Graduate and Professional Student Appreciation Week

April 7-11, 2025

This week we recognize the many contributions graduate and professional students make to research, teaching, and service at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Get Involved!

We encourage all faculty, staff and students to come up with your own ideas and events focused on celebrating the contributions of graduate and professional students. These could be: a morning or afternoon coffee break, a lunch celebration, fun giveaways, photo opportunities, a social media campaign — feel free to think outside the box!

Vital contributions

Graduate and professional students are a combined 36% of UNC-Chapel Hill's total student enrollment.

Our graduate and professional students contribute so much to Carolina. Graduate and Professional Student Appreciation Week, celebrated nationwide, is dedicated to marking those vital contributions.

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2025 GPSAW Events

  • Grad Cafe
    10:00 am-12:00 pm, The Fountain at Bynum Hall
    • Join The Graduate School and Graduate and Professional Student Government to kickoff Graduate and Professional Student Appreciation Week with the final Grad Cafe of the spring semester! We’ll have free bagels, coffee, and cold brew from Brandwein’s Bagels and Gray Squirrel Coffee Company.
    • Grad Café is an opportunity to connect with other graduate and professional students, GPSG leadership, and The Graduate School staff.
    • Feel free to stay and chat or grab and go. We look forward to celebrating the start of Appreciation Week with you!
  • Headshots for Heels
    1:00-4:00 p.m., Graduate Student Center
    • Join us Monday, April 7 for a free headshot and networking event hosted by The Graduate School—CareerWell Professional Development. Come dressed to impress, network with your fellow Heels, and enjoy some light refreshments. Bring your CV or cover letter for an expert review. We hope to see you there!
      **Registration is required**
  • SweetWater Ices and Swag Giveaways
    1:00-3:00 p.m., Graduate Student Center
    • Come to the Graduate Student Center to recharge and connect with other students and leadership from The Graduate School. Enjoy Italian Ice from SweetWater Ices, Graduate School swag giveaways, and unwind by spending time with some therapy dogs. Co-sponsored by The Graduate School’s Development and Alumni Relations team and Graduate and Professional Student Government.
  • Enhanced Writing Wednesday
    10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m., Graduate Student Center
    *Lunch will be available 11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.
    • The Graduate School’s Student Affairs and Student Success team invites you to join us at the Graduate Student Center for an enhanced Writing Wednesday. As part of Graduate and Professional Student Appreciation Week, we’ll be providing free lunch from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
    • Writing Wednesday is a weekly drop-in, co-working space where students can stop in and focus on their reading, writing, and studying in a dedicated, quiet space.
  • Exclusive Ackland Art Museum Tours
    2:30-3:30 p.m. and 3:30-4:30 p.m., Ackland Art Museum
    • The Ackland Art Museum is providing free tours exclusively for UNC graduate and professional students. Take the tour to explore the museum’s collections and learn more about the Ackland’s wonderful resources for students, teaching assistants, and community events! Each tour is limited to 20 students, so be sure to register to secure your spot!
  • Grad Night @UNC Baseball Game
    6:00 p.m., Boshamer Stadium
    • Please join The Graduate School’s Student Affairs and Student Success team for Graduate Student Night at Boshamer Stadium to watch UNC Baseball play against Wake Forest. This is the final event to wrap up Graduate and Professional Student Appreciation Week.
    • This will be a family-friendly event and children/spouses/elders can also attend for free. The game starts at 6pm, and we will be reserving space for graduate students to sit together. Vouchers will be provided for the concession stands! Be sure to reserve your spot and register by March 31.
    • Contact Ali Ramirez (alir@unc.edu) with any questions.