Graduate Student Appreciation Week
The Graduate School at the University of Connecticut is excited to celebrate National Graduate Student Appreciation Week (UConnGSAW26), taking place Monday, April 6 through Friday, April 10, 2026, across all UConn campuses.
This year’s theme, “We See You, We Celebrate You,” reflects The Graduate School’s ongoing dedication to recognizing the diverse identities, experiences, and contributions of graduate students within the UConn community. Throughout the week, graduate students are invited to take part in events that showcase their work, support professional development, encourage connection, and celebrate their impact.
National Graduate Student Appreciation Week was established in 1993 by the National Association of Graduate-Professional Students to honor the contributions of graduate and professional students nationwide. At UConn, The Graduate School, in collaboration with campus partners including cultural centers and academic departments, will host a range of virtual and in-person programs featuring professional development opportunities, networking, showcases, food, prizes, and music.
We also acknowledge that the land on which The Graduate School gathers is the ancestral homeland of the Mohegan, Mashantucket Pequot, Eastern Pequot, Schaghticoke, Golden Hill Paugussett, Nipmuc, and Lenape Peoples, and we honor their continued stewardship of this land.
Graduate students are welcome to register for and attend any or all events throughout the week. While each event listing, except for the Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) and Graduate Student Showcase, includes a “Register Here” link, the registration form allows graduate students to select and register for multiple events at once.
The Week at a Glance
GenAI & Graduate Education: Ethics, Productivity, and Career Preparation (11:00 – 12:30 PM)
The 2026 Graduate Student Appreciation Week (UConnGSAW26) will kick off with a professional development panel discussion on the responsible and strategic use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) by graduate students. This virtual session will take place on Monday, April 6, 2026, from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and will address academic integrity and ethical considerations, ways GenAI can support graduate student productivity and learning, and its practical application in graduate career preparation.
Panelists:
- Tina Huey, Interim Director of Faculty Development, Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning
- Mary Catherine Decoteau, CLAS Career Consultant and Chair, AI Committee, Center for Career Readiness and Life Skills
- Brian Goepfrich, Assistant Director of Academic and Scholarly Integrity, Office of Community Standards
Career Preparation Session (2:00 – 4:00 PM)
The Center for Career Readiness and Life Skills, in partnership with The Graduate School, will host a drop-in, in-person career preparation session from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. at the Wilbur Cross Building (Room 202). Graduate students will have the opportunity to meet with staff from the Center for Career Readiness and Life Skills including Kay Kimball Gruder, Associate Director, Graduate Student and Postdoc Career Programs and Services, Beth Settje, Associate Director, Experiential Learning & College to Career Transitions and Mary Malerba, Assistant Director, Alumni Relations for résumé reviews, free photobooth headshots and LinkedIn profile consultations. Résumé reviews and LinkedIn profile consultations are 10-minute micro appointments. Advance registration is encouraged for planning purposes.
Rainbow Center Graduate Student Coffee Hour (10:00 AM – 12:00 PM)
The Rainbow Center, in partnership with The Graduate School, will host the Graduate Student Coffee Hour from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. in the Student Union (Room 403). This is a drop-in event, so students are welcome to stop by at any time during the two hours. Come and enjoy coffee, hot cocoa, bagels, pastries, and fruit while connecting with other graduate students.Ice Cream Social and First-Generation Graduate Student Community Building (11:00 AM - 1:30 PM)
The celebration continues as The Graduate School partners with the Center for First-Generation Student Success for an ice cream social focused on welcoming first-year and first-generation graduate students and building community across UConn. This in-person event will take place from 11:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Giolas Conference Room, Whetten Graduate Center, Storrs Campus. All attendees will enjoy free ice cream from the UConn Dairy Bar and have the opportunity to learn about resources available to first-generation graduate students across UConn campuses, including scholarship opportunities and academic and professional support.
First-generation faculty, staff, and campus resource personnel will be present to share insights from their career journeys and connect with students. In addition to ice cream, UConn swag including laptop stickers and, beanies, t-shirts from the Center for First Generation Student Success and The Graduate School, will be available. Swag will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis, with priority given to students who RSVP when supplies are limited.
Note: UConn defines "first-generation graduate student as students whose parents do not hold a baccalaureate degree". While this event centers on first-generation graduate student experiences, ALL graduate students are welcome to attend.
Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) and Graduate Student Showcase (8:30 AM-12:30 PM)
To highlight the impact of graduate student work and to celebrate the Because of UConn campaign, The Graduate School will be hosting the Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) and Graduate Student Showcase on April 8, 2026, from 8:30 AM-12:30 PM in the Konover Auditorium within the Dodd Center for Human Rights. This competition will feature 3-minute talks from graduate students in degree-granting programs. The talks must be accessible to a general audience. The winners of this competition will receive awards and may be eligible for the international 3MT® competition. The EXTENDED deadline to apply is Monday, February 9, 2026, at 11:59 PM. For more information on the event, please visit our 3MT ® and Graduate Student Showcase webpage. If you are interested, please submit an application below.
Waffle Wednesday (1:00 – 2:30 PM)
The Center for International Students and Scholars (CISS), in partnership with The Graduate School, invites you to Waffle Wednesday from 1:00 to 2:30 p.m. at 2019 Hillside Road (Room 202). Join us in the afternoon for fresh waffles with a variety of toppings, fruit, coffee, and tea. Take a mid-day break, connect with fellow graduate students, meet other international students, and spend time with CISS staff in a welcoming and relaxed setting. Advance registration is encouraged for planning purposes.Multicultural Food and Music Festival
Celebrate the rich cultural diversity of the UConn community at the Multicultural Food and Music Festival, taking place from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the Alumni Center, 2384 Alumni Drive, Storrs. This evening event invites graduate students to experience food, music, and performances that reflect cultures from across the globe. Attendees will enjoy a variety of dishes inspired by global cuisines, including Jollof Rice, Pizza, Pineapple Fried Rice, Samosas, Dumplings, Pad Thai, Brigadeiro and Pão de queijo among others. The festival will also feature music and performances representing a range of cultural traditions and contemporary genres, including Afrobeats, Reggae, Hip-hop, R&B, Country, Bollywood, Mandopop, and Pop, creating a lively and welcoming atmosphere throughout the evening.
This event is hosted in partnership with UConn’s cultural centers including the African American Cultural Center, Asian American Cultural Center, Native American Cultural Center, and student organizations such as Tarang, bringing together graduate students and campus partners for an evening of cultural exchange.
In addition to food and music, attendees will have the opportunity to explore the J. Robert Donnelly Husky Heritage Sports Museum at the Alumni Center. Graduate students can view championship trophies and a wide range of game-used memorabilia celebrating the University’s rich athletic history and take photos with displays honoring UConn’s national championships and legendary moments, including the recent NCAA Women’s Basketball National Championship trophy.
Interested in performing? Graduate students who would like to sing, perform, or share traditional or cultural music during the event are encouraged to reach out to, Graduate Assistant, Michael Inkoom Nyarko at rdu25001work@uconn.edu
Virtual Trivia Night
The week wraps up with a Virtual Trivia Night, taking place on Friday, April 10, from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m., bringing graduate students together for a fun, fast-paced competition centered entirely on UConn. Graduate students will form teams of two individuals and go head-to-head with other teams as they test their knowledge of UConn history, traditions, campus culture, and fun facts. Teams will compete across multiple rounds of UConn-themed trivia questions, with opportunities to earn points and advance throughout the night. Prizes will be awarded to top-scoring teams, so bring your best Husky knowledge and competitive spirit.
UConnGSAW26 Wellness Playlist
The week will feature a graduate student–curated wellness music playlist. Graduate students across campus are invited to submit songs they listen to when they’re feeling overwhelmed, stressed, or in need of a moment to reset. Songs will be added to the Spotify playlist on a rolling basis as submissions are received, creating a shared space that reflects the diverse backgrounds, disciplines, and experiences of our graduate student community. All music genres are welcome. Have a go-to song you turn to during stressful moments? Share it with us by submitting your song HERE, and listen to the playlist below:
We invite you to stay connected throughout UConnGSAW26 by following The Graduate School on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn for highlights and updates. More events and activities will be added in the coming days. Questions, feedback, or ideas for UConnGSAW26 may be directed to The Graduate School via Melanie V. Sinche (melanie.sinche@uconn.edu) or Michael Inkoom Nyarko (rdu25001work@uconn.edu).
