Cleveland State’s Student Center Atrium was the site of the April 4th Kick Off celebration for Graduate Student Appreciation Week (GSAW). An official Proclamation from the Mayor of Cleveland, words of recognition by College of Graduate Studies Interim Dean, Dr. Donna Schultheiss, and Interim Associate Dean, John Plecnik, J.D., LL.M., launched the week’s activities. Patricia Otcasek, Manager of the Graduate Student Resource Center (GSRC) and Advisor to the Graduate Student Association (GSA), shared the College’s appreciation for GSRC partners including students, faculty, and staff who support Center programming throughout the year.
Graduate Assistant and GSA Vice-President, Erica Henkin, who coordinated the planning and many of the GSAW programs, moderated the Kick Off event, and helped to welcome more than 100 graduate students, faculty and staff in attendance. Ph.D. candidate and GSA President, Alex Roth, inspired fellow graduate students, speaking of their shared commitment and perseverance through academic and personal responsibilities.
The Division of Student Affairs sponsored the Kick Off reception along with many of the week’s events, including free t-shirts to Graduate Assistants in recognition of their dedicated service to students and staff in offices, labs, and classrooms across the University. This was a pinnacle event for the College of Graduate Studies and for the GSRC, which just completed its second year of operation. This year, the GSRC doubled last year’s number of professional development and community building events and doubled its graduate student participation.
The following pictorial displays some of the activities and events of Cleveland State University’s first Graduation Student Appreciation Week.
A Week in Pictures by Erica Henkin, GA, College of Graduate Studies and
GSAW Student Volunteer Committee member, Mohammed Khoja.
