Grad Groups Seeking Leaders for Fall Semester

The groups meet during the fall semester and offer a way to network, learn about campus resources, and find community.
Students circle up in Clough Commons

Students circle up in Clough Commons

For graduate students who want to help their peers get acclimated to life at Tech, consider serving as a Grad Group leader for 2019.

Grad Groups began in 2018, in part from feedback from A Path Forward — Together, to provide an extended orientation opportunity for new graduate students at Georgia Tech. The groups meet during the fall semester and offer a way to network, learn about campus resources, and find community. This fall, the groups will be offered as a one-hour pass/fail class (GT 8801).

Leaders are expected to commit about 40 hours over the course of the semester, which includes four training meetings and weekly meetings with your group from Aug. 19 through Oct. 11. A stipend of $500 is awarded to leaders upon successful completion of their responsibilities.

Jason Hirschey, a mechanical engineering student, became a Grad Group leader to help other students make the adjustment to grad school life more quickly than they would otherwise. Hirschey was also an undergraduate at Tech, so he has several years of knowledge to share.

“Moving to a new city and starting at a new university brings a lot of uncertainty — figuring out where to live, how to commute, which campus resources are available, or recreational opportunities outside work,” he said. “The faster a grad student can get settled in and not have to worry about tangential issues, the more productive their research and coursework can be.”

Hirschey added that serving as a leader has helped him internalize and make better use of his own experiences as a graduate student.

“When I talk about my work or experience aloud, it gives me a different perspective,” he said. “This helps me grow as a grad student and researcher, and allows me to fine tune my time here and make sure I'm getting the most out of it.”

Interested students should apply by Monday, April 8. Interviews will take place during April, with offers being extended by the end of the month.

Learn more and apply at grad.gatech.edu/grad-groups.

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