Welcome to summer! The different cadence of this part of the year can offer space to recharge. While campus is definitely quieter in the summer, there are still many opportunities to build connections, pursue academic goals, explore new activities, and of course, find moments of fun and relaxation. 

Graduate student Alexa Rojas reads aloud her award-winning 2026 Image of Research entry and shares how she created it.

Graduate student Jaden Thompson reads aloud her award-winning 2026 Image of Research entry and shares how she created it.

Graduate student Kevin Huang reads aloud his award-winning 2026 Image of Research entry and shares how he created it.

Graduate student Michelle Patiño-Flores reads aloud her award-winning 2026 Image of Research entry and shares how she created it.

Graduate student Syed Faizaan Ahab reads aloud his award-winning 2026 Image of Research entry and shares how he created it.

As we near the end of the semester, you may be feeling a lot of different emotions. This is normal! Here are some ways to take care of yourself and finish strong.

One of the things that makes interviews stressful is their unpredictability, which is unfortunately also what makes them so hard to prepare for. In particular, it’s impossible to predict exactly what questions you will be asked. So, how do you get ready?

As we welcome new and continuing students to the start of a new academic year, we thought we’d extend a warm welcome to another new Illini, Chancellor Charles Lee Isbell, Jr. He shared with us a bit about himself as well as some sound advice on the journey of graduate school.

Students Advising on Graduate Education (SAGE) is the Graduate College's student advisory board. In our introductory meeting with this year's SAGE members, we asked them to share a few of their hidden gems on campus; here are some of their favorites!   

Mahbubeh Moqadam has made a lifelong commitment to transnational feminist activism. A fifth-year Ph.D. candidate in the sociology department, this commitment was recently recognized with an International Fellowship from the American Association of University Women (AAUW). 

You’re surrounded every day by tens of thousands of fascinating, dedicated, and creative people. Still, within such a large and dynamic community, it can sometimes be challenging to connect with others. You may be wondering how to find those connections and build relationships with people around you. Good news, though: everyone else is wondering the same thing.

Enjoy this interview with Ilaria Strocchia, a graduate student in Spanish and Portuguese and 1st place winner in this year’s contest, and then view the video to hear Strocchia read her award-winning submission, "Where Water Has Memory."

Enjoy this interview with Latashia Key, a graduate student in Recreation, Sport and Tourism and People's Choice winner, and then view the video to hear Key read her award-winning submission, "Creating Inclusive Aquatic Spaces….Overjoyed with Peace and Love."

Enjoy this interview with Lili Federico, a graduate student in Theatre and Honorable Mention winner in this year’s contest, and then view the video to hear Federico read her award-winning submission, "Dynamic Lightscapes: Generative Art in Motion."

Enjoy this interview with Yun Seong Kim, a graduate student in Mechanical Science and Engineering and 2nd place winner in this year’s contest, and then view the video to hear Kim read his award-winning submission, "Helix of Growth."

Enjoy this interview with Xavier Davenport, a graduate student in Music and Honorable Mention winner in this year’s contest, and then view the video to hear Davenport read his award-winning submission, "The Spinductor: A Multi-Dimensional Magnetic Field Neural Network Enhanced Musical Instrument!"

Throughout your career, you will likely face times of uncertainty. It may come rapidly, as with an unexpected loss of a job or sudden changes in research funding, or may mount gradually as you contemplate a new direction or adjust to changing responsibilities. Whether sudden or subtle, it can understandably cause anxiety, frustration, and even resentment. Here are some strategies for practicing resilience and navigating uncertainty, no matter what stage of your career you encounter it:

In these challenging times, we want to reach out and affirm, with absolute clarity, that you are deeply valued members of our academic community. We recognize that current events are affecting each of you in unique and personal ways, and that for many of you the current situation is both troubling and concerning. While we may not have immediate answers to every question, please know that your safety and wellbeing remain our highest priority. 

Rachel Nixon has spent more time than most shining lasers through liquids. As a graduate student in the Jain lab, she was awarded a two-year fellowship from the Link Foundation for her research on synthesizing ammonia as a fuel source. Read about her success.

Whether you're curious about practical applications, what a "black box" means, or ethical considerations, tune in to this episode of AI Conversations where your questions lead the way! Tune in to this illuminating conversation with Michael Curtin (Innovation Coordinator, Campus Research IT) and Eric Kurt (Media Commons Coordinator, University Library).

The Becoming a Resilient Scientist series includes lectures and discussion groups designed to help students and mentors develop the resilience tools needed to study and work in high-knowledge environments. These are our five takeaways from the first session.

SAGE is a graduate student advisory board and leadership opportunity fostering active engagement with Illinois Graduate College programs and initiatives. 

Kyle Timmer is a PhD student at Illinois working to help your body repair itself after an injury. He sits down with us to chat about science communication, working with stem cells, the ins and outs of lab work, and more. 

The Graduate College hosted a Welcome Reception for incoming and returning graduate students at Illinois. Go behind the scenes with us!

Three National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellows share their experience with the application process. 

Graduate student Bayezid Baten reads aloud his award-winning 2024 Image of Research entry and shares how he created it.

Benjamin Ringel reads aloud his award-winning 2024 Image of Research entry and shares how he created it.

Rishyashring Raman Iyer reads aloud his award-winning 2024 Image of Research entry and shares how he created it.

Graduate student Alexandra Spitzer reads aloud her award-winning 2024 Image of Research entry and shares how she created it.

Nubras Samayeen reads aloud her award-winning 2024 Image of Research entry and shares how she created it.

The winners of this year's Research Live! stunned us with their brilliant presentations and creative projects. We caught up with them a few weeks "post-victory" to hear about their experiences. 

Doctoral hooding is the end of one journey and the beginning of another. We've got a behind-the-scenes view of this semester's celebrations.

Rest Lab, a creative, experimental pop-up space that invites resting with intention, came to the Graduate College office on Green St for a few weeks in April this year. Co-created by Krannert Art Museum’s Education Coordinators Ishita Dharap and Kamila Glowacki, Rest Lab has occupied various galleries of Krannert Art Museum (KAM) to consider what resting means, and what it can look like.

Every semester the Graduate College assembles a Finals Study Playlist to keep you rocking during your study sessions. For this installment, we're featuring a guest contributor: John Moist, Communications Specialist at the University of Illinois Graduate College.

Bri Lafond (Writing Studies doctoral candidate and Graduate College Career Exploration Fellow) sits down with Clara Belitz (School of Information Sciences) and Ali Zaidi (Computer Science) for a dynamic conversation about how generative AI has the potential to affect a lot of different aspects of our day-to-day lives.

Originally from Kenya, Byron has travelled the world in the pursuit of higher education. 

I started my program thinking I wanted to go into academia, but I feel less and less interested in an academic job. I’m committed to finishing, but I don’t know what kinds of jobs I should look for. What do I do? 

New Year’s resolutions always seem out of place on an academic calendar. January is more of a pause, not the fresh start we see advertised in every grocery store checkout. Andrea Bridges is here to convince you that now is the perfect time to do some self-reflection.

I haven’t seen my parents in two years, and I would like to plan a trip home. I have an RA in a lab with year-round research. How do I approach taking time off for this trip?

Doctoral Hooding is the culmination of an academic and personal journey. These are some of our favorite moments from the December 2023 Hooding Ceremony. 

The last time I read my teaching evaluations, I dealt with some complex emotions. Some of the feedback felt constructive, but a lot of it felt mean. How do I sift through the comments and find what's helpful within them?

Emma Lundin, a U. of I. doctoral student in tourism, spent two months in a rainforest reserve in Sri Lanka shadowing forest guides. Lundin sought to understand how the guides interact with other-than-humans to create tourism experiences.

Joe Mirabelli has spent years studying graduate students' experiences with stress. Now he's sharing tips for managing the feelings and stressors of graduate school.

Kamau Grantham curates this year's finals study playlist to keep you grooving.

Communicating openly with your mentor network can be a challenge. There’s no ready-made script for having effective conversations with a mentor, but building communications within a network of mentors allows you to advocate for yourself, source helpful feedback, and ask for the mentoring you need.

Exploring your career options can be intimidating, but it doesn't have to be. Hear from recipients of the Graduate College's Career Exploration Fellowship about their time as fellows.

Claire Baytas (PhD, ’23; comparative literature) is back with a second post in our mentoring series that focuses on the processes of choosing a mentor, agreeing on mutual expectations, and maintaining productive lines of communication.

The proliferation of generative AI products has led to a wide variety of opinions about the efficacy, ethicality, and potential impact of AI on different dimensions of our lives. We asked Illinois graduate students for their thoughts.