As the fall semester begins, incoming graduate students engaged in numerous opportunities with the Graduate School and the Center for Graduate Life & Learning (CGLL). Nearly 600 new UNC Charlotte graduate students attended the New Graduate Student Virtual Orientation. The webinar included welcome messages and advice from the Graduate School’s Dean Tom Reynolds, Assistant Dean, Sandra Krause, and Executive Director of the Center for Graduate Life & Learning (CGLL), Jill Huerta. Each student had the opportunity to connect and submit questions to a panel of Graduate Life Fellows, moderated by the CGLL’s Assistant Director, Aura Young.
On Saturday, more than 500 graduate students attended the CGLL’s New Graduate Student Welcome Reception where they enjoyed refreshments, games and giveaways while collecting information from campus offices that support them like the Center for Counseling at Psychological Services (CAPS), the University Career Center, Police & Public Safety, UREC, Atkins Library, and the Office of Civil Rights and Title IX. Afterward, the Graduate Life Fellows and Graduate Life Ambassadors led two groups of students Uptown via the light rail to take part in a public parks tour and explore the surrounding area.
Incoming graduate students visit First Ward Park, outside the Dubois Center at UNC Charlotte Center City, during the light rail tour
On the first day of classes, the CGLL welcomed racially and ethnically diverse graduate students to Charlotte at the New Graduate Student of Color Welcome. Attendees heard advice from Associate Vice Chancellor for Diversity and Inclusion, Dr. Brandon Wolfe, and then had questions answered by a panel of current students led by Cynthia Stone, Interim Director of Planning for Facilities Management and doctoral student in the Ed.D. In Educational Leadership.
The final orientation event was a welcome for graduate students who are members or allies of the LGBTQ+ community. Attendees had the chance to network and learn more about having a successful graduate experience at UNC Charlotte.