Graduate School Barbecue Sparks Connections for a Strong Semester Kickoff

The Graduate School, in collaboration with the Center for Inclusive Education (CIE), kicked off the fall semester on August 28 with its annual Graduate School Welcome BBQ on the Old Computer Science front lawn. The event drew a crowd of more than 325 graduate students, along with numerous faculty and staff members who came to show their support and connect with graduate students.

Celia Marshik, dean of the Graduate School and vice provost for graduate and professional education, remarked: "The annual BBQ offers students a great opportunity to get out of their classrooms, labs, and offices to have some food and fun. I was delighted to see students from a range of different degree programs sit together and have the opportunity to meet peers from across campus."

This year's event also featured informational tables hosted by Graduate School staff and campus partners. Marshik highlighted their impact, adding: "I saw lots of students visiting the tables and am confident that they feel better able to access support and services now that they met the friendly faces behind them!""

Full list of campus partners and representatives included:

• The Department of Student Community Development (Off-Campus Housing)
• Student Accessibility Support Center (SASC)
• Student Health, Wellness, and Prevention Services
• TimelyCare
• Institute for Advanced Computational Science (IACS)
• Graduate Student Positions (including the Graduate Student Advocateand Writing Graduate Assistant)

The lively afternoon brought together students from across disciplines to connect and recharge for the school year ahead. As the semester progresses, the Graduate School will continue to build on this momentum and empower graduate students and postdocs through professional and personal development as they explore innovative curriculum and pursue creative academic and research opportunities.

- Irene Huang