Graduate students are invited to join us for Winter Welcome Back events to learn new skills, connect with peers, and prepare for success this semester. Click on the event title to register; registration is required.
The Proactive Mentee Workshop (with Lunch)
Monday, Jan 12 | noon – 1:30 pm
Memorial Union (TITU)
This interactive workshop moves beyond lectures to focus on shared best practices and evidence-based strategies for maximizing your role as a mentee in an academic setting. Participants will brainstorm together, learning from the successes and challenges their fellow mentees have encountered. Join us for this focused session to refine your approach and build high-value, mutually beneficial relationships with your academic mentors. Lunch with vegetarian options begins at 11:45 am.
Project Management for Graduate Students
Tuesday, Jan 13 | 10 am – 3:30 pm
Orchard View Room, Discovery Building
Project management is a set of skills that can be applied in academic, non-profit, laboratory, business, and many other settings. Learn principles of project management and apply them to your own project in this collaborative, day-long program. You will think creatively, define a problem, establish project goals, create a plan, and prepare for implementation. Since no project runs perfectly, the program will also address how project leaders manage change and other common challenges. You will leave better prepared to lead a team and deliver results. Students will also hear from a panel of successful faculty and others who manage multiple projects. Lunch will be provided, with vegetarian options.
Funding Resources for International Graduate Students
Wednesday, Jan 14 | noon – 1:30 pm
International Community Center, International Student Services Office, Pyle Center
Navigating funding as an international student can be challenging, but we’re here to help! This session offers practical guidance and connects you with fellowships and grants tailored to international graduate students. Discover tools to help you identify opportunities and build a strategic approach to your funding search. Also hear firsthand from current UW–Madison international students who successfully navigated the process and secured prestigious awards. Lunch will be provided, with vegetarian options.
Navigating Graduate School with a Disability: Finding Community, Disrupting Ableism, and Advancing Inclusion in the Academy
Thursday, Jan 15 | 10 – 11:15 am
Online
This panel will provide deeper understanding of complex ways ableism has been woven into institutions of higher education and the impacts it can have on graduate students with disabilities. Panelists will explore avenues for building a supportive community, including resources for students navigating disability themselves or supporting peers, mentees, and those they teach. The conversation will also address strategies for managing mentoring relationships as a graduate student with a disability, as well as actionable steps to advocate for oneself and others to advance inclusion and equity within and beyond our campus community. Through interactive Q&A, attendees will critically examine able-bodied privilege, share experiences, and leave with practical tools to foster a more accessible and inclusive academic environment.
Strategies for Success in Graduate Student Professional Development
Friday, Jan 16 | 11 am – noon
Online
Discover how to make the most of your graduate experience through intentional professional development. Join us for this online session to explore practical strategies for getting started, building habits for sustained progress, and leveraging campus resources to strengthen the skills you need to succeed in graduate school and beyond.