Sunday through Saturday, April 6-12
Our grad students are pretty freakin’ awesome
For all the things you do — all the ways you contribute to the MIT community, to a brighter tomorrow, and to the research enterprise itself — we salute you!
Fortune cookies & stickers
Available at most in-person events throughout the week
Want to know what your future holds? Grab one of our grad-themed GSAW fortune cookies at most in-person events for a smile. There will also be perfectly adorable stickers of Tim the Beaver row, row, rowing his boat in 2025. Collect one for each year of your grad career at MIT!
Send an encouraging email to a fellow grad student!
Come back to this page during graduate student appreciation week to submit your GSAWgram (as many as you like!)
Brighten a fellow grad student’s day with a heartfelt or funny GSAWgram! Just fill out the form, pick your GSAWgram of choice, and it’ll be sent along to the email you choose. Emails shared in this form will only be used to send your GSAWgram. Be kind! We reserve the right to not send any gram if there’s a chance it may cause harm to the recipient.
Scavenger Hunt
Calling all intrepid explorers! Want to win some fun prizes?
It’s 2035, and OGE GradSupport has built an AI to help students find the right campus resources. There’s just one problem: it’s completely unreliable! Students in need are being sent to all the wrong offices, and we need your help to fix the chaos.
Join our campus-wide scavenger hunt during Graduate Student Appreciation Week (GSAW) for a hands-on mission to track down misplaced students, help match them with the right services, and collect all 10 location codes. Along the way, you’ll get an in-depth look at the various resources available to you at MIT, and a chance to win big prizes when you’ve finished!
Sunday, April 6
Families Spring Fling
Stata Amphitheater/ 1:30-3:30 pm
Kick off Graduate Student Appreciation week with some good old-fashioned family fun. Join OGE’s GradFamilies for a day filled with lawn games, snacks, MIT swag, and an opportunity for a professional family photo!
In event of inclement weather, this event will take place in the TSMC Lobby inside of the Stata Center.
Sponsored by the Office of Graduate Education.
Monday, April 7
Coffee in the OGE
3-107 / 9:30-11am
Swing by the Office of Graduate Education’s headquarters throughout the week to enjoy a cup of coffee on us! Take your drink to go, or stick around and mingle to learn more about all of the resources that OGE has to offer.
Sponsored by the Office of Graduate Education.
Plant your own lucky bamboo
Bush Room (10-105) / 12:30-1:30
Fill a glass vase with your choice of pebbles and shoots of bamboo. Will you choose 1 stalk for truth or commitment? 2 stalks for love? Or 3 stalks for happiness or a new beginning? Plant your choice and bring some luck to your home or workspace!
No reservation needed. Available while supplies last.
Sponsored by the Office of the Chancellor.
Chair massages (Registration required)
West Lounge (W20-201) / 12-4pm / Registration for this event opens on April 1
Start your week out right and treat yourself to a free chair massage! Register in advance to secure your 15-minute slot. Your neck and shoulders will thank you!
One massage per student (sign up for either Monday, Tuesday, or line up first-come, first-served on Friday).
Sponsored by the Office of Graduate Education.
Tuesday, April 8
Donuts with Dave and Denzil
3-108, “The Den” / 9-10:30am
Need a sugar fix? Join MIT’s new Vice Chancellor David Darmofal and OGE Director Denzil Streete in The Den for some free coffee, donuts, and a chance to chat with fellow students and OVC staff. Need a conversation starter? Ask Dave about life at the Warehouse (where he lives), or about his interests in cooking, sailing, or music! Ask Denzil about football (DON’T call it soccer!! LOL) or what he’s been reading lately.
Sponsored by the Office of Graduate Education.
GradSupport Open House (Registration required)
Building 3-136 / 11am-1pm / Registration for this event opens on April 1
Come over to say hi to the GradSupport team! We will have grab-and-go lunches for those who register. Be sure to pick up your lunch by 11:45am, or lunches will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Didn’t register? Stop by anyway and enter our raffle for a chance to win one of five soothing 30-minute full-body massages!
We can’t wait to see you!
Sponsored by the Office of Graduate Education.
Chair massages (Registration required)
Mezzanine W20-307 / 11:00am-3pm / Registration for this event opens on April 1
Treat yourself to a free chair massage! Register in advance to secure your 15 minute slot. Your neck and shoulders will thank you.
One massage per student (sign up for either Monday, Tuesday, or line up first-come, first-served on Friday).
Sponsored by the Office of Graduate Education.
Wednesday, April 9
Coffee in the OGE
3-107 / 9:30-11am
Swing by the Office of Graduate Education’s headquarters throughout the week to enjoy a cup of coffee on us! Take your drink to go, or stick around and mingle to learn more about all of the resources that OGE has to offer.
Sponsored by the Office of Graduate Education.
Refresh and Reset Fair
E62 Roberts Family Forum, 1st floor/ 9:30-11am
Take a break and prioritize your well-being at the Refresh and Reset Fair! Explore wellness-focused resources from different campus offices, grab fun giveaways, and enter our raffle for a chance to win a wellness gift basket. Stop by, refresh your mind, and reset for success!
Sponsored by MIT Sloan Student Life Office
Skip the Small Talk with MIT alumni (Registration required)
Virtual / 7-8pm / Registration for this event opens on April 1
Want to have some engaging casual chats with MIT alumni and other current grad students? Skip the Small Talk is a great chance to have meaningful conversations with folks you haven’t met before! You’ll be paired with a series of others for brief conversations with prompts designed to foster connection and friendship.
Sign up to receive a Zoom link. Signups will close when full.
Sponsored by the MIT Alumni Association.
Thursday, April 10
Coffee in the OGE
3-107 / 9:30-11am
Swing by the Office of Graduate Education’s headquarters throughout the week to enjoy a cup of coffee on us! Take your drink to go, or stick around and mingle to learn more about all of the resources that OGE has to offer.
Sponsored by the Office of Graduate Education.
Lunch & Lounge with LGBTQ+ and Women & Gender Studies (RSVPs required)
Cheney Room / 12-1:30pm / Registration for this event opens on April 1 and close on April 7
Join LBGTQ+ Services and Women and Gender Services for a casual, come-and-go lunch event where graduate students can grab a bite, connect with peers, and take a break from their busy day. Featuring light activities, good food, and a welcoming space to recharge.
- Free Lunch & Snack Bar – snacks like fruit, chips, and cookies.
- Mini “Gratitude Wall” – A space for students to write or post notes of appreciation for their peers, advisors, or themselves.
- Tabletop Icebreaker Prompts – Fun, optional conversation starters for those who want to chat and meet new people.
- Quick Craft Corner – Simple, no-mess activities like crafting and swag
- Music & Relaxed Vibes – A cozy playlist to create an inviting atmosphere
Sponsored by LBGTQ+ Services and Women & Gender Services
Mocktails & masterpieces: Grad student crafternoon with CAPD (RSVPs encouraged, or drop-in)
E19-202 / 1-3pm / Registration for this event opens on April 1
Join your fans at CAPD for a crafternoon of “Mocktails and Masterpieces.” Learn the simple but elegant art of glass etching, choose a piece of glassware that catches your fancy, and make it yours with an etched design. Refreshments, some tunes, and mocktails complete the milieu.
Sponsored by Career Advising & Professional Development.
Friday, April 11
Coffee in the OGE
3-107 / 9:30-11am
Swing by the Office of Graduate Education’s headquarters throughout the week to enjoy a cup of coffee on us! Take your drink to go, or stick around and mingle to learn more about all of the resources that OGE has to offer.
Sponsored by the Office of Graduate Education.
Food for Thought
W20 PDR 1 & 2 / 11am-12pm
Want to make your own snack bag, and possibly test your guessing skills? Stop by the Student Center Private Dining Rooms 1 & 2 on the second floor from 11am to 12pm on Friday, April 11 to make your selection of healthy brain food and guess how many snacks are in a jar! The winner will take home the entire jar of treats.
Sponsored by Office of Graduate Education and MIT Community Wellness
Chair massages (drop-in)
Punj Conference room (W35-108) / 11:00am-3pm
End out your week with a free chair massage! Your neck and shoulders will thank you.
First come, first served. One massage per student, please – if you received a massage on Monday or Tuesday, please let others have a chance.
Sponsored by the Department of Athletics, Physical Education, and Recreation (DAPER)
Plant It, Paint It, Love It! (Registration required)
Register for location / 1pm-3pm / Registration for this event opens on April 1
Decorate a little pot any way you like and fill it with a succulent for a focal point you’ll be happy to rest your eyes on! Please register for the location.
Sponsored by the International Students Office
Saturday, April 12
Walking tour of Boston (Registration required)
2-4pm / Registration for this event opens on April 1
Get outdoors and enjoy some early spring weather! Join former MIT staff member and professional city tour guide Ed Ballo for a two hour walk along Boston’s Freedom Trail. The trail is a red line on the pavement that leads past 16 different historic sites and was created over 60 years ago. Wear walking shoes and weather-appropriate clothing!
Space for this event is limited, and sign-up is required. Please let us know if you can’t make it so the spot can be opened to someone on the waitlist.
Rain date: Sunday, April 13
Sponsored by the Office of Graduate Education
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