Throughout the past year, despite the ever-changing environment and concerns regarding the pandemic, the Graduate Student Council (GSC) continued to fulfill its mission to support and enhance the graduate student experience. The Graduate Student Council, with a leadership team of more than 30 graduate students representing 15 programs, adapted largely virtual operations and navigated the new safety guidelines to provide workshops, research forums, and networking opportunities for the graduate student body.
As many classes and meetings moved to online formats, so did almost all Graduate Student Council events. The organization’s monthly meetings were held via Zoom, and even with many people experiencing Zoom fatigue, meeting attendance was not impacted by the virtual format. Meeting attendance ranged from 30-50 students, which is actually a slight from pre-pandemic meeting attendance.
The Professional Development Committee pressed forward and provided 17 seminars that were attended by more than 300 students. In total, 74 graduate students earned the GSC Professional Development Certificate this year and were recognized at the GSC’s Awards and Recognition Ceremony. The Professional Development Certificate recipients were among 161 students recognized in the GSC’s annual Awards and Recognition Ceremony, held virtually this year. The ceremony serves to celebrate the numerous accomplishments and contributions made by graduate students from across the university.
Additionally, the Student Affairs Committee hosted five events aimed at providing social interaction and personal growth. Events included a successful series called “Grad School: What I Wish Someone Would Have told Me,” in which senior students shared their experiences and advice with new graduate students. The committee was also pleased to offer two in-person events this year. They welcomed students back to campus in the fall with a socially distanced, outdoor ice cream social.
To conclude the academic year, the Student Affairs Committee partnered with the Fundraising Committee to host the Grad Dash 5K. Approximately 50 students, faculty, and staff enjoyed beautiful weather on the first Saturday in May for a run around the K-State campus.
In addition to personal and professional growth opportunities, providing presentation opportunities is a key role of the Graduate Student Council. The Research Forums Committee worked diligently to pivot both the Research and the State poster competition and the K-State Graduate Research, Arts, and Discovery Forum (KGRAD) to an online format. Thirty-six students participated in Research and the State Poster Competition and 33 participated in KGRAD.
A significant impact made this year by the GSC in partnership with Graduate School leadership was the allocation of special Graduate Student Support Scholarships in Spring 2021. As a result of a significant reduction in need for travel funding, the scholarship funds came from converting the traditional funding for travel to professional conferences into needs support. Over 180 graduate students received a scholarship. The scholarships primarily provided relief for expenses graduate students incurred as a result of many teaching and learning activities being conducted in a remote format since last March. Scholarships ranging from $125-$300 provided support for investments students made in technology, and scholarships in the amount of $100-$600 assisted students with additional enrollment fees associated with many courses being held in an online format. Additionally, a few scholarships ($900-$2,000 each) were allocated to assist graduate students with publishing their first-author work in open access journals or books.
Despite a year full of precautions and and new regulations, the GSC successfully fulfilled its mission and provided K-State graduate students opportunities for personal and professional growth, a voice for each student in need, and a place of stability and consistency that is often needed in continuing higher education. The GSC hopes this past year has been one of encouragement, growth, and development and looks forward to continuing its mission of enhancing the K-State graduate student experience.