Events
Our events and how you can get involved
GPSS's Events are defined as attendance-based events and services that further the GPSS Mission, including but not limited to, community-building, student advocacy, and intellectual development events organized by the GPSS. Volunteers are key to the success of all of our events.
We welcome all to participate in our events, volunteer to help with the efforts surrounding each, and to honor Ut Prosim through that service. Please use the Volunteer to Help link in the right column to indicate your willingness to help with one or more of our Events! Not sure what would be asked of you as a volunteer? Click the expansion signs ("+") next to the name of the program, or check out the pages linked in the right column to see what our volunteers have traditionally done to support our Events. It's an easy way to get involved and make new friends!
All event dates and times will be announced on their individual pages, on our Facebook page, our Twitter account, and through the weekly Graduate School listserv email.
The annual Little Hokie™ Hand-Me-Down event, a Virginia Tech November tradition, is hosted in the Multipurpose Room of the Graduate Life Center, 155 Otey St. This event offers university students and staff members with children the opportunity to “shop” for a wide range of infant and children’s clothes, accessories, and other items they may need, free of charge.
The Graduate School, Graduate and Professional Student Senate, and Women’s Center at Virginia Tech sponsor the Hand-Me-Down, and members of the university and Blacksburg communities make the event possible, donating gently used or new items for families.
Any leftover items will be donated to charitable organizations in the area.
Example Volunteer opportunities: accept, examine, and sort incoming donations, organize displays of offerings for customers, welcome and support customers, tear down at the end of the event.
Our Community Building events are opportunities for our graduate and professional students to connect on a deeper, more personal level, encouraging their personal and professional growth. We have, in the past, offered the Welcome Back Barbecue, Beer and Wine Socials, picnics, workshops, and networking events.
Buy Blacksburg! has launched, bringing discounts and deals from local merchants to our graduate community. To take advantage of these discounts, stop by the GLC during business hours (the main desk upstairs) and ask for your GPSS member sticker, which you can then place on your HokieP to show to our participating merchants.
We welcome your ideas for new and exciting events to be held this year! We also gladly welcome other student-serving organizations to join us in creating events that serve our communities.
Example Volunteer opportunities: organization of events, marketing of events, vendor management for an event, set up of event, tear down at end of event, organization of participants and their activities.
New for 2020, our Advocacy events are opportunities for our graduate and professional students to investigate and connect with the issues facing graduate and professional students on a deeper, more personal level, encouraging their personal and professional growth. Our initial events will focus on the initiatives brought forth by the GPSS President, and will further work to support the activities of Special Committees of the General Assembly.
We welcome your ideas for new and exciting events to be held this year! We also gladly welcome other student-serving organizations to join us in creating events that serve our communities.
Example Volunteer opportunities: create, analyze, and report on surveys sent to our constituency, assist in the development and scheduling of events, welcome participants to the sessions, tear down at the end of the event.
Have you met Dean DePauw? Would you like to? Would you like to have a conversation with her? (Hint: she is deeply committed to the success of every graduate and professional student, and she WANTS to hear from you)
Join us in one of our Meet the Dean Series of events. We regularly host Breakfast with the Dean, Cupcakes with the Dean, Guac Talk (a lunch time meet up with the Dean), and other such events.
Example Volunteer opportunities: welcome participants to the sessions, organize food table, pick up food from vendors, tear down at the end of the event.
Graduating soon? Are you confused about your next steps? Law School? Medical School? Should you pursue an MBA? an MPH? Is a Master's degree necessary for your chosen field? Will a Ph.D. put you over the top when looking to your future?
Never fear: the Annual Graduate and Professional School Fair brings together our students and recruiters from many different schools, reflecting many different programs and opportunities. Join us, explore opportunities, connect with recruiters, and get that edge on your next steps! Most graduate and professional school applications are due by December 15th! Get your knowlegde on now, and find the program that is right for you!
Example Volunteer opportunities: organization of the event, marketing of the event, recruiter management for the event, tech support for the event, set up of event, tear down at end of event, organization of participants and their activities.