsored by Rackham Student Government
Movie Night with GRIN: Screening of The Secret of the Kells
8:30 p.m.
Join GRIN virtually to watch The Secret of the Kells, an Irish-Belgian animated fantasy film about The Book of Kells. We will bring the kettle corn and ginger ale! Pick up your snacks for movie night first and then settle in to watch the movie at 8:30 p.m. Register below and we will send you the specific details!
Sponsored by Graduate Rackham International (GRIN)
Saturday, April 10
RSG Park Clean-Up at Gallup Park
10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
What better way to celebrate graduate students than to give back to the community? Join the RSG Sustainability Committee for a park clean-up at Gallup Park. Trash bags and gloves will be provided. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, we ask those attending to obey social distancing and come with completed ResponsiBlue screening. Masks are required and compliance with our contact tracing measures will be enforced.
Sponsored by Rackham Student Government
International Chocolate Grab and Go
12:00 to 2:00 p.m.
Time and pick-up location to be determined, registrants will be notified
Explore the world of international chocolates. Stop by and pick up a bag of international chocolates to enjoy during graduate student appreciation week.
Sponsored by Graduate Rackham International (GRIN)
2021 Ph.D. Connections Conference
Join us for the 2021 Ph.D. Connections Conference, Monday, April 5, to Thursday, April 8. Virtual sessions will be held throughout the week.
Ph.D. Connections is a career conference designed to support doctoral students and postdoctoral fellows in their exploration of career paths beyond academe. Ph.D. students and postdoctoral fellows will learn about career opportunities beyond the professoriate through engaging sessions with Ph.D.s working in diverse fields.
Learn More About the Ph.D. Connections Conference