Celebrating Our Graduate Students: A Week of Recognition and Thanks

From March 31 to April 4, Seton Hall University marked its second annual Graduate Student Appreciation Week, a celebration dedicated to recognizing the contributions and achievements of its graduate students. Originally established by the National Association of Graduate – Professional Students (NAGPS), the honorary week emphasizes the importance of graduate students within college and university communities.

Hosted by the Office of Graduate Affairs in collaboration with Student Services, Seton Hall tailored the celebration to honor and showcase the dedication and hard work of its graduate students. The week featured an engaging lineup of activities and events across both campuses.

This year’s festivities included kick-off tables with complimentary gifts for students, interview skills workshop, free professional headshot sessions, relaxing break with mini-massages and activities fair where campus partners highlighted the support services available to graduate students, all while enjoying great food at each event. Additionally, students enjoyed fun giveaways and exciting raffles featuring Seton Hall swag. A big thanks also goes to the Campus Bookstore and Athletics Department for their generous donations.

The highlight of the week was the Dinner and Dessert Social held on Wednesday evening. Guests indulged in an Italian buffet and a delectable dessert bar, complete with a build-your-own-sundae station. The event brought students together for an evening of camaraderie and conversation while faculty and administrators joined in to celebrate the graduate student community.

Master of Public Administration graduate student, Tim Dziekan, noted “I am very thankful for the Graduate Affairs Office for putting together an amazing Graduate Appreciation Week! I was able to take some time out of my busy schedule to relax and connect with other graduate students that I have not met before.” Tim’s sentiments are at the core of what the week was trying to accomplish.

Christopher Cuccia, Ed.D., associate provost, expressed the following about past week’s events,

While Graduate Student Appreciation Week is a nationwide recognition of the contributions and impact of graduate students, it bears particular significance at Seton Hall as an institution that increasingly values and celebrates the dedication, resilience and curiosity that drive our future scholars. Their hard work today shapes the discoveries and innovations of tomorrow and. their unique contributions to our campus community are invaluable. This week provided a wonderful opportunity to celebrate and recognize these outstanding students.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to the many organizations that contributed to the success of these events, including Student Services, the Career Center, Campus Ministry, CAPS, DSS, Dove, Health Services, Office of International Programs, Study Abroad, the Teaching Learning and Technology Center, Walsh Library, Campus Bookstore and the Athletics Department.

The growing success of this year’s events sets the stage for next year’s celebration, scheduled for April 13 - 17, 2025. Seton Hall looks forward to continuing its tradition of honoring the invaluable contributions of its graduate students.

Categories: Arts and Culture, Campus Life