Grad students, come cheer on the Fighting Illini women's basketball team! Join us if you're a die-hard basketball fan or if this is your first Big10 sporting event!  We'll have a grad student section next to the student section. Student tickets are FREE (bring your Icard) Non-students are welcome to join and should buy General Admission tickets ahead or at the door. Sign up here to let us know you're coming! The game starts at 4 pm. Come early to say hello at the Grad College table and pick up a sticker and pom pom. 

The Intensive Language Instruction Program (ILIP) offers classes in 11 different languages. ILIP classes combine language and culture via engaging activities led by skilled instructors. No grade, just for fun! Students receive 30 hours of enjoyable language instruction which maximizes exposure to the target language to help them meet their own personal learning goals. Online and in-person options are available! Register for ILIP today!

February 14 is the last day to drop a Part of Term A course via Self-Service. Have questions about registration deadlines or submitting a form? Click here for an advising appointment!

Have you ever struggled with navigating relationship issues with others? Join the interactive workshop to discuss important aspects of a relationship and ways to address interpersonal challenges and build healthy relationships, facilitated by the Counseling Center staff. 

DRES is providing a short, anonymous survey for graduate students with disabilities to learn about their needs; you do not need to be registered with DRES to participate. Disabilities may include (but are not limited to) learning disabilities, ADHD, mental health disabilities, such as anxiety disorders or depression, autism spectrum disorder, physical or sensory disabilities. Participants will be entered into a raffle to win one of eight $25 Amazon gift cards.

Many funding agencies require a personal statement in addition to an applicant’s research proposal. Why?! What on earth are you supposed to talk about? If these questions have induced writer’s block, this workshop is for you. We will assess the range of personal statement prompts you may encounter and distill their shared essence. Participants will learn the qualities of a compelling statement and practice writing techniques to arrive at a complete first draft. Please register at the link below for this online workshop. 

You all are engaged in fascinating work. Share it with others! The Graduate College sponsors Research Live!, which allows students to share their work with others in the campus community. This is a great opportunity to practice for doctoral exams, job talks, conference presentations, or impromptu elevator conversations. Check out our Communication Skills pages to help you prepare! 

How can you create a powerful resume for your job/internship search in industry or the nonprofit sector? How can you make sure your cover letter gets noticed? In this online workshop, you will learn basics about how to prepare and format your application materials and how to best integrate your skills and experience into each document, and tips for how to explain your graduate school experience to make a strong impression with employers. To join, visit https://go.grad.illinois.edu/eventspace

Get ready for the 2025 International Career Festival Week, February 10-14, 2025! This week-long series of six in-person and virtual events is designed to prepare international students for upcoming career fairs and future job and internship opportunities. The exciting lineup of workshops and presentations will equip you with essential skills and insights to excel in your career journey. Visit Handshake to learn more about the events. 

GradSWE and Graduate College collaborate to organize Research Pitching Seminar to help you prepare and shine in the upcoming Research Live event. In this engaging session, you’ll learn how to craft a compelling 3 minutes research talk, tips to captivate a general audience, strategies to boost your confidence and communication skills. Whether you're a seasoned presenter or new to public speaking, this seminar is your chance to refine your skills and make your research shine. Your research deserves to be heard, let’s make it unforgettable.

The McKinley Health Center’s Special Populations Health Education Program at the University of Illinois will host a virtual Zoom event, “Expo 26 & Beyond,” on February 27th, 2025, from 12pm to 2pm. This event offers applied health sciences students the chance to meet recruiters from various graduate and professional programs across the Midwest, including Medicine, Pharmacy, Dentistry, Nursing, OT, PT, Public Health, Health Administration. Register using the link below and get ready to network with professionals and peers!

Systematic reviews are a form of structured research that requires a comprehensive collection, appraisal, and summary of all research on a topic. Systematic reviews are high-impact publications that carry weight to inform evidence-based decision making.

Throughout your life you will, almost certainly, give presentations. We have all sat through presentations that were boring, confusing, and drab. How do you communicate your message most succinctly? What visuals will captivate and inform your audience the best? Is it only about your slide design or are there other techniques that leave a lasting impression? In this session we distill the magic that just might take your next presentation from bland to grand. 

Well-designed presentations are about balance. The problem? Balance is a hard thing to strike. How much text is too much? How do I decide on a color palatte? How do I craft a coherent visual narrative? In this workshop, learn practical skills for creating a standout slide deck and more.

New to the university? Need a refresher on using the library? This hands-on workshop will introduce you to library resources and services. After this workshop, you’ll be able to navigate the library website with confidence to access print and electronic materials. Come with questions if you have them!

Did you know that there are multiple methodologies to create literature reviews, with different aims, goals, protocols, and outcomes?  Attend this workshop to learn about the range of evidence synthesis (literature review) methodologies, from a traditional narrative review to rigorous reviews such as systematic reviews and umbrella reviews. We will discuss 12 types of reviews, identify the similarities and differences between them and provide insight into how to select the review type that is best suited for your project. 

Are you having trouble organizing all of your sources but don’t know where to start? A citation manager can help you store your files, create citations, and insert formatted citations into papers. This hands-on workshop will introduce you to three popular citation managers—Mendeley, Zotero, and Endnote. We will go over pros and cons of each one and give you a preview of how they work to help you choose the best fit for your citation needs.

The Writers Workshop is located across campus to meet you where you are! In addition to the Main Library, you can book appointments at Grainger Engineering Library or Burrill Hall (MCB Learning Center). Both locations offer in-person and online appointments and, at MCB, you can also find written feedback appointments. In-person drop-ins are also now available at the Lisnek LAS Hub, staffed by graduate and undergraduate consultants.

The purpose of this workshop is to demystify the dissertation proposal by reviewing common elements of the proposal genre. We will provide strategies for writing the problem statement, research questions, review of literature, methodology, and proposed timeline. This presentation will also offer tips for staying motivated and getting through this sometimes-daunting process. Writers from any discipline are welcome. Please register with your Illinois email account by February 12, and we will email the Zoom details on the morning of the event.

Attention Graduate Teaching Assistants: would you like to learn how to correctly pronounce your Bangladeshi students' names? International Student and Scholar Services invites you to a special Names Training focused on Bangladeshi names on February 11, 2025 from 12:00 - 1:00 PM. This session will provide valuable insights into the cultural background and pronunciation of names commonly used in Bangladesh. You will learn key aspects of the Bangla names, pronunciation techniques, and cultural significance. Registration is required. 

Start the semester the "write" way! Our biweekly writing group provides grad students with dedicated time to make progress on any writing project in a supportive atmosphere. Each meeting consists of a short goal-setting conversation, quiet writing time, and a concluding reflection and wrap-up. You only need to register once with your U of I email to receive weekly email reminders all semester! 

LabEscape brings you the latest and most exciting chapter in the story of renowned quantum physicist Professor S. LabEscape is the world's only science-based "escape room"! Absolutely NO science background is necessary to succeed. This chapter features a unique set of awesome puzzles and challenges. Cost is $8 for students and $12 for non-students, and is perfect for a fun team-building activity!

South Asian Languages, Images, and Data Magazine (SALIDmag) invites you to contribute to its inaugural issue for Spring 2025. We are looking for reviews of books on and related to South Asia in the broad field(s) of humanities and social sciences on topics ranging from history, culture, and literature to art, anthropology, gender studies, and digital humanities. These books should be works of scholarly criticism or research and should not be creative works such as novels, poems, plays, etc. Visit https://csames.illinois.edu/sas/SALIDmag for submission guidelines. 

The HRI Social Movements Reading Group invites you to join us on Monday, February 10, 5-6:30 PM at Salaam MENA Cultural Center to discuss what Sudanese organizers have called the “counter-revolutionary war” in Sudan. Readings focus on the history, political economic interests, and revolutionary movements leading to the current moment. Open to all, food will be provided. Co-sponsored by the CU Muslim Action Committee (MAC) and Graduate Employees’ Organization (GEO). RSVP here to join the email list and access the readings: bit.ly/READMOVEMENTS

The 2025 Science & Spirits organizing committee invites you to our annual networking event. This event provides a unique opportunity for UIUC undergraduate and graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, and faculty in plant sciences and related fields to connect with industry representatives and fellow researchers. The deadline to submit an abstract for the lightning talk and poster presentation is 5th April 2025. You can register to participate until 23rd April. Register or submit an abstract to participate or present. Only undergraduate and graduate students are eligible for prizes.

The C-U Community Fab Lab and Mattoon School District are creating an after-school board games club for elementary school students, and need your help! Volunteers spend approximately 1 hour per session leading a small group of 2nd and 3rd grade students in learning and playing board games, as well as facilitating informal discussions around strategy, game-play, and design. Any level of experience with board games is welcome - you just need a willingness to play and learn! Please click HERE to begin the registration process.

Please encourage your undergraduate researchers to present at the 2025 Undergraduate Research Symposium (URS). Scheduled for Thursday April 24, 2025 in the Illini Union, the URS is a day-long event organized and hosted by OUR where students can present poster, oral, and creative presentations. All undergraduate students currently involved with research are eligible to present. For more information on URS, including answers to frequently asked questions, please visit https://go.illinois.edu/URS - deadline to apply is March 7.

Do you work with an exceptional undergraduate researcher? Encourage them to submit an abstract for the IGB Undergraduate Research Showcase! The IGB Undergraduate Research Showcase will be held on April 23, 2025. Undergraduate students completing research in IGB-affiliated labs are eligible to present. Submit your abstract here. For more information on the Research Showcase, visit our website. Please email Corinne Campbell (cannava2@illinois.edu) with any questions.

The Library has a subscription to Rosetta Stone Foundations which features 30 languages (and advanced levels for many of them). Access the database via the link above. For more information, or help setting up an account, please contact the Literatures and Languages Library. 

Join us for a traditional Japanese Tea Ceremony! Chado, or the Way of Tea, is one of the most ancient and revered arts of Japan, and is at the very heart of Japan House. Each week will feature a different seasonal wagashi (traditional Japanese sweet) for guests to enjoy with a bowl of matcha. Space is limited to 20 guests. Reservations are required, no walk-ins will be permitted. Tea ceremonies are offered weekly on Wednesdays at 5:15pm.

The Russian, East European, and Eurasian Center, Ukrainian Students Association, and Spurlock Museum invite you to visit Unissued Diplomas in the Central Core Gallery at Spurlock. This student-led exhibition, held in 45+ universities worldwide, shares the stories of 40 Ukrainian students whose lives were taken by the Russian full-scale invasion that started on February 24, 2022. Learn more at https://www.unissueddiplomas.org.  

Enjoy a conversation with exhibiting artist Millie Wilson and curator David Evans Frantz, in conjunction with "Millie Wilson: The Museum of Lesbian Dreams at Krannert Art Museum," on view through March 1. Wilson’s artwork has been exhibited widely in the United States and internationally. She has deftly examined feminism, queerness, and the historical erasure of such positions from institutions of art. David Evans Frantz is an independent curator based in Los Angeles. Overflow seating in Krannert Art Museum. Sign up to get the Zoom link >> go.illinois.edu/MillieWilson

The annual Illinois Interfaith Conference is a FREE opportunity for University of Illinois students, campus allies, and community leaders to engage in conversation on interfaith cooperation. Schedule includes keynote and workshops with psychologist Dr. Allison Briscoe-Smith, workshops on critical service engagement, and an interfaith service project. To attend, register at the link above.

In an analysis of FORDISC, a database of skull measurements used to identify human remains, Iris Clever demonstrates how a focus on accuracy might struggle to account for the entwined relationship between humanity, science, and technology. Clever is a postdoctoral researcher at the Committee on Conceptual and Historical Studies of Science, University of Chicago. She is also an iSchool Research Fellow at lllinois for 2024–26. 

Join us for a discussion on global collaboration and period poverty as we come together to watch the trailer for the compelling documentary Uman Tok: Tailoring Hope, Renewing Futures, which sheds light on the critical issue of period poverty in Sierra Leone. This event is more than a film screening; it’s an invitation to engage critically with the intersections of gender justice, health equity, and global power structures.

Interested in conducting a systematic review or evidence synthesis but unsure where to start? The Library offers a workshop series led by expert librarians to provide essential training on definitions, methods, and tools. Topics include types of literature reviews, systematic searching techniques, and AI tools. Workshops are free and open, but pre-registration is required. For online sessions, a Zoom link will be sent the morning of the session. 

NCSA, NVIDIA, and OpenACC will host a virtual Open Hackathon from April 1-17 (April 1, April 7 and April 15-17). This will be a multi-day, intensive hands-on event pairing participants with dedicated mentors. The goal of the Hackathon is for researchers to port, accelerate, and optimize their AI/ML workflows. Registration is open to everyone wanting to take their projects to the next level, but priority acceptance will be given to NCSA- and NAIRR-affiliated scientists and their collaborators. The application deadline is February 19. More information can be found at the event website.

Calling graduate student with Asian or Asian American background, AACC’s Graduate Student Network is back! We are excited to invite you to A Taste of Tradition: Celebrating Yuanxiao with Friends, celebrating the Lantern Festival and enjoying an evening of cultural traditions, food, and fun activities. Events include Yuanxiao (Tangyuan) tasting, lantern crafting, and lantern riddles guessing. This is a great chance for you to connect with fellow Asian and Asian American graduate students, celebrate cultural heritage, and enjoy a stress-free afternoon!

What actions and innovations are needed to create an inclusive AI system?  Join Payal Arora in conversation as she draws from her MIT Press book 'From Pessimism to Promise' longlisted for the 2024 Porchlight Business Book Awards, to lay out a pathway for inclusive digital futures, that is fundamentally cross-cultural, collaborative, and equity oriented. She argues that it is time we stop underestimating and instead, start understanding the creative potential of the Global South.

Register to attend this year's WGHS symposium on Feb 20-22. This year's theme is Gender, Law, and Politics. Our keynote speakers are Dr. Neil J. Young and Dr. Laura Goffman. Sixteen graduate researchers will present original work related to Gender, Law, and Politics. Attend one of our panels on themes like (Re)production: Medicine, Law, and the Body; Statecraft, Scandal, and Spectacle: Gendered Power Plays and the Law; Gender Under Surveillance: policing Bodies and Politics; & Gendered Economies: Labor, Power, and the Politics of Work. Register today!

On Tuesday, February 18th, 12pm CST, three fantasy authors discuss how their books intersect with religion, culture, and youth culture (Feb 18th registration). On Wednesday, February 19th, 12pm CST, three international scholars discuss the intersections of religion and culture in youth literature (Feb 19th registration). 

McKinley Health Center serves on-campus students at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. 

The University of Illinois Counseling Center provides mental health counseling and well-being education for students. 

If you or a student you know may need support with their basic needs or financial stressors, please reach out.