About Graduate and Professional Student Appreciation Week
Graduate and Professional Student Appreciation Week (NGPSAW) is an annual celebration dedicated to recognizing the contributions, achievements, and impact of graduate and professional students in research, teaching, and service across universities. The tradition began in 1993 when the National Association of Graduate-Professional Students (NAGPS) established a week each Spring to highlight the vital role graduate and professional students play in advancing scholarship and supporting campus communities. Our Graduate Student Appreciation Week events are designed to celebrate this important community, foster connection, and recognize the many ways graduate students enrich our university.
UC Davis Graduate Student Appreciation Week 2026: April 6-10
🍵🌿Matcha & Mindfulness
Monday, April 6, 2026, 1:00 - 2:15 pm, Gibeling Room (Room 1220), Walker Hall
Join us for Matcha & Mindfulness: a restorative afternoon designed to help graduate students pause, connect, and build some simple tools for managing stress and staying present.
The event will begin with 45 minutes of *iced* matcha-making and mingling, where you can connect with fellow grad students over a cup of iced matcha. We'll then move into a 30-minute guided mindfulness session, which will include a 15-minute meditation followed by small group discussions practicing mindful listening.
This event is co-hosted by Health Promotion and the Office of Student Support, and is open to all graduate students. It's also a great opportunity to learn more about the support and resources available to grad students through the Office of Student Support, whether you're navigating a complex situation or simply figuring out where to start.
Register Now
🌎✨Global Grad & Postdoc Workshop: Designing Breathing Rooms - Storytelling as Pedagogical Practice
Monday April 6, 2026, 4:00pm - 5:30 pm, virtual
This workshop is offered as a part of Global Grad & Postdoc Career Skills Series and Certificate. In this workshop, participants will examine and experiment with classroom activities that support reflection, agency, and relational learning; learn about storytelling as a pedagogical method that focuses on learning outcomes. Combine this workshop with other Series workshops to earn a certificate.
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🚶♀️🎉SSEI Graduate Student Appreciation Week Crawl
Tuesday April 7, 2026, 9:00 - 11:00 am, all SSEI Centers
Celebrate Graduate Student Appreciation Week with us! All Student Success,Equity and Inclusion (SSEI) programs and centers invite graduate students to a collaborative Meet & Greet Crawl across campus. Learn about resources, meet staff, and connect with supportive spaces designed for your success. Participating locations:
- Center for African Diaspora Student Success (South Silo, 2nd floor)
- Student Parent Space (University House, near South Hall)
- The Nest (next to Student Parent Space)
- Guardian Scholars Program (South Hall lower level, Room 16)
- Underground Scholars Program (South Hall lower level, Room 26)
- Student Disability Center (Memorial Union, 1st floor)
- Veterans Success Center (Memorial Union, 2nd floor)
- Transfer and Reentry Center (1210 Dutton Hall)
- Lotus Mana Center (Memorial Union, 2nd floor)
- El Centro (Memorial Union, 2nd floor patio)
🍋💜Thriving in Graduate School x Aggie Baking Club: Lemon Lavender Cookies
Tuesday April 7, 2026, 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm, Register for location
Join us for a hands-on baking session where you’ll make lemon lavender cookies while connecting with fellow graduate students. This event is co-hosted by Thriving in Graduate School (TGS) an initiative sponsored by Health Promotion and the Aggie Baking Club, and is designed for creativity, stress relief, and community building.
Space is limited, and attendance is required for the full duration of the event. Registration will close once capacity is reached, and a confirmation email will be sent to those with a secured spot.
Register for the Baking Club event using this RSVP form.
🥯🪴Bagels and Botanicals
Wednesday April 8, 2026, 10:00 am - 11:30 am, LGBTQIA Resource Center
Spring has arrived, and we are excited to welcome everyone back to the new quarter. We invite graduate and professional students to join us for Bagels and Botanicals to make a bouquet, enjoy flower pounding, and connect with other grad students. Drop by the LGBTQIA Resource Center to grab a bagel and engage in botanical activities. This event is hosted by the LGBTQIA Resource Center and is open to all graduate and professional students.
🫶🥪Graduate Student Association Sandwiches and Friends
Thursday April 9, 2026, 11:00 am - 1:00 pm, Walker Hall Graduate Commons
Join the GSA for Graduate Student Appreciation Week for lunch!
🤖📚CGPSA Presents: A.I. and the Humanities and Social Sciences
Thursday April 9, 2026, 12:00 - 1:30 pm, Giebling Room (Room 1220), Walker Hall
The Chancellor's Graduate and Professional Advisory Board, in collaboration with GradPathways, presents a timely conversation that engages two experts in Religious Studies to grapple with questions about how to use AI in research, AI and ethics, environmental concerns and more. There will be a Q&A at the end of the panel, so bring your questions!
RSVP for lunch here.
✍️📖Mastering Chicago Style - A Practical Guide to Citations
Thursday April 9, 2026, 12:30 pm - 1:45 pm, Walker Hall 1230
This beginner-friendly workshop introduces the essentials of The Chicago Manual of Style, 18th Edition, focusing on how to use footnotes and format bibliographies with confidence. Participants will learn key information about Chicago citation through examples and guided instruction. Led by Danny Dyer, a third-year PhD student in Religious Studies and writing mentor, the session is designed to build strong citation skills from the ground up.
RSVP here. Walk-ins are also welcome.
🌍🎤Global Grad & Postdoc Workshop: Developing Your Teacher Voice
Thursday April 9, 2026, 4:00pm - 5:30 pm, International Center 3119
This workshop is offered as a part of Global Grad & Postdoc Career Skills Series and Certificate. In this workshop, participants will learn to understand verbal and non-verbal language features that make new information more comprehensible to both native speakers and multilingual learners of English and examine strategies for covering new information vs old information and structures that help students better understand content and feel more empowered to engage in discussions. Combine this workshop with other Series workshops to earn a certificate. Come learn and enjoy refreshments in honor of Grad Student Appreciation Week!
Register Now
🍧🎶GradPathways Graduate Appreciation Popsicle Social - featuring the Cal Aggie Marching Band!
Friday April 10, 2026, 12:30 pm - 2:00 pm, Walker Hall North Lawn (In case of rain, popsicles will be served in the Graduate Commons)
Join us as we host Fat Face Popsicles for a popsicle giveaway and social, with a special visit by the Cal Aggie Marching Band between 1:00 and 1:30 pm! (Unfortunately, if it rains, the Marching Band will not be able to perform). Please remember to bring your student ID