Graduate Student Services

2021 Virtual Graduate & Professional Students Appreciation Week

Hello Students!

April 5-9, 2021 is Graduate & Professional Students Appreciation Week at USF! In 1993, the National Association of Graduate-Professional Students established an appreciation week to recognize the contributions, impact, and value of graduate and professional students across the nation’s campuses. The Office of Graduate Studies and Graduate & Professional Student Council will be hosting several virtual events for graduate and professional students throughout the week of April 5th – 9th to celebrate the impact graduate students make in their colleges, departments, labs, classrooms, and offices (see events below). Please encourage your fellow graduate students to join us virtually during the many educational, networking, and engagement opportunities available. To access online events, click on the desired event during the scheduled time and log into Teams with your @usf.edu email address.

That week is also USF Week and other activities are planned for the entire USF community. Please visit the USF Week website for more information and schedules.

We look forward to a great week of virtual celebration!

Scheduled Activities:

Monday, April 5th

Virtual Coffee & Conversation with the Deans

Hosted by: Dr. Ruth Bahr, Associate Dean of Graduate Studies
Time: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (EST)

Brew your favorite coffee and grab your best USF coffee mug to join the Associate and Campus Assistant Deans of Graduate Studies for a Virtual Coffee Break with an open discussion about the current state of graduate studies and graduate student engagement.

2 Minute Passion Projects with USF World

Facilitated by: Kristen Zernick & Bethany Holmes
Time: 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm (EST)

Graduate students can share their academic interests often, but we’d love to hear about the passion projects that matter to our graduate students at USF, too! It could be connected to what you are studying in the classroom, but it could also be a hobby, special interest, cultural tradition, or passion project that’s important to your identity. Join USF World and the Office of Graduate Studies for a 1-hour Microsoft Teams meeting on Monday, April 5th at 3:00 PM (EST) where graduate students will have the opportunity to share a brief 2-minute presentation about a topic they like. Participants will have two minutes each to educate the audience on their area of expertise and we encourage students to be imaginative with the presentation format: slides, video, audio, live performance… be creative! The session will conclude with a discussion about the importance of maintaining a connection to our interests and hobbies as a form of self-care. If you’re interested in participating, please complete the 2-Minute Passion Projects with USF World Interest Form or contact Kristen Zernick at kzernick@usf.edu for more information.

Tuesday, April 6th

Interviewing 101: How to Prepare for that Upcoming Interview

Facilitated by: Adelia Douglas and Chad Wallace (USF Career Consultants)
Time: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm (EST)

Interviews are always an overwhelming, stressful component of the hiring process. Come to our online workshop session where Career Consultants in the Career Services office will provide you with tips and advice for phone, video, and in-person interviews. In this session, we will also go over some resources to assist with your interview preparations, do’s and don’ts in the interview, how to approach salary negotiations, and Q+As.

Watch the recording of Interviewing 101.

Networking in a Pandemic

Facilitated by: Willo Craine, Gigi Machado, Maddison Russell, and Bianca Siegenthaler (GPSC Officers)
Time: 2:30 pm – 3:30 pm (EST)

In our now virtual and unprecedented times, navigating how to successfully network has become a new experience for many. Join us for the “Networking in a Pandemic” panel led by your fellow graduate students where we will provide tips and tricks on what we have learned thus far in how to connect with others and network in a pandemic. We will touch on how to utilize technology in networking, the advantages of collaborating with fellow colleagues, and the best practices in putting yourself out there. Feel free to bring questions for our panelists. We hope to see you there!

Watch the recording of "Networking in a Pandemic".

Wednesday, April 7th

De-Stress & Stretch Virtual Stretching Exercise Class

Facilitated by: Ashlee John
Time: 10:30 am – 11:30 am (EST)

Felling a little stressed? Ashlee John from Fete Fit Caribbean Cardio will demonstrate a few stretching exercises to help you relieve stress. Put on your comfortable workout clothes and find a relaxing place at home to join in on a morning of relaxation.

How to Manage Stress in Graduate School

Facilitated by: Kathaleen Koviak
Time: 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm (EST)

With everything going on in the world today, it is normal to feel stressed or anxious. Changing routines, keeping up with coursework, and making sure you and your loved ones are safe are probably just a few of the many things on your plate. Tune in for this interactive webinar with your fellow graduate students to discuss tips and strategies for taking care of yourself and your mental health to help you better weather life’s uncertainties.

Watch the recording of "How to Manage Stress in Graduate School".

Citation Management Tools

Presented by: Maryellen Nash, Interim Director of Research & Instruction and Matt Torrence, Associate Librarian, USF Libraries
Time: 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm (EST)

This session will provide you with an overview of the tools available for gathering and managing your citations. Mendeley, Zotero, and EndNote Web help save time at every stage of your research process by collecting and organizing citations and generating bibliographies.

Watch the recording of "Citation Management Tools".

Thursday, April 8th

Finding and Applying for Graduate Research Fellowships: Tips for Success

Facilitated by: Kiri Kilpatrick, PhD, Associate Director, Office of Graduate Studies
Time: 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm (EST)

For graduate students seeking external fellowships for research, travel, or professional development, getting started is often the hardest step. In this session, Dr. Kiri Kilpatrick will give an overview of the fellowship application process, share tools to aid in your search for fellowships, and provide tips for preparing a strong application.

Watch the recording of Finding and Applying for Graduate Research Fellowships.

Friday, April 9th

Virtual Graduate Student Research Symposium

Facilitated by: The Office of Graduate Studies
Time: 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm (EST)

Link: TBA

Annually, the Office of Graduate Studies and the Graduate and Professional Student Council (GPSC) host the Graduate Student Research Symposium to showcase the research of graduate students in all disciplines, allowing them to obtain feedback from faculty and peers. The event brings together graduate students and postdoctoral scholars, as well as faculty mentors and judges in an effort to foster further academic collaboration.

Graduate Student Mixer

Hosted by: Graduate and Professional Student Council (GPSC)
Time: 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm (EST)

After the Research Symposium, join GPSC in celebrating the end of the Graduate Student and Professional Appreciation week on April 9th from 5-6PM EST. Get ready to play a handful of fun games like scattergories, bingo, and more as well as meet other graduate students from USF! We hope to see you all there!