Events in January 2026
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Thesis and Dissertation Writing Camp Day 1 Thesis and Dissertation Writing Camp Day 1
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January 5, 2026Thesis and Dissertation Writing Camp is an opportunity for MSU grad students to have dedicated time to work on writing their theses or dissertations before the hectic semester starts!
Students can use this time to set structured goals and find social accountability with facilitators from the Writing Center and peers who are also writing theses and dissertations. For in-person attendees, food and coffee will be available, and crafts will abound to encourage brain breaks.
Thesis and Dissertation Writing Camp will take place in 300 Bessey Hall, January 5-7, 2026, from 9am-3pm, both in-person and on Zoom. This registration form will remain open until December 28, 2025.
If you have questions or need to change your registration, please contact Beth Sabo at bethsabo@msu.edu.
Register for Thesis & Dissertation Writing Camp Here.
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Thesis and Dissertation Writing Camp Day 2 Thesis and Dissertation Writing Camp Day 2
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January 6, 2026Thesis and Dissertation Writing Camp is an opportunity for MSU grad students to have dedicated time to work on writing their theses or dissertations before the hectic semester starts!
Students can use this time to set structured goals and find social accountability with facilitators from the Writing Center and peers who are also writing theses and dissertations. For in-person attendees, food and coffee will be available, and crafts will abound to encourage brain breaks.
Thesis and Dissertation Writing Camp will take place in 300 Bessey Hall, January 5-7, 2026, from 9am-3pm, both in-person and on Zoom. This registration form will remain open until December 28, 2025.
If you have questions or need to change your registration, please contact Beth Sabo at bethsabo@msu.edu.
Register for Thesis & Dissertation Writing Camp Here.
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Thesis and Dissertation Writing Camp Day 3 Thesis and Dissertation Writing Camp Day 3
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January 7, 2026Thesis and Dissertation Writing Camp is an opportunity for MSU grad students to have dedicated time to work on writing their theses or dissertations before the hectic semester starts!
Students can use this time to set structured goals and find social accountability with facilitators from the Writing Center and peers who are also writing theses and dissertations. For in-person attendees, food and coffee will be available, and crafts will abound to encourage brain breaks.
Thesis and Dissertation Writing Camp will take place in 300 Bessey Hall, January 5-7, 2026, from 9am-3pm, both in-person and on Zoom. This registration form will remain open until December 28, 2025.
If you have questions or need to change your registration, please contact Beth Sabo at bethsabo@msu.edu.
Register for Thesis & Dissertation Writing Camp Here.
GTA Roles: What to Expect GTA Roles: What to Expect
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January 7, 2026GTAs take on multiple roles while managing their own courseload. In this session you will have the opportunity to connect to and learn from experienced GTAs.
Four graduate students who have served as grader, lab leader, recitation leader, and section leader share what their workload looks like and how they manage their time, tips and tricks on how to work with students, and challenges they have addressed. GTAs will walk away with a set of tools for successfully working in their roles.
This session is part of the 2026 Spring GTA Preparation Program.
Presenters(s):
Dr. Stefanie Baier, Director of the GRaduate Educator Advancement and Teaching (GREAT) Office
Temilade Adegoke, German Studies
Eleanor Carr, Genetics
Dakshesh Vasan, Statistics & Probability
Dangkamol Wongthanaroj, PackagingBuilding Confidence in Academic Integrity: A Guide for Emerging Educators Building Confidence in Academic Integrity: A Guide for Emerging Educators
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January 7, 2026In this session, Dr. Shannon Lynn Burton (University Ombudsperson) will offer practical strategies tailored to graduate teaching assistants and postdocs who are building their instructional identity while upholding academic integrity in the classroom. Participants will learn how to communicate expectations with confidence, prevent common forms of misconduct, and manage difficult conversations that may arise when concerns occur.
The session will also outline key university policies and procedures for responding to suspected misconduct, with opportunities to discuss real scenarios that help early-career instructors strengthen their judgment, clarity, and sense of authority in fostering a culture of integrity.
This session is part of the 2026 Spring GTA Preparation Program.
Presenter: Dr. Shannon Lynn Burton (MSU Ombudsperson)
Responding to Student Challenges as Instructors Responding to Student Challenges as Instructors
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January 7, 2026Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTAs) play a critical role in fostering student learning and success; however, not everything is smooth sailing! In this workshop, GTAs will be alerted to common academic and personal challenges—such as absences, late or missing assignments, and early withdrawals - which may come up during the semester.
Participants will learn when and how to utilize institutional tools to intervene effectively and compassionately. The workshop also will touch upon cultural differences in student engagement and expectations, particularly for those navigating U.S. classroom norms from an international perspective. We hope GTAs will leave better prepared to recognize student needs early, respond more confidently, and create a supportive and successful learning environment.
This session is part of the 2026 Spring GTA Preparation Program.
Presenters:
Pat Walters and Amy Kroesche (English Language Center)
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Learning and Assessment Learning and Assessment
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January 8, 2026Effective grading is a result of understanding how to assess students in a manner that is both helpful to their development and an efficient use of your own time.
In this session, we will discuss the preparation you should go through to be able to assess students effectively based on Learning Outcomes. You will learn how to write learning outcomes and use Backward Design to align learning outcomes with assessments and learning activities.
This session is part of the 2026 Spring GTA Preparation Program.
Presenter(s):
Seth Hunt, PhD Candidate, Plant Biology & Instructor, Biological Sciences
Using D2L for Effective Instruction Using D2L for Effective Instruction
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January 8, 2026You are a new Graduate Teaching Assistant and/or want to learn more about MSU’s learning management system (D2L) features to support your instructional role.
Join us for this session in which two experts from MSU Instructional Technology role will get you started on D2L features such as the Gradebook, Accessibility Checkers, Intelligent Agents, and share best practices to effectively use D2L for effective communication and student success. Come prepared to ask questions to get the most out of this session.
This session is part of the 2026 Spring GTA Preparation Program.
Presenter(s):
Lisa Batchelder and Jennifer Wagner, MSU IT Educational Technology
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CES Write-In CES Write-In
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January 9, 2026Would scheduling regular, specific times to write about your outreach or engagement work be helpful? If so, please join us on the first Friday of each month for three hours of dedicated time to advance your scholarship. Past participants have written journal articles, grant proposals, book chapters, theses or dissertations, curricula, pieces for public audiences, and community engagement portfolios. Participants should plan to write for the full three hours. We start the write-in by sharing writing goals for the day and wrap up with accomplishments and next steps.
Write-Ins are free, but registration is required. *Please note that your registration is a commitment to attend.
Sponsored by: University Outreach and Engagement; Office of Faculty and Academic Staff Development; The Graduate School; The Writing Center.
Registration Coming Soon
Contact Diane Doberneck, connordm@msu.edu with any questions.
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RECR: Research Misconduct and Reporting RECR: Research Misconduct and Reporting
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January 13, 2026(RCR-3390-ILTVC)
Conduct in research spans a spectrum, from that performed with integrity to true research misconduct. Accusations of misconduct are incredibly serious, and the consequences grave. This session will help you understand the spectrum of behaviors that can arise while performing research and scholarly activities.
Examples of misconduct and detrimental research practices will be presented. There will be discussions about best practices to follow to avoid research and scholarly activity misconduct and detrimental practices, and to whom one should go to with concerns about research activities. The session will review the processes of reporting, investigating, and reviewing alleged misconduct.
Register on the MSU Ability Training Compliance System
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Lunch with the Dean Lunch with the Dean
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January 15, 2026During the academic year, the Dean of the Graduate School, Pero Dagbovie, invites graduate students to join him and his graduate school colleagues for lunch and conversation in Chittenden Hall along the beautiful and historic Laboratory Row.
About the Event:This unique opportunity allows Graduate Students the chance to connect with The Graduate School leadership and staff in a relaxed and informal lunch setting. Connect about career and school journeys, gain understanding of The Graduate School programs that empower graduate student success and engage in candid discussions about university and student life.
Why Attend?- Share experiences in a safe space.- Learn more about what the Graduate School offers, such as professional development & educational wellbeing opportunities.- Enjoy a meal and conversation with new people!
Registration for these lunches is required. If the registration link is no longer available, either the workshop is full, or the registration period has ended.
Fall 2025 Dates, all lunches will take place in-person in Chittenden Hall room 110 from 12:00-1:00pm:
Thursday, January 15
Wednesday, February 18
Tuesday, March 24
Thursday, April 9 - GPSAW EditionAGEP Learning Community Meeting AGEP Learning Community Meeting
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January 15, 2026The Alliances for Graduate Education and the Professoriate (AGEP) at Michigan State University (MSU) was started with funding from the National Science Foundation. MSU AGEP supports recruitment, retention, and graduation of underrepresented students in doctoral programs of the natural and social sciences, mathematics, engineering and the humanities. The MSU AGEP Learning Community is an informal environment where students from varying disciplines can gather, share their research in a 10-minute presentation, or discover that their graduate toils are not unusual. Those in attendance are privy to information regarding fellowships, career opportunities, even summer internships, pertaining to the group.
RSVP for AGEP Learning Community meetings here: AGEP Learning Community Meeting Registration
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COGS Coffee & Connection COGS Coffee & Connection
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January 16, 2026Grand Traverse Pie
https://cogs.msu.edu/upcoming-events/
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Navigating the PhD Session 1: Managing Time and Academic Relationships Navigating the PhD Session 1: Managing Time and Academic Relationships
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January 23, 2026In this 3-hour workshop, plans for time management and working with others will be the main focus. Participants will create academic timelines for their PhD work at MSU and discuss technologies and habits that can help them stay on task. Participants will also discuss how to manage the stress that often pervades the life of PhD students and share strategies for overcoming writer’s block and procrastination. Additionally, discussion about selecting and working with committees will provide a space for sharing about and learning how to communicate with faculty members about participants’ research and writing.
A Zoom link and details will be shared with registrants closer to the date of the workshop.
Registration coming soon
Navigating the PhD Session 2: Writing Processes & Strategies for Academic Writing Navigating the PhD Session 2: Writing Processes & Strategies for Academic Writing
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January 23, 2026In this 3-hour workshop, the focus will be on writing processes and practices. Every PhD program at MSU requires comprehensive exams, dissertation proposals, and dissertations. In the workshop, participants will explore and share their current writing practices and be given practical writing and revision strategies. During the latter half of the workshop, participants will develop a plan for developing and completing their dissertations.
A Zoom link and details will be shared with registrants prior to the date of the workshop.
Registration coming soon.
*Please note that your registration is a commitment to attend.
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COGS Coffee & Connect COGS Coffee & Connect
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January 27, 2026MSU Bug House
https://cogs.msu.edu/upcoming-events/
RECR: Research Collaborations and Student Conflicts of Interest RECR: Research Collaborations and Student Conflicts of Interest
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January 27, 2026Research collaboration involves individuals working together to achieve a common goal of producing new scientific knowledge, insight on a problem, or understanding of a phenomenon.
Collaboration also helps build stronger connections amongst coworkers making the team unit more successful and efficient than working individually on the same tasks. Collaboration is one of the most important parts of your graduate studies. This workshop will review guidelines to following when looking to initiate collaboration and best practices for effective collaboration.
The session will also explore student conflicts of interest that can arise in research and creative activity. These can occur when there is a divergence between an individual’s private interests and his or her professional obligations to the University such that an independent observer might reasonably question the individual’s professional actions or decisions.
Register on the MSU Ability Training Compliance System
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Busting Writing Myths Busting Writing Myths
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January 28, 2026As an educator at MSU, are you interested in...
learning more about teaching and supporting writing in your courses?
revising or developing new writing assignments for your courses?
improving your students' engagement with your writing assignments?The Writing Across the Curriculum (WAC) program at MSU supports all MSU educators in developing their writing-related pedagogy in any level course, in any discipline. We invite you to participate in our upcoming Workshop Series!
Register for workshops via this link.
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Graduate School Write-In Graduate School Write-In
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January 30, 2026Graduate School Write-Ins are co-sponsored by the Graduate School and The Writing Center at MSU. The write-ins are hosted and facilitated to provide writers with an opportunity to write in a shared writing space where other writers are present, and a writing center consultant/staff member is present to provide consultations for writers who would like to have a consultation appointment during the session.
Along with this, the write-ins provide an opportunity for facilitators to promote and share information about upcoming events hosted by the Graduate School, Writing Center, and other campus partners such as the University Outreach and Engagement Office and to provide resources and information that can be used to form graduate writing groups, have writing center appointments or attend workshops (provided by the Graduate School) cater to graduate students based on goals they may share during the write in.
Registration coming soon.
*Food and activities are based on registration numbers. Please note that your registration is a commitment to attend.
