Graduate Student Appreciation Week 2020 Goes Virtual    

April 6-10, 2020 is known nationally as Graduate Student Appreciation Week! Texas A&M University at Galveston is proud to feature and honor our many incredible graduate students and we are being creative while respectful of the challenges brought on by COVID-19 as we do so.  

The Texas A&M-Galveston Research & Graduate Studies Office (RGSO) plans to host a week of virtual events for the graduate student community. 

“We have been hosting Graduate Student Appreciation Week for years as a way to bring the graduate community at Texas A&M-Galveston together. With COVID-19, our office was disappointed to see many of our fellow institutions cancelling events. We wanted to do something for our graduate students as they have given so much to our campus,” said Assistant Director of Graduate Studies Holly Richards.

The university currently supports nearly 200 graduate students in total across all programs. In addition to working on their own studies, these students act as teaching assistants, researchers, mentors and more.     

“Our graduate students are truly exceptional, they do it all,” said Director of Graduate Studies Nicole Kinslow. “I’m continually impressed by them and the work they do to make the world a better place. They’re a huge part of the research force of the university and they’re driven to moving knowledge forward. We appreciate each and every one of them and we like to remind them of that each year during Graduate Student Appreciation Week - we’re just doing it a little differently this year!”

Graduate students will be entered to win daily prizes throughout the week and all winners will be asked to submit an Amazon Wish List of items up to $50. RGSO will notify winners by email. 

See below for the daily events and how to participate:

Monday, April 6

Pass it Back Ags, We Need Your Recipes!

• Tired of eating the same thing? Wanting to learn how to cook more? All graduate students are encouraged to share their favorite recipes. Please share these by April 3 by emailing gradstudies@tamug.edu and RGSO will disseminate all recipes to the graduate community.  

Tuesday, April 7

10 a.m. Coffee & Color Time  

• Bring your crayons, markers, pencils, paper and enjoy a stress-relieving free color time. The whole family is welcome to participate.

Wednesday, April 8

5 - 6:30 p.m. “The PHD Movie” Screening

• Grab your favorite movie snack and beverage and join in watching “The PHD Movie.”
• Link to the movie: http://phdcomics.com/

Thursday, April 9

5 - 6:30 p.m. “The PHD Movie 2: Still in Grad School” Screening

• The saga continues! Watch “The PHD Movie 2: Still in Grad School,” alongside the graduate student community. 
• Link to the movie: http://phdcomics.com/

Senior Associate Vice President for Research & Graduate Studies and Regents Professor in the Departments of Marine Biology and Oceanography Dr. Antoinetta Quigg said the university's graduate students are exceptional, hardworking and passionate. 

“They’re often doing everything while balancing competing interests like careers and families. Their contribution to TAMUG and our knowledge base makes them crucial to the success of scholarship and our research reputation across the state, nation and the world,” Quigg added. “I also want them to know that we will get through this together and when we do, RGSO will host our Graduate Student Appreciation Mixer in a big, celebratory fashion.”

For more information on Texas A&M-Galveston’s coronavirus and COVID-19 response, please visit: tamug.edu/COVID-19/.