A week of welcome for new graduate students

Stanford has officially welcomed new graduate students to the community. During last week’s New Graduate Student Orientation (NGSO), students arrived on campus and participated in numerous events and programs designed to help them navigate life on the Farm.

Stanford students attend the Graduate Orientation and Lunch Information Event. (Image credit: Alex Gillaspy)

“It’s been such a fun week,” said Maria Nguyen, a first-year biology PhD student from Berkeley, California, while attending the annual GOALIE tabling event. “NGSO has been packed full of fun activities and Stanford’s NGSO organizers do a really great job of creating an inviting space for students. I feel very welcomed here!”

NGSO is organized by the Graduate Life Office with the goal of connecting new students to the many campus resources that will assist them during their time at Stanford. It is also a time for students to get to know each other, as well as the university’s leadership, faculty, and staff who will support them through their graduate studies.

This year Stanford is welcoming approximately 2,800 new graduate and professional students who will pursue master’s and doctoral degrees in all seven schools.

Members of the new cohort come from 47 states across the country, as well as Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico. Forty-one percent are international students and there are a total of 96 countries represented.

Navigating Stanford

NGSO kicked off Sunday, Sept. 18, with an official welcome event at the Frances C. Arrillaga Alumni Center. That was followed by “Grad 101,” a panel talk hosted by the Graduate Life Office during which current students discussed topics like housing, transportation, food, and social life at Stanford.

Stanford President Marc Tessier-Lavigne greets new graduate students during a reception at the Lou Henry Hoover House. (Image credit: Alex Gillaspy)

“Our programming staff and student coordinators worked hard all spring and summer long with our campus partners to set up programs that engage new graduate students with campus resources and each other,” said Ken Hsu, director of the Graduate Life Office.

On Wednesday, President Marc Tessier-Lavigne and his wife, biology Professor Mary Hynes, hosted a reception for new graduate students at the Lou Henry Hoover House. Tessier-Lavigne, Hynes, and Stacey Bent, vice provost for graduate education, welcomed students to campus, offered encouragement as they begin intense graduate study, and reminded them of the supportive community they’ll encounter at Stanford.

“Struggling periodically, encountering difficulty, or feeling unsure of yourself or your direction – these are all normal things to experience at different times in graduate school,” said Bent. “And I want you to know that there is an entire community of support for you, and I am privileged to be part of that community.”

Throughout the week, students attended events to learn about the many campus resources and offices that provide support to them, including the Center for Teaching and Learning, Vaden Health Center, the Financial Aid office, the Office of Military Affiliated Communities (OMAC), and the Office of Religious and Spiritual Life, among others.

New graduate students were also invited to explore Stanford’s many libraries, including Green Library, the Terman Engineering Library, and the Li and Ma Science Library in the Sapp Center for Science Teaching and Learning, where they met librarians and took interactive self-guided tours of the facilities. They were also encouraged to attend the many open house events hosted by Stanford’s community centers, like the Black Community Services Center, Queer Student Resources at the fire truck house, and the Markaz, which supports Stanford’s Muslim community.

One of NGSO’s signature events, the Graduate Orientation and Lunch Information Event, or GOALIE, took place Friday at Canfield Court outside of Stanford Law School. Thousands of new and returning students attended the lunchtime tabling event that convened more than 110 university offices, departments, centers, and student organizations from across campus.

Making connections

New graduate students participate in a speed-friending event during NGSO. (Image credit: Andrew Brodhead)

In addition to connecting new students to campus resources, NGSO is also designed to help them connect to each other. Throughout the week, new students participated in various social events like “Speed Friending” at Manzanita Field and a trivia night and dinner hosted by the Graduate Student Council. Students were also invited to “American Football 101,” an annual event at the practice fields to introduce graduate students to the game through various drills and activities led by Stanford football alumni.

Other events included “Dinner and Dialogue: Cultivating Community at Stanford,” the Graduate Student Programming Board’s “Football Watch Party,” a movie night, and a “Welcome Mixer” for graduate students with families to mingle and get information and resources.

“It has been thrilling to see so many new students participate in these programs and events throughout the week,” Hsu said. “NGSO plays a crucial role in helping them settle into life at Stanford and can help set them up for success down the road.”