The purpose of Graduate Student Life is to:

• Provide programs that help create a tangible graduate student campus community.
• Foster graduate student conversation and collaboration across disciplines.
• Encourage, recognize and celebrate the uniqueness of graduate students.
• Promote existing campus services and encourage service areas to be more inclusive of graduate student needs.
• Grow and maintain a graduate student presence in institutional decisions that affect the quality of life for graduate students.
• Help departments share ideas about programs and support structures for graduate students.
• Conduct regular assessments of graduate student quality of life on campus
• Advocate for graduate student needs across campus.

Graduate Student Life aims to foster:

• Community building: by providing opportunities for graduate students to build community and fostering conversations and collaboration across disciplines.
• Communication: by promoting existing campus services to students and helping departments share ideas on how to best serve graduate students
• Advocacy: by growing and maintaining a graduate student presence on campus, encouraging services to be more inclusive of graduate students, and conducting regular assessments of graduate student quality of life.

The Graduate Student Lounge is a space just for graduate students, located conveniently in the Stamp!

0121 Stamp (across from the Hoff Theater Box Office)
Open Weekdays, 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.

[Image of graduate students and campus staff chatting over snacks in the Graduate Student Lounge during Graduate Student Appreciation Week]

The Lounge Features:

·      The Graduate Student Life Office

·      The Graduate Student Government Office

·      Soft Seating

·      Work Desks

·      Round tables and chairs

·      Fridge for short-term storage

·      Filtered water/ice dispenser

·      Microwave

·      Sink with instant hot water faucet

·      Wireless internet access

·      Grad life and campus resource material

·      Board games, coloring pages, Play-Doh, & Legos- because grads need breaks too!

Every Thursday during the Fall and Spring semesters, Graduate Student Life hosts Free Coffee Thursday in the lounge! From 8:30-4pm EVERY THURSDAY, stop by the lounge to grab your daily dose of coffee, tea, or hot cocoa. Help us save the environment by bringing your own cup or mug and you'll be entered into our weekly raffle for awesome GSL swag! 

Interested in sponsoring Free Coffee Thursday?  We have opportunities for departments and groups to sponsor one or more Free Coffee Thursdays throughout the Fall and Spring semesters.  If you'd like more information, please reach out to us at gradstudentlife@umd.edu