From Friday to Sunday, the graduate studies program hosted its first dissertation boot camp of the semester.

These boot camps are writing workshops where graduate students can have a designated time to work on their dissertation papers. Students are given quiet work space and assistance from members of the Writing Commons.

Registration fees were $40 per student, which went toward the drinks and six meals that were provided. A total of 40 students that signed up and attended, filling up the workshop. 

“We heard from a lot of graduate students who were at the dissertation phase and (they) were having difficulty finding the time to write,” said Kyle Reynolds, the director of Student Services of Graduate Studies. “Our goal is just really to carve out the time for those students and then be there throughout the weekend to help them with what they might need assistance with.”

Reynolds said he helped set up the first boot camp, which happened in March 2017. The boot camp used to be offered only once a semester and had a limit of 20 students, but has since grown.  

There will be two other boot camps this semester: March 15 through March 17, and April 26 through April 28, according to the Dissertation Boot Camp website.

Rachel Karas is the graduate education and research reporter. Contact her at [email protected].