Graduate Student Appreciation Week
2026 Grad Student Appreciation Week: October 5-11
Our graduate students are valued members of the ND community every day of the year, but we can't help but celebrate you in a special way this week! Come enjoy freebies, food, fun, and fellowship with other grad students as the whole Notre Dame family honors YOU!
The week will feature unique events and will highlight campus resources available to grad students all year through.
We will also host one special event after Graduate Student Appreciation Week: a coffee meet and greet with Fr. Bob from 9:00 am - 10:00 am on Tuesday, October 13. If you are interested in applying to attend, please fill out this form.
All Week
St. Michael's Laundry Discounts
7:30 am - 4:00 pm
Show your graduate or professional student ID at St. Michael's Laundry to receive 50% off up to 4 items for drycleaning, wetcleaning, or laundry.
Sponsor: St. Michael's Laundry
Campus Dining Discounts
Our generous partners at Campus Dining have deals and discounts at Starbucks, Gipper's Kitchen, Au Bon Pain, and the Dining Halls. Check out the details below.
Sponsor: Campus Dining.
World Post Day
Celebrate World Post Day by writing and sending Notre Dame postcards to friends & family. Postcards can be picked up all week in the Grad Lounge in Duncan. Write and address them, then drop them off at the lounge so we can stamp and send them. Both domestic and international addresses are allowed.
Snacks in the Grad Lounge
GSG will put snacks out every day (M-F) in the Graduate Student Lounge in the Duncan Student Center. Stop by when you get the chance!
Partner: Graduate Student Government
Mass Intentions
Every chapel on campus will include graduate students in prayer intentions during Masses this week.
Partner: Campus Ministry
#thanksbetograds Social Media Contest
To amplify the week’s visibility, foster community spirit, and encourage teamwork, the Office of Graduate Student Life is hosting a social media challenge!
Share your #thanksbetograds posts on Instagram and Facebook for a chance to win a prize! Winners can choose their prize among the following: RecSports Personal Training Package (3 sessions), $100 in Domer Dollars, or 2 Front Row Club Memberships for DPAC.
DIY Campus Scavenger Hunt
As part of Graduate Student Appreciation Week, the Office of Graduate Student Life will host a DIY Scavenger Hunt across campus! Form a team and compete for prizes!
Football Ticket Drawing
The Office of the President is giving away ten pairs of football tickets during Graduate Student Appreciation Week! Attend select events to receive a ticket and enter our drawing. You must present your student ID to collect a ticket for the drawing. The more events you attend, the more drawing tickets you can submit!
Sponsor: Office of the President
Monday, October 5
50% Off Campus Starbucks
All Day, LaFortune Student Center Starbucks
Stop by Starbucks and get your drink for 50% off! You must present a valid ND Graduate or Professional Student ID. This offer is only valid on Monday, October 5 during Starbucks' opening hours.
Partner: Campus Dining
Grab & Go Giveaways
9:00 am - 10:30 am, Hesburgh Library Courtyard
Swing by and pick up a free Grad Life T-shirt, free Rise'n Roll donuts, and other free goodies to kick-off GSAW. Did we mention everything is FREE? Please note that all swag will be present starting at 9:00 and available while supplies last!
Partner: The Graduate School
Headshots & CV/Resume Drop-Ins
12:00 pm - 3:00 pm, Meruelo Family Center for Career Development, Duncan Student Center, 5th Floor North
Join Graduate Career Services (GCS) on the North End of the 5th floor of Duncan Student Center on October 6th from Noon to 3:00 p.m. as we celebrate graduate students during Graduate Student Appreciation Week. At that time GCS will offer walk-in resume and CV reviews and help students as they take professional-grade headshots using our self-service headshot booth. During that time, students can also talk with their dedicated career consultants about any other professional and career development needs. (And enjoy some coffee and doughnuts!) GCS looks forward to seeing you there! Please register via Handshake.
Sponsor: Graduate Career Services
Movie at Midfield
6:30 pm - 9:00 pm, Duncan Student Center Room 106 and Midfield Commons
Come enjoy pizza, popcorn and a family-friendly film on the big screen in Duncan. All are welcome! Pizza will be served in Duncan 106 from 6:30-7:30 while supplies last. The movie will begin at 7:00 p.m. We will be showing October Sky (1999) (PG). Please see the synopsis below!
It's 1957, and the space race has captured the imagination of young Homer Hickam (Jake Gyllenhaal), a coal miner's son who dreams of escaping from his small West Virginia town. With three friends, Homer begins experimenting with rockets---an activity that displeases his stern father. Chris Cooper, Laura Dern, Chris Owen, William Lee Scott, Chad Lindberg.
Tuesday, October 6
GSG Succulent Giveaway
11:45 am, Graduate Student Lounge, Duncan Student Center, 2nd Floor South
Come pick up a free succulent to add a lovely green spark to your home or office! (While supplies last.)
Sponsor: Graduate Student Government
Tours of Fr. Ted's Office
1:00 pm - 3:00 pm, Hesburgh Library, 13th floor
Come see the world through Fr. Ted’s eyes, and catch a glimpse of the best view of the Dome anywhere on campus! What do these three things have in common: the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the Olympic Torch, and a ring given by Pope Paul VI? All are on display in the 13th Floor Office of the late Fr. Ted Hesburgh, CSC, 15th President of the University of Notre Dame, and pioneering leader in the world of Catholic Higher Education.
Partner: Office of the President
Grant Winners Reception
4:00 pm - 6:00 pm, Graduate Student Lounge, Duncan Student Center, 2nd Floor South
Join the Office of Grants and Fellowship for a reception celebrating grant winners! Light refreshments will be served.
Sponsor: Office of Grants and Fellowships
Wednesday, October 7
Half-Price Dining Hall Lunch
11:00 am - 2:00 pm, North or South Dining Hall
Campus Dining is treating all grad students to lunch at North or South Dining Hall for $8.50! This offer is valid Wednesday, October 7, 2026 only, and you must present a valid ND Graduate/Professional Student ID to purchase a meal for the discounted rate.
Sponsor: Campus Dining
Comfort Pups
12:00 - 1:00 pm, Graduate Student Lounge, Duncan Student Center, 2nd Floor South
NDPD's very special Comfort K9s, Orla, Finn, and Buck, will be visiting the lounge on Wednesday afternoon for pets, treats, cuddles, and play time. Come and spend some time with your new furry friends!
Sponsor: NDPD
Wellness Wednesday
3:00 pm - 5:00 pm, Fieldhouse Mall
Swing by Fieldhouse Mall between 3:00 and 5:00 p.m. for Wellness Weekly! Each week, the McDonald Center for Student Well-Being offers free swag, snacks, and wellness tips to help you recharge, destress, and take care of your mind and body. Stop by this Wellness Wednesday to pick up a free mini Lego kit and learn about the McDonald center's Wellness & Resilience Program. Learn More.
Sponsor: McDonald Center for Studet Well-Being
LASER Symposium
5:15 pm - 7:15 pm, Jordan Hall of Science Room 101
The Graduate School cordially invites you to join us for the 2026 Leadership Advancing Socially Engaged Research (LASER) Symposium. This is an opportunity to hear about the participants' experiences in the LASER program and learn about their leadership and social engagement projects, as well as celebrate the completion of the year-long program. Each participant will make formal, but brief, comments to the audience about their experience. Following the program, guests are invited to stay for a reception with food and drinks in the Galleria, where they can speak directly with LASER participants. RSVP Here!
Sponsor: The Graduate School
GSG Trivia Night
6:00 pm - 8:00 pm, Duncan Student Center Dahnke Ballroom, 7th Floor
As part of Grad Appreciation Week, the Graduate Student Government (GSG) is excited to invite graduate students to a fun-filled Trivia Night with food, drinks, fun, and prizes! This event is our way of celebrating and showing how much we appreciate all of our graduate students and the hard work they do throughout the year. Students can register individually and do not need to have a team beforehand. When they arrive, they can either be assigned to a team or choose a team if spots are available. We can accommodate the first 150 students who register, and once we reach 150 registrations, the registration form will close. Please register here.
Add to your calendar!
Sponsor: Graduate Student Government
Thursday, October 8
Doughnuts with the Dean
9:00 am - 10:00 am, Graduate Student Lounge, Duncan Student Center, 2nd Floor South
Join Mike Hildreth, Ph.D., Dean of the Graduate School and Associate Provost and Vice President for Graduate Studies, for morning doughnuts and conversation in the Grad Lounge!
Sponsor: The Graduate School
Academic Chapel Crawl
4:30 pm - 6:30 pm, Log Chapel
Join Grad Life for a fantastic chapel crawl! We will begin at the Log Chapel at 4:30, tour through the chapels and interfaith space in the Eck Hall of Law, Stinson-Remick, Jenkins and Nanovic Halls, and the Stayer Center, before ending with the Raclin Murphy Mary, Queen of Families Chapel. This event will conclude with an art reflection activity hosted by the Raclin Murphy Museum of Art. RSVP here!
Partners: Campus Ministry, Raclin Murphy Museum of Art
Friday, October 9
Bags and Bagels with the FRC
11:00 am - 2:00 pm, Graduate Student Lounge, Duncan Student Center, 2nd Floor South
Come out to see the family friendly corner of the Grad Lounge, and leave with a tote bag and bagel! We will also have "kid kits" with coloring pages, crayons, and snacks for any parets to bring home to their children. Please note that kits, tote bags, and bagels will be available while supplies last!
Partner: Family Resource Center
Thunder from the Sky Organ Concert
3:30 pm - 3:45 pm, Basilica of the Sacred Heart
Start off your football weekend festivities by experiencing musical thunder from the sky in the Basilica of the Sacred Heart. Basilica organists will be “pulling out all the stops” in brief 15 minute recitals that are sure to shake the rafters! The concerts will conclude with a rousing singing of the Alma Mater lead by the mighty Murdy Family Pipe Organ. This event is free and open to the public.
Sponsor: Campus Ministry
5K Run for Impact
3:30 pm - 5:30 pm, Rockne Memorial
Join the Innovation for Impact Club for the Run for Impact 5K on October 9 at 3:30 PM, starting at Rockne Memorial! The 5K supports Saint Bakhita’s vocational school, which is partnered with Notre Dame and empowers young women with practical skills and opportunities to build independent futures. All proceeds go directly to Saint Bakhita’s. For each graduate student, spouse, or dependent that registers, Grad Life will reimburse your registration fee. Please register here.
Sponsor: Innovation for Impact Club
Karaoke Night
7:00 pm - 9:00 pm, Hagerty Cafe
Join Grad Life and MSPS for Karaoke Night at Hagerty Cafe! Whether you're hitting the high notes, teaming up for a duet, or cheering from the audience, everyone is welcome. We'll have a massive song library featuring tracks in languages from all around the world, plus light snacks. Register your interest here!
Partner: MSPS
Saturday, October 10
ND v Stanford Gameday
Gamedays at ND have more than just football. Check out the list of events, offers, concerts, lectures, activities, traditions and more at experience.nd.edu!
Free Food - Gameday Concessions
12:00 pm - 3:00 pm, Various Campus Locations
Three graduate clubs will be hosting gameday concession stands on campus. Print out and present this coupon along with your ND ID card showing you are a graduate or professional student and get free food courtesy of Graduate Student Life! Those with spouses and children can use coupons for their dependents, but must have printed coupons for each person.
Download 2026 concessions coupon [PDF, 503k]
Graduate Student stand locations will be at #3 and #12 on this map.
Shamrock Kickoff
12:00 pm - 3:00 pm, Fieldhouse Mall/North Quad
Get ready for game day, Irish fans! Graduate students and their families are invited to stop by for pre-game fun with giveaways, games, and great (free!) food trucks to soak in the Fighting Irish spirit before kickoff. For this week, The Graduate School will also be handing out Cute as a Cupcake cupcakes in a jar to all grad students as well as their family members, and bringing in a facepainter for everyone to enjoy! Learn More.
Partners: Student Activities Office, The Graduate School
Sunday, October 11
Mass at Fischer Grad
11:00 am - 12:00 pm, Fischer Community Center
Join us for prayer at the weekly Sunday Mass at Fischer Grad. The chapel, located inside the Fischer Community Center, is named in honor of the patron saint of scholars, Catherine of Alexandria. All scholars, families, and guests welcome!
Partner: Campus Ministry
Sunday Brunch
12:00 pm - 1:30 pm, Fischer Community Center
Sunday meals are a tradition that conjures warm memories of home, family, and comfort food. Come join us for a family-style meal - sitting together, sharing food together, and enjoying time together. RSVP NOW!
Many thanks to our partners & sponsors!
Thank yous from our Deans!
A message to Notre Dame graduate students from Michael Hildreth, dean of the Graduate School, associate provost and vice president for graduate studies, and professor of physics and astronomy. For Graduate Student Appreciation Week, the deans recorded short messages of gratitude. Watch their heartfelt thanks below!