The Division of Graduate Studies is to host the spring semester Graduate Student Social from 5-8 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 17 in the Cartwright Atrium.

The once a semester event is meant to provide graduate students with an opportunity to meet up with friends and connect with other graduate students from across the campus. The social isn’t a suit-and-tie affair, but it is more formal than the GradFest events hosted at off-campus sites throughout the semester.

Wednesday’s event will include free food provided by the Indian restaurant Jaipur Junction, according to the Graduate Student Newsletter.

One of the biggest issues facing graduate students is isolation within their academic arena, according to Fritz Yarrison, the Executive Chair for the Graduate Student Senate.  

It’s fair to say that events like GradFest or the Graduate Student Socials are in place to break down these silos of study for graduate students, Yarrison said.

They are used as informal tools to hone interpersonal skills and navigate social networks.

Yarrison said that academic and professional conferences are the formal side to social networking for graduate students.

Andrew Keiper is the graduate education and research reporter for The Kent Stater, contact him at [email protected]