By Emily Schoch | Staff Writer
Baylor is shining a spotlight on its graduate students this week with a series of events celebrating Graduate Student Appreciation Week, offering everything from free food to professional development workshops in recognition of their academic contributions and campus involvement.
Throughout Graduate Student Appreciation Week, a variety of events were planned to honor and celebrate the contributions of graduate students. The week kicked off with a “Bring Your Own Dinner + Dog Picnic” Sunday evening on Fountain Mall, where students, faculty and their families enjoyed desserts and drinks provided by the Graduate Student Association.
On Monday morning, the Graduate Research Center hosted a “Donuts & Coffee” event, offering the first 25 attendees a GSA coffee mug. Wednesday featured the “GSA Assembly & Pizza Lunch” in the GRC, during which newly elected officers were announced and updates on graduate student advocacy were shared.
Thursday’s schedule includes “Pop’s Lemonade with the Deans & Door Prizes” at the Graduate School, providing an opportunity to meet the deans and win prizes such as a year of free faculty/staff parking, gift cards to local businesses and dining hall vouchers.
The week concludes on Friday evening with a movie night at Cinemark, featuring a screening of “The Lost King,” with tickets available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Dr. Sara Dolan, GSA faculty sponsor and associate dean for professional development, said Graduate Student Appreciation Week is a way to gather graduate students while celebrating how far they’ve come in their academic journey. It is also a way to show the Baylor community the amount of research that graduate students conduct in order to further undergraduate education, she said.
“Graduate Student Appreciation Week is a national event designed to honor the hard work and dedication of our graduate students,” Dolan said. “The Baylor GSA participates in this event to share with the Baylor family the importance of graduate students to the university’s mission. Provost Brickhouse often says that graduate students are the engines that drive the research enterprise, and this week gives all of us an opportunity to celebrate them.”
Callie Myers-Price, collegiality and community committee co-chair of the Graduate Student Association, said via email that Graduate Student Appreciation Week is a way to put a spotlight on graduate students showcasing the hard work and research that goes into earning a master’s or doctorate degree.
“The Graduate Student Association is a student-led organization and prioritizes leading through service,” she said. “This includes creating a community that advocates for the diverse needs of graduate students as well as celebrates their accomplishments. Graduate Student Appreciation Week is a special opportunity to dedicate time to celebrating graduate students for being who they are — change agents leading the next generation of worldwide impact.”
Many departments with graduate programs are also joining in the celebration by hosting their own events. Some are organizing meals with faculty and students, while others have given out small gifts to show appreciation, Dolan said.
“Departments that have graduate students have been encouraged to host their own events for their students,” Dolan said. “Some are hosting meals for faculty and graduate students, some have purchased gifts for their students … it’s been neat to see what different departments do to honor the contributions and hard work of their graduate students.”
Dolan explains how the GSA functions.
“All Baylor graduate students are members of GSA when they enroll. Each can be as involved as he or she wants to be. Any student can run for a GSA officer position,” Dolan said.
Dolan explains that there are many roles within the GSA, and by choosing to be a part of the association students can participate in improving their respective academic department.
“Every department has a GSA representative who serves as a liaison and votes on behalf of the students in their department, and GSA is always looking for energetic people to fill those roles,” Dolan said. “GSA events are mostly social in nature to offer graduate students from different programs across campus and beyond to get to know one another and build community and connection to Baylor.”
