As we begin the 2009-2010 academic year, I would like to take the opportunity to welcome all TGS students, and particularly our new students, to the Northwestern community. While The Graduate School is not your primary academic home at Northwestern, our exceptionally dedicated and highly competent staff is committed to supporting your progress every step of the way in your graduate career, by assisting to make available the financial backing you need to complete your programs successfully, by providing a host of professional development and social activities, and through many less visible channels including the oversight of all academic Masters and PhD programs at NU.

I would like to highlight just a few of the areas in which TGS has dedicated significant effort and resources to improve the quality of graduate student life, an initiative we call, “build a better student.” I believe these illustrate our commitment to provide the best possible environment for you to grow as a scholar and as a person.

TGS is committed to building a community of graduate students both inside and outside of departments and programs. For many years we have sponsored a variety of student organizations and we encourage all graduate students to take part in their activities. This year, we are pleased to sponsor over twenty student-generated community building opportunities, made possible via our community building grant program. Through these activities, which include curling, swing dancing, energy technology, and gardening, we hope to create situations in which graduate students from a variety of programs can meet each other to exchange ideas, blow off steam, and escape for a time the stress which is inevitably part of graduate education. Student Life and Multicultural Affairs' Web site includes a full list of funded proposals and information about how to connect with these groups. By all means seek out a community building activity that fits your interests. Moreover, you should look for quarterly announcements for TGS Night Out (evening events at local establishments) and TGS Day Out (events for students with families) that provide our community with additional opportunities for interdisciplinary interaction outside the lab, library and classroom.

TGS is also committed to providing graduate students with opportunities to acquire skills and knowledge for professional development. The Graduate School’s professional development program, NU Directions, complements the efforts of academic programs and campus offices by providing programming and serving as a gateway to valuable professional development resources both on and off campus. Via invited speakers, faculty panels, alumni panels, workshops, and conferences, the following topics are covered in NU Directions programming:

• Dissertation completion
• Presentation skills
• Academic careers and the academic job search and hiring process
• Faculty life
• Balancing career and family
• Career options outside academia and the non-academic job search

In addition to the excellent work of TGS staff on your behalf, the offices of the Searle Center for Teaching Excellence, Fellowships, and Career Services partner with us to deliver programming.

There are also quarterly evening forums (dubbed TGS Town Halls) devoted to issues facing higher education in general and Northwestern students in particular. I must say I very much enjoy these Town Halls, as they provide me with a regular opportunity to meet with students and hear your thoughts on these issues.

We constantly strive at TGS to enhance your experience as a Northwestern graduate student. We are, of course, always interested in your comments and suggestions, which should be directed to whichever member of our staff (up to and including me) has responsibility for the area that concerns you. Again, a warm welcome to you all for the 2009-2010 academic year.

Andrew Wachtel
Dean, The Graduate School