September 2023 Newsletter for Graduate & Professional Students

Vice Provost for EducationPhoto of Karen Detlefsen
Newsletter for Graduate & Professional Students
September 2023

Announcements from
Vice Provost for Education Karen Detlefsen, Ph.D.

Welcome to our new students, and welcome back to those continuing. The Penn campus is full of places to find community and belonging. Below are some resources that will help you make connections and find opportunities.

Contents

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Graduate Students in the News

Check out the latest headlines from the Grad Center’s collection of news about – and for – Penn graduate and professional students:

See more Penn Grad News.

Student Health and Wellbeing

Graduate Mental Health Task Force + Listening Sessions
The Graduate Student Mental Health Task force is organizing a series of listening sessions to learn from graduate and professional students how the University can better address their mental health concerns. All sessions will be held in the Graduate Student Center. See details and register in advance here.

  • STEM students listening session: Tuesday, October 3 from 5-6:30PM
  • Humanities/Social Sciences students: Tuesday, October 24 from 5-6:30PM
  • Professional students: Monday, November 13 from 5-6:30PM

Wellness and Resilience Programs
September – October; times and locations vary
The Penn Positive Psychology Center, in collaboration with Wellness at Penn, University Life, and College Houses and Academic Services (CHAS), is offering a series of free workshops that teach strategies and skills to help you reach your goals, manage stress, and strengthen your relationships. The workshops are open to all Penn students and are offered both in-person and virtually. Learn more and sign up here.

Engage with the Division of Recreation and Athletics!
Prioritize your physical and social wellbeing by participating in programming with Penn Campus Recreation & Penn Athletics:

  • Athletic games & competitions: Games are free to students; tickets can be reserved for Football, Men’s & Women’s Basketball, Wrestling, and Men’s Lacrosse.
  • Historic Franklin Field Track is free & open to PennCard holders for use Monday-Friday, 11AM-2PM. Enter at the Fox Fitness Center and walking through the Franklin Field concourse.
  • Work out: Full-time graduate students who pay full general fee have access to Pottruck and Fox Fitness Centers, free weekly group exercise classes, rock climbing, intramural sport leagues, and more. Part-time students can join with a membership fee.
  • Penn Tennis Center and Penn Squash Center: Show your Penn ID to enjoy these facilities.

Penn Flu Clinic
October 4-6 in Pottruck Fitness Center, 3701 Walnut Street
All members of the Penn community are invited to get their annual flu vaccine at Penn Wellness’ Flu Clinic -- this year's theme is Candyland!  Full details and requirements here.

Service and Engagement

Graduate Student Engagement
Explore our lists of graduate student organizations and engagement opportunities to find out how you can participate in the broader Penn community.  Your Graduate School Government is an additional place to find advocacy and community, as well as with the Graduate and Professional Student Assembly (GAPSA), the University-wide graduate student government.

Serve on a University Committee
GAPSA is responsible for placing graduate student representatives on a number of University-wide committees to represent graduate students and, in some cases, share information back with the graduate & professional student community. Contact GAPSA to request to serve on a 2023-24 University committee or council! 

Voter Registration & Engagement Opportunities
Celebrate National Voter Registration Day  on September 19th by joining Penn Leads the Vote to learn about upcoming elections, register to vote, request a mail-in ballot, and much more. Learn more about voter registration and outreach efforts at Penn at www.pennvotes.org. See additional campus and community engagement opportunities at www.gsc.upenn.edu/resources/get-involved.

Grad Community

Activities for New Students
We're excited to welcome you to the Penn Community and show you all that Penn has to offer you as a graduate or professional student! We encourage you to visit the Graduate Orientation Hub, where you will find information and resources to help you transition to life at Penn and in Philadelphia.  Be sure to check out the campus events calendar for open houses and activities for new students!

Graduate Welcome Reception and Happy Hour at the LGBT Center
Friday, September 15, 5:00-7:00pm
Lambda Grads, the LGBT Center, & the Grad Center invite new and returning graduate and professional students to join us for a graduate open house and happy hour to connect with your fellow LGBTQ+ peers and learn how our three organizations can serve you! Learn more and register here.

2023 GradFest
September 18-24; locations and details vary
GradFest is an annual multi-day festival for all graduate and professional students at Penn. Events this year include “Speed-Friending” at the Morris Arboretum, a planting workshop, a movie night featuring Spiderman: Across the Spiderverse, Boat Cruise, and several student center open houses, and more! Cosponsored by GAPSA and the Grad Center.  Find the full list of events here.

Arts at Penn
From the one-of-a-kind museums on campus to accomplished student performances, culture and the arts play a leading role in life at Penn. Check out a list of cultural institutions at Penn and see a list of upcoming arts & culture events at Penn.

See more upcoming events and activities:

Resources and Support for Students

PhD, MA, and MS Fall 2023 Graduation
Sign up for December 2023 graduation for PhD, MA, and MS students is open!  Visit the Graduate Degrees website for more information, PhD graduation checklist, MA/MS graduation checklist, and to review the dates and deadlines on the December 2023 and May 2024 graduation calendar. Students in all other degree programs should contact their school or program for graduation requirements and information.

Grad Center Lunch & Learn Series
Fridays 12:15-12:45pm; Grad Center #304 and online
The Lunch & Learn series features resources and tips that will help you successfully navigate your academic experiences at Penn. Campus partners share best practices to benefit all graduate and professional students in focused, 30-minute sessions each Friday. Light lunch will be provided for in-person attendees who register in advance.

Graduate Student Services Pop-Up Hours at the Grad Center
Grad Center | Room 301
Stop by the Grad Center to meet with campus partners offering regular graduate-specific drop-in advising and appointments:

  • Financial Wellness Peer Counseling | Mondays, 10:00 AM-12:00 PM
  • Weingarten Writing Consultations | Tuesdays, 1:00-4:00 PM
  • Dissertation Formatting & Deposit Consultations | Wednesdays, 3:30-4:30 PM
  • Let's Talk | Thursdays, 2:00-5:00 PM

Fall Writing Accountability Group Intro Sessions
Tuesday, September 26, 10-11am & Wednesday, September 27, 4-5pm
Get help meeting your writing goals! Whether you're working on a dissertation, journal article, or other writing project, writing groups are a great way for graduate and professional students to help one another make progress and meet deadlines, by providing accountability and encouragement along the way. Attend an introductory session to learn more and be matched with fall writing group! Learn more at gsc.upenn.edu/writing-groups!

Find out about all the University’s resources for graduate and professional students at www.gsc.upenn.edu/resources   

Grants and Other Funding Opportunities

Grant Programs for PhD Students
The Provost’s Office provides grants for PhD students to assist with health insurance coverage for students and their dependents, family expenses, and dental insurance. The deadline to apply is September 22.

Penn Global Grants Dissertation Grants for PhD students
Penn Global, in partnership with the Office of the Vice Provost for Education, is launching the Penn Global Dissertation Grants program, which will provide up to $8,000 to PhD students to explore or deepen global components as part of their dissertation research. Currently-enrolled Penn Ph.D. students from all Penn Schools and disciplines, including the humanities, social sciences, and STEM fields, are eligible. Call for Proposals will open October 1. Funded research can begin as early as Summer 2024. More details here. Eligible students interested in submitting an application are encouraged to contact Penn Global at global@upenn.edu.

Provost’s Graduate Academic Engagement Fellowship at the Netter Center
Information Panel on September 26
Application deadline: February 19, 2024
The Provost’s Graduate Academic Engagement Fellowship at the Netter Center (PGAEF@NC) is a fellowship opportunity for PhD students across the University of Pennsylvania. Fellows are outstanding students who are involved in community-engaged scholarship and related activities, including Academically Based Community Service (ABCS), participatory action research, service-learning, and learning by teaching in public schools. The fellowship includes full funding for one academic year (inclusive of stipend, tuition, general fee, clinical fee, and health insurance) and one summer stipend. The fellowship also includes $5,000 of research funding and additional support to attend and present at conferences. Learn more from current PGAEF fellows at a panel on September 26th and sign up here to receive information about upcoming information sessions held throughout the fall. We encourage application drafts in advance.

Other upcoming opportunities include:

See additional opportunities at the Grad Center’s regular digest of funding and professional opportunities for graduate and professional students, in addition to the information on their Funding & Finances and Grants & Fellowships pages.
 

About the Vice Provost for Education

The Vice Provost for Education oversees undergraduate and graduate education at Penn, developing and implementing policies that promote academic excellence, innovative teaching and learning, and interdisciplinary knowledge across the University. The Vice Provost chairs the Council of Graduate Deans, the Council of Professional Master’s Degree Deans, the Graduate Council of the Faculties, the Council of Undergraduate Deans, and the Faculty Advisory Council for Access and Academic Support Initiatives.

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