A collaboration among the University of Iowa Graduate College, Graduate Student Senate, and Graduate & Professional Student Government made Graduate & Professional Student Appreciation Week happen, and organizers say they are excited about the week to come.
The week celebrates the work UI students pursuing post-undergraduate education with a variety of events. As of the fall of 2016, there were more than 7,000 graduate and professional students enrolled at the UI, according to the Admissions Office.
Graduate and professional students help the UI in a multitude of ways through their work as teaching assistants and the research they do, GPSG President Tejasvi Sharma said. The Iowa City community also feels their impact through such services as dental care and legal services.
“I think, hopefully, this [week] sends a message that graduate/professional students play a critical role here on campus,” Sharma said. “In most of the cases, it is underappreciated.”
From skill-based workshops to social events, Laura Budde, the co-chair of the Graduate Student Success Committee of the Graduate Senate, said the variety of events aims to meet the different needs of each student.
This is the first year the week has been held at the UI, but it was started 25 years ago by the National Association of Graduate-Professional Students.
Budde said the idea began with the committee wanting to focus on wellness and professional development. From there, she contacted the Graduate College for ideas or people to work with.
Budde was put in contact with a graduate assistant at the UI Graduate College, Yu Chak Sunny Ho. Budde said the idea for this week came from him.
Together, they worked to create ideas for the week. Ho noted that he looked for ideas at other universities that have hosted appreciation weeks.
Once the two realized how big it was going to be, they contacted GPSG.
“It is going to be unique,” Budde said. “I think to just have everybody come together for a common purpose, which to celebrate us being us and all the hard work that we do.”
Ho said he thinks the wellness events are important, noting he believes graduate and professional students may neglect the importance of mindfulness and self-care when focused on their work.
“Having those kind of workshops would actually guide them through the process of how self-care would work in the professional field,” Ho said. “It’s much needed for all students to know the resources we can actually provide for them.”
As of the morning of March 28, Ho said, there was an average of 20 to 30 people registered for each event, but Budde noted the Friday Night Vibes has seen approximately 100 people who are either going or interested in the event. Ho and Budde say they expect more to attend.
Budde said it is nice to be able to meet other students similar to her, because graduate school can be very isolating, noting many of her classes have been online and require a lot of studying.
“You’re not alone; there are other people who are struggling just as much, and we’re all here for each other,” she said.
Sharma hopes the message of support spreads throughout the week as students get to know each other.
“I think what makes us different as Hawkeyes is that we’re there for one another,” he said.
