Next week, Graduate and Professional Student Appreciation Week will be celebrating the contributions and diversity that graduate and professional students give to the UA and community.
Several events will be held from April 10 to 16. They include an International Student and Family Fun Day on Sunday from noon to 2 p.m. in the La Aldea Courtyard at which graduate and professional students and their family members can eat international cuisine and partake in games and activities.
A North Campus Breakfast on Tuesday from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the courtyard south of the College of Medicine at which graduate and professional students can eat free breakfast. Also, a Backyard BBQ on the UA Mall on Thursday from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. will be held where the first 700 graduate and professional students to arrive can have a barbecue-style lunch.
Emily Connally, the president of the Graduate and Professional Student Council, said the week is an effort to thank graduate and professional students. Graduate and professional students, she explained, do a great deal of teaching and research for the UA that helps increase the university’s ranking as a Research I institution.
“”This week is your week, and we want to do things to show much we appreciate you (graduate and professional students),”” she said.
In addition, GPSC will host an achievement awards ceremony next Friday in the Tucson room of the Student Union Memorial Center at 6 p.m. The awards ceremony will recognize graduate and professional students, staff and faculty that have made outstanding contributions to the UA and to graduate and professional education.
The 10 winners from each category are asked to attend the ceremony and will receive a certificate and $100 from GPSC. Runners-up will receive a certificate and $50.
Categories include outstanding mentor of graduate and professional students, outstanding diversity development by a graduate and professional student, outstanding graduate and professional student leadership, outstanding research assistant and outstanding teaching assistant. Graduate and professional students were asked to nominate individuals for each category.
