Vice Provost for Graduate Education and International Affairs

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November 2023 Newsletter

She Leads Symposium @ WashU 2023

Dear Students,

As we near the end of the year and what is surely a busy time for all, I hope you will take advantage of some of the events and opportunities outlined in this newsletter.

In late October, we held the She Leads Symposium @ WashU. The event highlighted the accomplishments of several WashU community members. In conjunction with this year’s event, we were proud to host an adapted 3MT^®competition featuring presentations by current graduate and professional students on topics of gender and racial diversity, equity and inclusion.

For our PhD students, I would like to highlight two upcoming opportunities for you to learn more about the Bouchet Graduate Honor Society. I encourage you to register for one of the lunch and learn events where you can learn more about this prestigious Society and the application process. Details are below.

I encourage you to bookmark The Graduate Center website to learn about programming specifically for our graduate and professional students. Additionally, the Center continues to curate content designed to support you and help you discover the many resources here for you.

As always, we welcome your suggestions for additional events and programming and l look forward to hearing from you. I wish you all a happy Thanksgiving, and look forward to seeing you at some of the upcoming events.

Warm regards,

—Vijay K. Ramani, vice provost for graduate education and international affairs

Health and Wellness Spotlight

Spring 2024 Mindfulness Series: February 14–March 6 (4–5 p.m. sessions). Koru Mindfulness is an introductory class that will teach you the skill of mindfulness. It will also help you build the habit of using it in your life on a regular basis. Attendance at all sessions is required; space is limited. Open to all graduate and professional students. More information and registration can be found here.

Did you know? In partnership with Habif, The Graduate Center has safer sex supplies available in the evenings and weekends when Habif and Zenker locations are closed. Students on the Danforth Campus can also check out BareMail.

School of Medicine Students can reach out to Student Health Services (SHS) for free STI testing, contraception and PrEP as needed.

Below is a select list of upcoming events hosted by a variety of campus partners. Opportunities listed are open to all graduate and professional students across all programs unless noted. Please visit The Graduate Center’s calendar for additional upcoming events.

Lunch & Learn: Bouchet Graduate Honors Society

Join the Graduate Center and members of the Bouchet Graduate Honors Society (BGHS) to learn about the society, current students’ academic journeys, and their experience as BGHS members. All students are welcome to attend this event. Students eligible for membership in the society must be PhD student in a humanities, social sciences and sciences field and ABD status. Students interested in applying for 2024 and in future years are highly encouraged to attend one of the lunch & learn sessions.

Please visit the Bouchet Graduate Honor Society page to learn more about the society and the 2024 application process and deadline. Please RSVP to the lunch below.

November 16 (12–1 p.m.)—Medical Campus

November 17 (12–1 p.m.)—Danforth Campus

Assembly Series presents

Dr. Sanjay Gupta

"Public Health and the Media"

Graham Chapel, Nov. 15 (4 p.m.)

Dr. Sanjay Gupta is a broadcaster, writer, podcaster, and web-contributor, placing him in a unique position to examine why certain health-related stories make headlines and others don’t. He'll take a hard look at the media’s role in conveying sometimes frightening information, such as the H1N1 global pandemic and the post-9/11 incidents involving anthrax.

November Cub Club

@ The Graduate Center

November 19 (3:30–5 p.m.)

Calling all of our Bears with Cubs! If you are a graduate or professional student with children, join The Graduate Center for Cub Club! Your child will make a kid-friendly craft, you'll meet other student parents from across campus, and we’ll serve a kid-friendly dinner!

OUTgrads Mixer

@ The Graduate Center

November 29 (4:30–6 p.m.)

Calling all LGBTQIA+ graduate and professional students and allies! Come build community together and find ways to collaborate across programs. Food and refreshments available. Sponsored by the Spectrum Office and The Graduate Center.

Thursday Nights at the Museum

Legacies of Black Resistance: Education, Wellness, and the Law

Missouri History Museum

November 30 (5:30–8 p.m.)

Join The Graduate Center and the Black Graduate Student Association for a private reception for WashU graduate and professional students before a panel discussion focused on the complex intersectional history of education, wellness, and the law in the Black community. Hear about the evolution of the Black experience in St. Louis, and gain insight into how legacies of resistance against racial inequity shape our communities today.

Fuel for Finals

@ The Graduate Center

December 11–15

We'll have events including lunch, snacks, and special giveaways all week long on the Danforth and Medical campuses to help graduate and professional students power through the end of the year! More details are on the Graduate Center calendar. more information

Opportunities and Additional Events

Buchheit Graduate Student Family Support Fund: The Buchheit Graduate Student Family Support Fund supports graduate and professional students with financial need who have dependents under their care. more information

Free NCFDD Membership: Claim your free membership to the National Center for Faculty Development & Diversity (NCFDD). Learn more about this free membership available to WashU graduate and professional students, postdocs, and trainees.

Kemper Unplugged: November 17 (12 p.m.). Take a break in your day to hear WashU faculty and students from the Department of Music, Arts & Sciences, in intimate chamber music and acoustic solo performances surrounded by art in the permanent collection and special exhibition galleries. These 45-minute concerts are free and open to the public. Arrive early or stay after to grab lunch at the Museum’s Coffee Bar. more information

God of Carnage at the A.E. Hotchner Studio Theatre: November 16–19. Follow a meeting between two sets of parents after a playground altercation between their sons. This dark comedy reminds us of how close we are to crossing a line, and how ridiculous it looks when we do. Tickets are free to students with WashU ID. more information

Our monthly newsletter is designed to keep our graduate and professional students up to date on events and opportunities. If you know of someone who would like to receive this newsletter, please forward this sign-up link.

The Graduate Center

VPGEIA Website

Academic Calendar at WashU