IU celebrates Graduate and Professional Student Appreciation Week

This week, we celebrate Indiana University's incredible graduate and professional students during Graduate and Professional Student Appreciation Week. 

Through our academic programs, mentorship, and service opportunities, IU faculty and staff are preparing our graduate and professional students for careers as leaders in their fields and disciplines. With our IU 2030 strategic plan, we’re also prioritizing ongoing efforts to further strengthen the ways we enable graduate and professional student success.

Just as we commit to preparing them for a successful future, our graduate and professional students are also contributing to the university and its mission. From conducting groundbreaking scholarship and research that pushes the boundaries of their disciplines to making a positive impact in the classroom and the Hoosier communities we serve, our more than 20,000 graduate and professional students leave an undeniable mark on the world.

Isioma Nwayor, a Ph.D. student in geography at IU Bloomington, has focused her research on evaluating climate change using drought metrics and tools for monitoring and managing water resources. Isioma has helped advance Indiana's leadership in climate action and sustainability through the McKinney Climate Fellows program, working with Bloomington, Gary, and Goshen to help city governments develop climate vulnerability and resilience plans.

Soumilee Chaudhuri, a Ph.D. student in medical neuroscience at IU Indianapolis, is one of the founders and president of IMPACT Indiana, a student organization driving advocacy in the fight against Alzheimer’s disease. In 2023, ​​Soumilee won the campus-wide Three-Minute Thesis competition and the People’s Choice Award for a presentation on the impact of heart disorders, hypertension, and obesity on Alzheimer’s onset and development. 

Jennifer Barbercheck, a graduate student in mental health counseling at IU Columbus, supports the Tom & Barbara Schoellkopf Community Counseling Center, which provides Columbus-area residents with mental health, career development, and life services. Jennifer also works at the Columbus Foundation for Youth and interns for Community Downtown, a non-profit clinic serving children, adolescents, and adults.

These are just a few examples of the dedication, perseverance, and intellectual curiosity of our graduate and professional students. 

With expanding programming and resources through our Graduate School Bloomington and Graduate School Indianapolis, IU remains committed to fostering an enriching environment where graduate and professional students can thrive.

On behalf of IU, thank you to our graduate and professional students for your scholarly impact and for choosing IU as you acquire new knowledge and insights that enable you to improve the Hoosier state and beyond.

Pamela Whitten

President
Indiana University