{"id":32,"date":"2025-01-31T14:42:30","date_gmt":"2025-01-31T18:42:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/graduate.ucf.edu\/annual-report-2023-2024\/?page_id=32"},"modified":"2025-03-06T14:09:41","modified_gmt":"2025-03-06T18:09:41","slug":"graduate-student-life-annual-report-2024","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/graduate.ucf.edu\/annual-report-2023-2024\/graduate-student-life-annual-report-2024\/","title":{"rendered":"Graduate Student Life"},"content":{"rendered":"
\r\n
\r\n
\r\n
\r\n
\r\n <\/div>\r\n <\/div>\r\n \"\"\r\n <\/div>\r\n \n <\/header>\r\n <\/section>\r\n\n\n\nHome<\/a><\/span><\/span>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n

The Office of Graduate Student Life offers a variety of services and support designed to enrich the graduate student experience from orientation to graduation. Our efforts focus on fostering community building, advancing professional development, and supporting career exploration. Key offerings include live orientations, research presentation opportunities, social and professional development events, personal assistance for topics such as thesis and dissertation formatting, and more.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n
\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n

At the heart of our mission to support students is the Graduate Student Center, a dynamic hub for year-round Graduate Student Life activities and events.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n

Our initiatives are designed to cultivate a strong sense of community among graduate students, ensuring their experience is both enriching and fulfilling. The Graduate Student Center embodies the spirit of the Office of Graduate Student Life and offers a holistic approach to supporting graduate students. The Office\u2019s first year was an outstanding success, emphasizing the importance of sustaining these essential programs to enhance the graduate student experience at UCF.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n
<\/span>\"\"
\n

Orientation<\/h2>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Orientation is a vital part of the support provided by the Office of Graduate Student Life, offering year-round resources to help students transition into their graduate study journey. This includes online asynchronous modules and live orientation sessions that welcome students to UCF while introducing them to the extensive university-wide resources available. In the 2023- 2024 academic year, 872<\/strong> graduate students participated in live orientation sessions, a significant increase from previous years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The New Graduate Student Orientation and Welcome event, held annually in August before the start of the fall semester, is a half-day program designed to prepare new students for their graduate education experience and help them adjust to life at UCF. In 2023, event hosted 511<\/strong> new graduate students in the UCF Student Union Pegasus Ballroom. Additionally, 361<\/strong> students attended live virtual orientations for the Summer 2023 and Spring 2024 semesters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since 2019, the College of Graduate Studies has offered the New Graduate Student Online Orientation through Webcourses. This free, non-credit course is open to all incoming and current UCF students and offers a comprehensive overview of resources and services available to UCF graduate students. During the 2023- 2024 academic year, a total of 4,594<\/strong> graduate students enrolled in the course, generating 538,083<\/strong> page views, which demonstrates its significant impact and value.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\"\" Graduate Student Life Events and Workshops<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Beginning in Fall 2023, the College of Graduate Studies united two previous entities to create stronger and more accessible opportunities for graduate students. The Graduate Outreach program previously housed in the Office of Student Involvement, and the Pathways to Success program were merged and integrated into the Graduate Student Life, alongside other opportunities outlined in this section. To achieve its mission of connecting the graduate community and improving the graduate experience at UCF, GSL hosts a variety of events and workshops throughout the academic year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In its inaugural year, Graduate Student Life hosted over 90<\/strong> social and professional development events. The social and professional development opportunities previously under Graduate Outreach, saw a dramatic increase in student engagement, growing from 371<\/strong> to 3,321<\/strong> interactions. These events, funded by Student Government, included professional headshot sessions, networking events, and opportunities for graduate students to connect across campus. Social events varied from tailgates before UCF athletics games to downtown campus takeovers and graduation celebrations held across the main campus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, 577<\/strong> students attended 11<\/strong> Graduate Student Life workshops covering topics such as library resources and thesis and dissertation support. On average, 52<\/strong> students attended each session between Fall 2023 and Spring 2024. Graduate Student Life workshops are offered in multiple formats and at different times to accommodate diverse schedules of the graduate student population. \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Graduate Student Center<\/strong> <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Graduate Student Center (GSC) is at the heart of UCF\u2019s vibrant graduate community. Our graduate assistants play a key role in fostering a warm and inclusive environment by organizing events, sharing campus resources, and managing daily operations. Located on the second floor of Trevor Colbourn Hall, the GSC boasts four unique spaces that enable College of Graduate Studies to host a variety of Graduate Student Life events and programs tailored to the unique needs of our graduate students.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Within the GSC, students can:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  • Utilize a conference room for meetings, thesis, or dissertation defenses, and studying. The conference rooms are now equipped with video and audio-conferencing resources.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Take advantage of the new study room added this year.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Create official research materials with the new poster printer available to students at a discounted rate.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Access the data analysis room with specialized software.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Gather in the multipurpose area for individual or group work, or simply to have a cup of coffee.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Reserve the 48-seat presentation room for larger meetings or events and participate in Pathways to Success workshops.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

    In the past year, the GSC welcomed 3,742<\/strong> graduate students who made 7,506<\/strong> visits. The Graduate Student Center also acts as a place for many students to find their sense of community after arriving on UCF\u2019s campus. First Wednesday Caf\u00e9 social events were held in collaboration with campus partners such as UCF Global, Knight\u2019s Pantry, and Career Services. These monthly events held in the Graduate Student Center bring in an average of 65<\/strong> students for casual conversations and coffee, allowing them to interact with impactful services across campus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The Graduate Student Center also houses a high-quality professional poster printer. The printing operations began in Fall 2023 and have proved to be an essential service for graduate students. The GSC poster printer is also a critical tool utilized during UCF Student Research Week\u2019s Student Scholar Symposium and other research conferences. The printer was utilized by 234<\/strong> students during its first full year of use. It has also been a beneficial resource for partner offices of the Graduate Student Center, being utilized 53<\/strong> times by fellow campus stakeholders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    <\/div>\n\n\n\n
    \n