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MIT welcomes the 2022 incoming graduate students

Graduate Student Council introduces new grad students to MIT with information, community, and interactive activities.
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13 students pose for a group photo, sitting together on the steps of MIT Building 10, with columns and windows behind them.
Caption:
Grad students had the opportunity to meet new friends across departments at the Aug. 21 picnic, and to reinforce connections within their programs.
Credits:
Photo: Katie Chen
Three smiling graduate students stand together outside, their arms around each other. It’s a sunny day, and a tree and the columns of MIT’s Building 10 are visible in the background.
Caption:
At the Aug. 21 picnic, incoming graduate students connected in Killian Court.
Credits:
Photo: Katie Chen
Three graduate students stand together in Killian Court. Two of them are holding a corgi dog who’s looking directly at the camera and seems to be smiling.
Caption:
The Aug. 21 picnic even featured a furry friend!
Credits:
Katie Chen
On a stage draped with black cloth, two grad student moderators and President Reif sit in comfortable chairs facing each other, holding microphones.
Caption:
At the Welcome Lunch, President Rafael Reif answered questions from graduate student moderators.
Credits:
Photo: Lauren McLean
In the open main lobby of MIT’s Johnson Athletics Center, President Reif poses with Tim the Beaver.
Caption:
The Welcome Lunch featured special guest Tim the Beaver (left), who enjoyed greeting President Reif.
Credits:
Photo: Lauren McLean
President Reif talks to a group of graduate students. The podium and seating are visible in the background.
Caption:
President Reif (left) conversed with incoming graduate students at the Welcome Lunch.
Credits:
Photo: Lauren McLean
Six graduate students pose together in front of the projection screen that reads, “1st Place” and their team name, “Steal the Declaration of Independence, Eh?” The screen is set up in front of wall-length murals in MIT’s Morss Hall.
Caption:
In the GSC Scavenger Hunt, first place was secured by Team “Steal the Declaration of Independence, Eh?”
Credits:
Photo: Katie Chen
A line of graduate students wait to pick up brightly-colored T-shirts from a table at the Resource Fair. In the background, other tables and a crowd of students are visible.
Caption:
At the Graduate Resource and Activities Fair, graduate students had the opportunity to learn about a wide range of campus offices and groups.
Credits:
Photo: Lauren McLean

This year’s incoming cohort of new MIT graduate students enjoyed a warm welcome from the Graduate Student Council (GSC), with a number of in-person orientation activities from Aug. 21 through Sept. 6. The GSC has traditionally offered a broad range of in-person orientation activities to the entire incoming graduate cohort. Katie Chen, a graduate student in integrated design and management, served as orientation chair.

Graduate Orientation kicked off with a picnic on Sunday, Aug. 21. New students mingled, enjoying food and conversation in Killian Court, and even meeting a fellow grad’s corgi. 

On Sunday, Aug. 28, MIT President L. Rafael Reif hosted a welcome lunch for all of the incoming students, giving remarks and answering questions from graduate student moderators Chen and A.J. Miller, the GSC president. Chancellor Melissa Nobles was pleased to attend, along with Vice Chancellor and Dean for Student Life Suzy Nelson; Senior Associate Dean for Residential Education Judy Robinson; Senior Associate Dean and Director of the Office of Graduate Education Blanche Staton; Institute Community and Equity Officer John Dozier; and MIT mascot Tim the Beaver.

For the GSC Scavenger Hunt on Wednesday, Aug. 31, teams of graduate students ventured all over MIT’s campus in search of clues during a timed competition. Prizes were awarded for first, second, and third places, and for “Most Creative Photos.”

Numerous offices and groups presented information and swag to the incoming grad students at the Sept. 6 Graduate Resource and Activity Fair. Each graduate student received a lively red T-shirt sponsored by the MIT Coop.

In addition to these central offerings, departments and various offices hosted local programming across campus.

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