Welcome!

Jill Huerta- Director, Center for Graduate Life
The Center for Graduate Life, which provides
development, wellness, and community-building
for the 5000+ graduate students enrolled at
UNC Charlotte.

To returning students, welcome back to a new academic year. To incoming students, welcome to the UNC Charlotte graduate community. To staff and faculty across campus who are critical to the support we offer at the Center for Graduate Life (CGL), welcome to a year of continued collaboration. Most importantly, welcome to the launch of “Your Grad Life,” the CGL’s new blog.

When I began as Director of the CGL a year ago, I decided pretty quickly that we needed a blog. Why? Because I came to understand just how much you all juggle as grad students. In addition to being dedicated scholars, you are: teachers, researchers, working professionals, parents, partners, care givers, contributors to your communities, friends, mentors, and mortal humans who need sleep, food, exercise, and a little fun. As someone who believes strongly in the value of education,  I admire the way you make it all work! 

That means you need a quick way to learn about strategies and resources that will make you more productive, successful, and healthy, and prepare you for the rewarding careers and opportunities that await those who make the most of their graduate school experience! That’s the purpose of this blog--to share information that will help you thrive, develop, and transform during your time here. It’s also another way to connect with your grad community and the faculty and staff who work hard to support you. 

Here’s how it will work. On the first and third Wednesdays of each month we’ll post entries written by rotating authors from across campus on a wide variety of topics. From how to find funding to how to write a compelling abstract, to managing your time and workload, we’ll give you what you need in 700 words or less! And we’ll help you find a little community along the way.

I hope I’ll see you in the Center for Graduate Life soon. In the meantime, here’s to a great year of successful juggling!