Happy Graduate Student Appreciation Week!
April 6-10, 2026
Illinois graduate students are simply amazing!
You make many different contributions to our lives and our future. Graduate Student Appreciation Week is a chance to recognize those contributions and say thank you for being a part of our Illinois community.
Campuswide Celebrations
Research Live! Showcase
Congratulations to the winners of Research Live! 2026. Check out the finalists' talks!
Image of Research Exhibition
Congratulations to the Image of Research 2026 Winners! Check out the news post and gallery.
Quotes of Appreciation
Quotes of Appreciation
Illinois graduate students bring exceptional passion and a sense of purpose to their work. They inspire us every day to be optimistic about our future.
Charles L. Isbell, Jr. - Chancellor
Graduate students are integral to every aspect of our university community. They are educators, advocates, researchers, innovators, supporters, and friends. They push our campus forward and make our community stronger.
Kasey Umland - Director, Women's Resources Center
I appreciate graduate students because they are willing to take risks, to ask bold questions, and to persist until they turn uncertainty into discovery.
Wojtek Chodzko-Zajko - Vice Provost for Graduate Education and Dean
Our graduate students ask sharp, important questions. They keep us grounded in what matters, and I love knowing they will be out in the world leading today's and tomorrow's professions.
Heidi Imker - Allen and Elaine Avner Professor in Interdisciplinary Research, University Library
Graduate students bring curiosity, determination, and thoughtful perspectives to everything they do. Watching them grow in confidence as scholars and professionals - seeing their ideas take shape is one of the most rewarding parts of my work! I'm grateful that I get to help them achieve their goals.
Heather Hendren - College of Media
Celebration Resources
Looking for digital and print assets to celebrate in your unit or organization?