Skip to main content
  • Home
  • About
  • Faculty Experts
  • For The Media
  • ’Cuse Conversations Podcast
  • Topics
    • Alumni
    • Events
    • Faculty
    • Students
    • All Topics
  • Contact
  • Submit
Campus & Community
  • All News
  • Arts & Culture
  • Business & Economy
  • Campus & Community
  • Health & Society
  • Media, Law & Policy
  • STEM
  • Veterans
  • University Statements
  • Syracuse University Impact
  • |
  • The Peel
  • Athletics
Sections
  • All News
  • Arts & Culture
  • Business & Economy
  • Campus & Community
  • Health & Society
  • Media, Law & Policy
  • STEM
  • Veterans
  • University Statements
  • Syracuse University Impact
  • |
  • The Peel
  • Athletics
  • Home
  • About
  • Faculty Experts
  • For The Media
  • ’Cuse Conversations Podcast
  • Topics
    • Alumni
    • Events
    • Faculty
    • Students
    • All Topics
  • Contact
  • Submit
Campus & Community

6 Ways to Get Involved and Set Yourself Up for Success as a Graduate Student at Syracuse

Wednesday, August 23, 2023, By News Staff
Share
Graduate SchoolStudentsWelcome Week

graduate students gathered at an event

The experience and process of onboarding to the University as a new graduate student can vary widely from the ways undergraduate students acclimate to campus. Graduate students, to speak generally, tend to be older, have more academic experience under their belt and may prefer to be more self-sufficient when it comes to adjusting to life in a new environment.

Ensuring graduate students feel welcome, valued and well-oriented to campus resources is an important goal of the Graduate School, as well as graduate programs across schools and colleges. As the fall semester gets underway, here are six ways to start your graduate student experience off on a high note.

1. Attend Graduate Student Welcome on Aug. 26.

New graduate students are invited to come celebrate the start of the semester by attending a welcome event and picnic with Provost Gretchen Ritter and Graduate School Dean Peter Vanable. An information/resource session will be held in Schine Student Center’s Goldstein Auditorium beginning at 2 p.m., followed by a picnic on the Kenneth A. Shaw Quadrangle with free food, refreshments, music and the opportunity to socialize with fellow graduate students.

An abundance of orientation activities are also held by the individual schools/colleges at Syracuse. Look for more information from your school/college for any sessions pertinent to graduate students.

2. Join a student organization or affinity group.

This Saturday’s welcome picnic will also introduce you to various student groups via an engagement fair, so you can learn how to get involved in campus and community activities. Two groups you may want to join as you start your graduate career include:

  • The Graduate Student Organization (GSO) represents graduate students in the University Senate and to the University leadership, allowing graduate students a voice in the operations of the larger University. To learn more about the GSO and how to get involved, attend the GSO Town Hall on Wednesday, Aug. 30, at 5:30 p.m. in Maxwell Auditorium or join your fellow graduates at the first GSO Senate meeting of the season on Wednesday, Sept. 6, at 5:30 p.m. in Maxwell Auditorium. Follow that up with free food and fun at the GSO’s Fall Welcome Picnic on Tuesday, Sept. 8, from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Women’s Building field.
  • The Graduate School BIPOC Alliance for Excellence (GBSA) focused on fostering academic success and building community in support of graduate students who self-identify as Black, Indigenous or other persons of color.

There are also a breadth of graduate student organizations formed around academic programs (i.e., Graduate Students of Architecture), as well as groups celebrating cultural identities and shared interests (i.e., Graduate Chess Club, Indigenous Graduate Student Association). View the full list on the GSO website.

3. Stay tuned for social opportunities organized by the Graduate School this fall.

Looking for informal and low-pressure ways to get to know other graduate students or branch out from the peers in your academic program? The Grad Social Spot offers monthly opportunities for relaxed conversation and community building—often with snacks!

September and November events are already on the calendar, with additional ones to come. Be sure to read your Graduate School newsletter, sent by email, for more community-building events, including occasional off-campus outings like snow tubing and apple picking!

4. Engage with career/professional development resources early and often.

Did you know that the Graduate School houses its own Career Development Office to help students at every stage of their graduate or postdoctoral journey? Professional staff members can assist you with career exploration and planning, resume review, preparing to become a teaching assistant (TA) or aspiring faculty development. They can also likely point you to dedicated career development resources in your school or college for more specialized support in your field of study.

5. Looking for a campus job? Get familiar with Handshake.

Handshake is the University’s centralized career management tool, and it’s where any TA, graduate assistant or research assistant jobs with the University will be posted. A swath of information and resources on Handshake is available on the Career Services website.

6. Immerse yourself further by downloading University podcasts.

If podcasts are your thing, we encourage you to check out and/or subscribe to the “Syracuse University Gradcast,” produced by the Graduate School, and “’Cuse Conversations,” a Universitywide podcast produced by the Division of Communications.

New episodes of the “Gradcast” will start up again this fall highlighting such topics as professional and career development, alumni of Syracuse graduate programs and upcoming Graduate School events. “’Cuse Conversations” drops new episodes twice per month featuring the inspiring stories of the University’s talented students, decorated faculty members, dedicated staff members and accomplished alumni. Both are available wherever you get podcasts.

  • Author

News Staff

  • Recent
  • Arts and Sciences Hosts Inaugural Scholarship and Research Gala
    Friday, May 9, 2025, By Sean Grogan
  • Chancellor Kent Syverud Honored as Distinguished Citizen of the Year at 57th Annual ScoutPower Event
    Thursday, May 8, 2025, By News Staff
  • New Maymester Program Allows Student-Athletes to Develop ‘Democracy Playbook’
    Thursday, May 8, 2025, By Wendy S. Loughlin
  • From Policy to Practice: How AI is Shaping the Future of Education
    Thursday, May 8, 2025, By Christopher Munoz
  • Kohn, Wiklund, Wilmoth Named Distinguished Professors
    Thursday, May 8, 2025, By Wendy S. Loughlin

More In Campus & Community

Arts and Sciences Hosts Inaugural Scholarship and Research Gala

The College of Arts & Sciences (A&S) kicked off a new tradition for recognizing A&S faculty excellence and achievements from over the past year with its inaugural Scholarship and Research Gala. The May 1 event was held in the Schine…

Chancellor Kent Syverud Honored as Distinguished Citizen of the Year at 57th Annual ScoutPower Event

Syracuse University Chancellor Kent Syverud was recognized by Scouting America, Longhouse Council, as the Distinguished Citizen of the Year at the organization’s 57th annual ScoutPower dinner. The annual fundraiser is one of the biggest scouting events in the nation and…

Kohn, Wiklund, Wilmoth Named Distinguished Professors

Three Syracuse University faculty members have been named Distinguished Professors, one of the University’s highest honors. The designation is granted by the Board of Trustees to faculty who have achieved exceptionally distinguished stature in their academic specialties. The newly named…

Syracuse Athletics Records Highest APR Score in 4 Years

Syracuse University Athletics continues to demonstrate its commitment to academic excellence, as shown in the latest release of National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Academic Progress (APR) data. The University earned a single-year score of 989 (out of 1,000) for the…

SOURCE Enables School of Education Undergraduates to Research, Explore Profession

Through a research project funded by the Syracuse Office of Undergraduate Research and Creative Engagement (SOURCE), School of Education (SOE) seniors Denaysha Macklin ’25 and Emma Wareing ’25 are continuing research to investigate barriers women of color face in advancing…

Subscribe to SU Today

If you need help with your subscription, contact sunews@syr.edu.

Connect With Us

  • X
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Youtube
  • LinkedIn
Social Media Directory

For the Media

Find an Expert Follow @SyracuseUNews
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Youtube
  • LinkedIn
  • @SyracuseU
  • @SyracuseUNews
  • Social Media Directory
  • Accessibility
  • Privacy
  • Campus Status
  • Syracuse.edu
© 2025 Syracuse University News. All Rights Reserved.