GSA Calendar & Events
Spring 2023 Schedule
Final dates, times, locations will largely be posted by the February 1 Assembly Meeting. The best way to keep track of events is to follow our bi-weekly emails. All graduate students are part of GSA and are welcome at most events unless noted below.
| February | Date | Time | Location |
| Assembly Meeting | 2/1/23 | 12-1 pm | Graduate Research Center |
| Organization of the Game | TBA | TBA | Ferrel Center |
| Book Discussion Club | TBA | TBA | Virtual Zoom |
| Online Community Event | TBA | TBA | Virtual Zoom |
| Dialogue with Baylor Leaders | 2/28/23 | 6-8 pm | Invite Only |
| March | Date | Time | Location |
| Assembly Meeting | 3/1/23 | 12-1 pm | Graduate Research Center |
| 3-Minute Thesis (3MT) | 3/23/23 | 6-9 pm | Graduate Research Center |
| GSA Day at the Farmers Market | 3/25/23 | 9-1 pm | Waco Downtown Farmers Market + Lunch @ Slow Rise on the Brazos |
| Elections | 3/27-31/23 | All Day | Virtual Ballot for Representatives |
| April | Date | Time | Location |
| Assembly Meeting | 4/5/23 | 12-1 pm | Graduate Research Center |
| Graduate Student Appreciation Week | 4/3-7/23 | All Week | Various Graduate Spaces |
| GSA @ the Ballpark | 4/14/23 | 6:00 pm | Baylor Baseball Park (Baylor vs. Texas) |
| Inaugural Diversity Gala | 4/19/23 | 6:30-8:00 pm | Barfield Drawing Room (SUB) |
| May | Date | Time | Location |
| GSA Leadership Transition Dinner | 5/3/23 | 5:30 pm | Barfield Drawing Room (SUB) |
| YESSSnacks | 5/4-10/23 | All Day | Graduate Research Center |
Graduate Student Orientation
Orientation is hosted by the Graduate School and the Graduate Student Association and provides a general introduction to the University, services, and life as a Baylor graduate student. Breakout sessions are provided on various topics, such as "living in Waco" and "Beginning with the End in Mind." The morning is concluded with a President's Reception, where the President addresses and mingles with all incoming students.
Three-Minute Thesis Competition
Every year GSA hosts the Three-Minute Thesis Competition. This interdisciplinary contest challenges graduate students to present the content and significance of their research projects in just three minutes using language appropriate to an intelligent but non-specialist audience. Cash prizes are offered to the first, second, and third place winners.
Graduate Student Days at the Farmers Market
Early in the Fall and Spring semesters, GSA partners with the City of Waco to host special Graduate Student Days at the local farmers market. Students receive coupons to spend at the market, and also benefit from special discounts offered by a variety of vendors.
Graduate Research Showcase
In the spring, GSA hosts a picnic for all graduate students and their program directors. The picnic honors the hard work of our Graduate Program Directors and allows students to express their appreciation. The picnic showcases graduate research from across the campus.
Grads on the Water
In the summer GSA hosts Grads on the Water, a family-oriented event held on the banks of Lake Waco. We provide snacks, drinks, music, and lawn games. This event is an especially popular way for incoming students to connect with the broader Baylor and Waco communities.
Tailgates/Organization of the Game
Our GSA tailgate offers a time when graduate students can come together before a football game in the Fall for food and fun. Often, these tailgates are held on headlining game weekends. They are a blast—when they don't get canceled by the institution for things like College Gameday from ESPN or Fox's Big Noon Kickoff. We guess having a good football team does that!
Organization of the Game offers student groups the opportunity to cheer on the Bears at the Ferrel Center for basketball games in the Spring. All attendees get a free ticket, pizza, and a shirt. Bring your school spirit and learn how to Sic'Em Bears before you come—we can teach you if you need some help.
Book Discussion Series
Spring 2023 brings with it new events. One of which is our new book discussion series. We'll be reading sections of A Field Guide to Graduate School about the hidden curriculum of graduate education. You can sign up for this virtual group through our bi-weekly emails. Those attending receive a free copy!
Twitter Conference
Our Twitter Conference provides graduate students a space to showcase their research but with limited characters! Parsimony is key when sharing about your research, and this opportunity helps you to hone and communicate your ideas.
Graduate Student Appreciation Week
That's right! It exists. Every year, the first full week of April is Graduate Student Appreciation Week. Keep your email close and keep an eye out for surprises all week from the Graduate School, GSA, and Baylor.
Inaugural Diversity Gala
Our agenda for the evening will highlight the contributions of diversity to Baylor’s new identity as an R1 institution, as well as the important role diversity must have in the future of graduate education at Baylor. Further, our focus on diversity is three-fold:
- Diversity of Research: affirming the utmost objective of academic freedom and diversity of thought in the academy at large
- Diversity in Research: the increasing need for the research and representation of marginalized people groups
- Diversity of Researchers: the importance of establishing a new generation of researchers with diverse backgrounds and research agendas
Join us for an elegant evening of desserts and a brief keynote lecture from one of Baylor's premier scholars, Dr. Stephen Breck Reid, the Vice Provost for Faculty Diversity & Belonging.
YESSSnacks
A time honored tradition. Your End of Semester Survival Snacks is a real "treat" around finals each semester. Granola bars, fruit snacks, drinks, energy bars, chips, candy, coffee, and more will all be displayed and free for the taking in the Graduate Research Center from dead day through the end of finals each semester. Study well!
End of Year Event
This "tradition" started in May 2022 with surplus funding. But, it was so well appreciated and attended that we have tried to make it a mainstay and part of the GSA budget for years to come. Will work out the details and communicate what our plan is by email. To be sure, it is a time to relax with family, friends, and colleagues after a hard fought academic year.