2026 Graduate Student Appreciation Week: November 9-13!
UofL Graduate Student Appreciation Week gives us an opportunity to recognize and celebrate graduate students while supporting their continued success. Whether it be by hosting coffee breaks or lunches, sharing snacks or tokens of appreciation, all offices and departments on both the Belknap and HSC campuses are welcome to participate in the week's festivities.
2026 Graduate Student Appreciation Week Calendar
| More to come! |
| All Graduate Students ~ Let’s Get Social~ Each day, the Graduate School will ask a question on our social media. All you have to do is respond with a comment for a chance to win a prize! |
All Graduate Students – Graduate School 5 Hours of Movement Challenge: Time to get moving! Join the graduate student community in balancing all that focused research and writing work with some movement and/or outdoor time. Complete five hours of walking* between Monday, November 9 and Friday, November 13!
*Walking = walking, jogging, skipping, dancing, yoga, meditation, etc. Really, the focus is on providing some physical balance to all that brain work and we trust you. |
| Host Program & Target Audience | Event Title, Location and Time | Event Description |
|---|---|---|
Graduate School, MAGS, School of Medicine All School of Medicine Graduate Students | IPIBS Graduate Student Lounge | Join us for delicious coffee and donuts during Graduate Student Appreciation Week while connecting with other graduate students and learning more about the organization and how you might get involved! |
School of Nursing All PhD School of Nursing Students | Safier Sandwiches for PhD Nursing Students! SON, 4th Floor Lounge | The SON PhD program is celebrating our PhD students as they are very much appreciated!!! |
School of Public Health & Information Sciences All School of Public Health & Information Sciences Graduate Students | Epi & Unwind: Screen, Snacks and Socialize SPHIS 103 | Casual viewing of "The Invisible Shield" from Follow The Data on PBS. Pizza will be served during the episode, and Epi Survival Kits (small gift bags) will be distributed to students on their way out. |
Ekstrom Library All Graduate Students Welcome | Snacks, Sips and Sources of Appreciation Ekstrom Library, Research Assistance & Instruction Office | Come by Ekstrom Library's Research Assistance & Instruction office to meet a librarian, enjoy a cup of coffee/tea and a snack, and receive personalized research sources to show our appreciation. |
| Host School or Program | Event Title, Location and Time | Event Description |
|---|---|---|
Graduate School All Graduate Students Welcome | Clinical Translational Research Building 123 | HSC Graduate Students - Stop by to grab some coffee, tea and breakfast snacks while chatting and hanging out with Graduate School staff and other graduate students. Join us from 9-11 a.m to celebrate! |
Department of English All English Graduate Students | Treats with Pie and Cider! Bingham Humanities 315 | English graduate students are invited to join the department for pies and cider! We will also have a few goodies for you to pick up as well. |
School of Public Health & Information Sciences All SPHIS Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences Graduate Students | Widget to Fidget SPHIS 1st Floor Lobby | Join the Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences department as they sponsor "Widget to Fidget"! A variety of fidgets will be available for you to enjoy and take home. |
Ekstrom Library All Graduate Students Welcome | Snacks, Sips and Sources of Appreciation Ekstrom Library, Research Assistance & Instruction Office | Come by Ekstrom Library's Research Assistance & Instruction office to meet a librarian, enjoy a cup of coffee/tea and a snack, and receive personalized research sources to show our appreciation. |
| Host School or Program | Event Title, Location and Time | Event Description |
|---|---|---|
Graduate School All Graduate Students Welcome | Houchens 105S | The Graduate School is excited to host graduate students to speak with the deans of the graduate school in a casual atmosphere while celebrating YOU! Chat with the deans about their efforts to support students. Drop in for coffee/tea and snacks. |
J.B. Speed School of Engineering All Speed School Graduate Students | Speed School Graduate Student Appreciation Celebration ESSR Atrium | Drop by for an Insomnia cookie, light refreshments, and the chance to win some Speed School prizes! |
School of Public Health & Information Sciences All SPHIS Graduate Students | T-Shirt Giveaway Student Services Office 013 | Student Services will be giving away a free SPHIS t-shirt to all graduate students. Claim yours today! |
Department of Communication All Communication Graduate Students | Communication Graduate Student Goody Bag Pick Up Strickler Hall 310 | Communication graduate students are invited to drop by the Department of Communication main office to pick up a personalized goody bag of sweet treats. |
Ekstrom Library All Graduate Students Welcome | Snacks, Sips and Sources of Appreciation Ekstrom Library, Research Assistance & Instruction Office | Come by Ekstrom Library's Research Assistance & Instruction office to meet a librarian, enjoy a cup of coffee/tea and a snack, and receive personalized research sources to show our appreciation. |
| Host School or Program | Event Title, Location and Time | Event Description |
|---|---|---|
Graduate School All Graduate Students Welcome | Houchens 105 | Join the Graduate School in celebrating YOU for Graduate Student Appreciation Week during Pop in for Popcorn! We'll have specialty popcorn and drinks for pick up! Take a quick break or stick around and to check in with Graduate School staff and other students! See you there from 2:00-4:30pm in the Graduate School Office, Houchens 105. |
Departments of Humanities and Philosophy All Humanities and Philosophy Graduate Students | Humanities and Philosophy Graduate Student Coffee and Donut Social Bingham Humanities, room 213 | This will be a coffee and donut social event where graduate students can interact with students from both programs and the program directors. |
SPHIS Bioinformatics and Biostatistics All SPHIS Bioinformatics and Biostatistics Graduate Students | Snacks and Stickers Outside SPHIS | Please join the Bioinformatics and Biostatistics department as they provide snacks and stickers! |
School of Public Health & Information Sciences All SPHIS Graduate Students | Pizza with the Dean SPHIS 103 | Celebrate Graduate Student Appreciation Week with the School of Public Health & Information Sciences Dean and enjoy free pizza. |
Indian Graduate Student Association All Graduate Students Welcome | Red Barn | The Indian Graduate Student Association's Thanksgiving Celebration “Campus Friendsgiving Feast” invites graduate students, faculty and staff to share a warm, communal meal that captures the spirit of gratitude and togetherness. Many students, especially international and out-of-state students, remain on campus during the holiday break and may not have access to a traditional Thanksgiving dinner. This event creates an inclusive gathering where everyone can enjoy classic holiday dishes like turkey, vegetarian entrées, seasonal sides and desserts, while connecting with new friends and reflecting on the meaning of gratitude. In addition to the shared meal, the evening will feature brief remarks about the history and traditions of Thanksgiving and an optional “gratitude wall” where attendees can share notes of appreciation. By supporting this initiative, CPC will help strengthen our campus community, combat holiday isolation and provide a welcoming cultural experience for students of all backgrounds. |
Department of Communication All Communication Graduate Students | Communication Graduate Student Goody Bag Pick Up Strickler Hall 310 | Communication graduate students are invited to drop by the Department of Communication main office to pick up a personalized goody bag of sweet treats. |
Ekstrom Library All Graduate Students Welcome | Snacks, Sips and Sources of Appreciation Ekstrom Library, Research Assistance & Instruction Office | Come by Ekstrom Library's Research Assistance & Instruction office to meet a librarian, enjoy a cup of coffee/tea and a snack, and receive personalized research sources to show our appreciation. |
| Host School or Program | Event Title, Location and Time | Event Description |
|---|---|---|
Graduate School, School of Medicine All School of Medicine Graduate Students | IPIBS Graduate Student Lounge | Join us for delicious pizza during Graduate Student Appreciation Week while connecting with other graduate students at the School of Medicine! |
Department of Biology All Biology Graduate students | Popcorn Fest Departmental Seminar | Individual popcorn bags not various flavors will be available for Graduate students in the Department of Biology. |
SPHIS Health Management and System Sciences All SPHI Health Management and System Sciences Graduate Students | Byte-Sized Bites: Small Bites, Big Ideas! Outside HMSS Department | Please join the Health Management and System Sciences department as they provide snacks. |
Department of Communication All Communication Graduate Students | Communication Graduate Student/Faculty Lunch Old Louisville Tavern (1532 S 4th St) | Communication graduate students are invited to join the faculty for lunch at the Old Louisville Tavern. Graduate student lunches will be covered by the department. Group seating is likely to be upstairs. |
Ekstrom Library All Graduate Students Welcome | Snacks, Sips and Sources of Appreciation Ekstrom Library, Research Assistance & Instruction Office | Come by Ekstrom Library's Research Assistance & Instruction office to meet a librarian, enjoy a cup of coffee/tea and a snack, and receive personalized research sources to show our appreciation. |
Theatre Arts | Mr. Burns: a Post-Electric Play The Belknap Playhouse (1911 S 3rd St) | Anne Washburn’s imaginative dark comedy – a play with music featuring songs by Washburn and Michael Friedman – propels us forward nearly a century, following a new civilization stumbling into its future. Grad students can complete this Microsoft form to receive their ticket and confirmation early. They can also show up on the day and still receive the free ticket. |
Stock the Cupboard: Donate to our Cardinal Cupboard Food and Supply Drive!
Help us support the Cardinal community by stocking the Cardinal Cupboard! Donate nonperishable food items and personal hygiene products during Graduate Student Appreciation Week. Please bring the items to the Graduate School Office (Houchens Building, Suite 105) or to a Graduate School-sponsored event on HSC or Belknap Campus.
Share a GRADitude!
We invite all members of the UofL Community to recognize a UofL Graduate Student with #UofLGRADitude! Share a personalized few words of celebration, recognition, or encouragement with a graduate student, and we’ll send them a virtual postcard. A few messages will also be selected and shared across our social media channels as we celebrate throughout the week.
