GPSG acknowledges the often invisible sacrifices that graduate and professional students make as they juggle research, teaching, and advocacy

As president and vice president of Graduate & Professional Student Government, it is our great pleasure to declare April 2-6, 2018 as Graduate and Professional Student Appreciation Week.

This week, we celebrate the more than 9,000 graduate and professional students across the University of Iowa. This week, we recognize the unique contributions and sacrifices that our graduate and professional students make to further enrich the University of Iowa. Each day, these graduate and professional students apply their skills and knowledge in and outside of the classroom, aiming to use their expertise to make our communities, state, nation, and world a better place.

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In addition to their own academic and creative work, graduate and professional students serve as instructors, teaching assistants, research assistants, and university and community volunteers. Their personal and professional contributions to the university are critical to the knowledge, culture, and life of UI.

So, this week, we want to say:

• To every graduate student sacrificing nights to ensure they are prepared to teach and conduct research — all while taking classes — thank you.

• To every medical student sacrificing nights to study tirelessly so they are prepared to save lives and give back to the state and local community, thank you.

• To every law student reviewing countless cases, writing long briefs, and preparing for those infamous cold-calls — all so you can be an advocate for those in need — thank you.

• To every pharmacy student studying how medications affect the body and how to best optimize patient care, thank you.

• To every nursing student who advocates and cares for her or his patients in primary- and acute-care settings throughout the state while balancing studies and work, thank you.

• To every dental student working to improve the oral health of patients from across Iowa’s communities, thank you.

We hope that during this appreciation week, you will take a moment to appreciate the contributions and sacrifices you and other graduate and professional students make on a daily basis to make this university, state, nation, and world great.

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So, once again, thank you. We value, appreciate, and support you. Let’s continue making that impact, because the lives we touch and inspire are worth it.

Happy Graduate and Professional Appreciation Week.

— Tejasvi Sharma, President,  Graduate and Professional Student Government

— Grant Jerkovich, Vice President,  Graduate & Professional Student Government