The Graduate School invites all new and returning graduate students to a week of professional development and community building events August 24-28. Start the fall semester strong by participating in Welcome Week.

Registration is required. Click on the event title to register.

The Proactive Mentee Workshop (with Lunch)

Monday, August 24 | noon – 1:30 pm
DeLuca Forum, Discovery Building

Join us for this focused session to refine your approach and build high-value, mutually beneficial relationships with your academic mentors. This interactive workshop includes best practices and a discussion of a real-life case scenario for maximizing your role as a mentee. (Lunch will be provided; vegetarian options available.)

Resilience in Action: Preparing for the Demands of Graduate School

Monday, August 24 | 2:30 – 4 pm
DeLuca Forum, Discovery Building

Graduate school is a high-load, high-demand experience that requires more than academic ability—it calls for mental strength and resilience. This keynote introduces practical tools to help graduate students manage stress, maintain focus, and thrive in challenging environments. The session sets the tone for success by equipping students with proactive mental training and front-end support for the journey ahead.

Bridge & Build Graduate Student Welcome Reception

Monday, August 24 | 4 – 6 pm
AT&T Lounge, Pyle Center

Join us for an evening of connection as we welcome graduate students to campus and kick off the Bridge and Build Community event series. This program fosters peer networks, supports academic and professional growth, and helps students navigate the graduate experience.

Attendees can meet fellow graduate students, connect with campus partners and leadership, and learn about resources that promote success and belonging. Designed to support students from an array of backgrounds and life experiences, this event invites all graduate students to participate. This event is co-sponsored by the Graduate School and Student Affairs.

Time Management for Graduate Students

Tuesday, August 25 | 10 – 11 am
1310 Sterling Hall

In this interactive workshop, you will learn tips and techniques for staying on track and managing your time. We will cover goal-setting, minimizing distractions and staying focused, and overcoming some of the most common challenges to staying on task. Participants will leave with strategies that they can apply immediately. The strategies we’ll cover are appropriate for students in any discipline.

Navigating Graduate School with a Disability

An Info Session and Graduate Student Panel on Finding Community, Disrupting Ableism, and Advancing Inclusion in the Academy

Tuesday, August 25 | noon – 1:30 pm
Online

This online session 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. Attendees will hear from representatives with McBurney Disability Resource Center about how to navigate support services available to graduate students in their role as student and in instructor or researcher roles.

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. Registration is required.

Cool Tools: Apps and More to Increase Productivity

Tuesday, August 25 | 3 – 4:15 pm
1310 Sterling Hall

Prepare to maximize your time and energy by taking advantage of software available to UW–Madison graduate students that can help streamline your workflow. This workshop, presented by Pete Valeo from Software Training for Students (STS), will introduce you to basic and advanced software tools, including cloud storage services, note taking apps, mobile scanners, research tools, tasks managers, password managers, lifestyle apps, and more. The session will also address ethical and responsible use of AI tools to help you navigate emerging technologies with confidence and integrity.

Equipping and Empowering Graduate Students to Apply for External Funding

Thursday, August 27 | 11:45 am – 1 pm
WARF Centennial Seminar Hub (Room 7560), Morgridge Hall

Join us at this dynamic event where you’ll discover why fellowships are crucial funding opportunities. Learn from faculty and peers from various disciplines who will share insights on the importance of applying for fellowships and how to write competitive applications, including crafting compelling research descriptions, demonstrating your impact, and involving your advisor. Leave feeling motivated and equipped to pursue funding opportunities with confidence. A buffet lunch will be served at 11:45 am; the session will begin at noon.

Enhancing Your Graduate Degree with a Certificate

Thursday, August 27 | 3 – 4:15 pm
Online

What are graduate certificates, and how can they add value to your graduate degree? In this virtual session, faculty and staff representing several graduate certificate programs (and their equivalent doctoral minors) discuss the multiple benefits that these programs provide to graduate students across campus—including fulfilling breadth requirements, expanding interdisciplinary knowledge, mastering new skills, creating community and networking opportunities, and building cultural competence. Attendees will also have the opportunity to speak with each certificate representative in smaller groups.

Demystifying the Academic Research Process

Friday, August 28 | 3 – 4 pm
Online

What does academic research actually look like day-to-day, and how do you know if you’re doing it “right?” This session, jointly sponsored by the Graduate School and the Morgridge Institute for Research, breaks down the hidden curriculum of graduate research, offering a clear, approachable overview of how research environments function, what’s expected of you, and how to navigate uncertainty, feedback, and growing independence. You’ll also gain practical guidance on where to seek support and how to ask questions early in your graduate journey.

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