UChicago Graduate Council

Graduate Council is the University of Chicago’s interdivisional student government, serving over 10,000 graduate students across all divisions and professional schools. We offer a wide variety of events and initiatives throughout the year focused on building community, improving the student experience, and helping you make the most of your time here!

Events include our quarterly flagship events (such as the Gargoyle Gala on November 8), off-campus activities exploring all that Chicago has to offer, and on-campus opportunities to connect with your fellow graduate students. We also offer many resources to support you, from legal advising to Divisional Representatives who will advocate on your behalf. To meet your Graduate Council and learn more about what we do, join us for our Welcome Party on November 3! 

Next week, we are also excited to open applications for the Graduate Council Event Fund, which supports student-run interdisciplinary events, and Graduate Council Club Fund, which supports new graduate clubs promoting interdivisional community.

Be sure to follow us on Instagram, sign up for our newsletter, secure tickets on our Eventbrite, and check out our website to stay up to date!

Crafternoons (Halloween Edition)
Friday, October 31, 3:30-4:30 p.m., Crown School Lobby, 969 E 60th St

This is a special edition of our normal Friday "Crafternoons." Come in costume to trick-or-treat, then take a break from candy to make and eat spooky, healthy snack creations--such as apple monster faces.

Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) Information Session
Tuesday, November 4, 1:00–2:00 p.m., UChicagoGRAD HQ

The Critical Language Scholarship (CLS) Program is a fully-funded overseas summer language and cultural immersion program for American students. With the goal of broadening the base of Americans studying and mastering critical languages and building relationships between the people of the United States and other countries, CLS provides study opportunities to a diverse range of students from across the United States at every level of language learning.

Academic Job Market: Negotiating an Academic Job Offer
Tuesday, November 4, 2:30–3:30 p.m., UChicagoGRAD HQ

This workshop will help you understand how to successfully negotiate an offer for an academic position (e.g. a professorship, postdoc, lectureship, or visiting position). We will explore when in the hiring process to discuss your needs, review what to negotiate, and learn how to conduct the exchange in a way that builds strong ties with your new colleagues and institution. The session will be structured around a case study and role-playing exercise and is appropriate for PhD/MFA students and postdocs in all disciplines.

Career 30
Job Search Best Practices (Tuesday, November 4, 4:00–4:30 p.m., Zoom)

Improve your professional skills in 30 minutes or less! This session will introduce you to the foundations of the job search in industry and nonprofits. You will gain an understanding of hiring processes, timelines, and where to look for jobs. We will also address some common questions that international students may have about job search timing. This virtual session is appropriate for graduate students and postdocs in all disciplines.

Resume (STEM Master's Fair) (Wednesday, November 5, 4:00–4:30 p.m., Zoom)

Just in time for the STEM Master’s Career Fair, this presentation will provide attendees with essential information for creating an effective, tailored resume for positions in industry and nonprofits.

Info Session: British Consulate-General New York
Wednesday, November 5, 4:00–5:00 p.m., Location TBD

Please join this in-person information session to learn more about the UK’s High Potential Individual (HPI) visa route from a member of the UK Visas and Immigration team. The HPI visa gives you permission to stay in the UK for 2 years, as long as you have been awarded a degree by an eligible university in the last 5 years – University of Chicago qualifies. During this session, you’ll learn more about eligibility, how to apply, the review process, and more.

Better Together: GRAD Speed Friending Night
Wednesday, November 5, 5:00-7:00 p.m., Student Wellness Center, 840 E 59th St

Join us for a speed friending event night with Student Wellness and UChicagoGRAD. Dinner provided, with activities to break the ice and make new friends!  We will have plenty of time for organized rounds of speed friending plus you'll get to win some fun raffle prizes and enjoy dinner!

STEM Master's Career Fair Prep Session 2025
Thursday, November 6, 1:00–2:00 p.m.,  Zoom

Attend this session to maximize your time at the STEM Master's Career Fair. Learn important logistical information, such as attending employers, platform management, and agenda/schedule. The majority of the session will include our best practice tips and tricks to network with employers, prepare questions, and more. Register for the career fair via this link. 

NSF GRFP Research Statement Peer Review
Friday, November 7, 1:00–3:00 p.m., UChicagoGRAD HQ

Students applying to the NSF GRFP are encouraged to join this peer review workshop just in time for the competition deadline. In a low-stakes and supportive setting, participants will divide into groups and offer feedback on peers' research statements. To participate, register submit a complete draft in advance.

Domestic and international graduate students are eligible to apply for on-campus jobs.

Operations Assistant - The University of Chicago, Economics Department

Computing Support Assistant - MA Programs in the Social Sciences, University of Chicago

Exam Proctor - University of Chicago

UChicagoGRAD STEM Career Development Specialist – UChicagoGRAD

Logan Center Production Assistant - University of Chicago Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts

Autumn Team Member, Visual and Digital Media Member, STAGE - STAGE Center

MEET YOUR GRAD COUNCIL
Monday, November 3, 6:00–8:00 p.m., Ida Noyes Cloister Club 

The tradition continues! Join us Monday, November 3rd at 6 PM in the Cloister Club (Ida Noyes) for one of the year’s biggest Grad Council gatherings. Expect fresh-from-the-oven pizza, Pub beverages (21+ w/ ID), free merch, world-class vibes with your fellow grad students, and meet your Graduate Council!

Puppy Yoga Tickets Incoming!
Saturday, November 15, UChicago Grad Lounge

Back by popular demand… Puppy Yoga! Graduate Council invites you to the ultimate wellness experience: a playful yoga session with puppies! Relax, recharge, and enjoy some furry fun - whether you’re an experienced yogi or just looking for a lighthearted way to unwind. This event is perfect for all levels. Just bring your own yoga mat and get ready for tail wags, stretches, and smiles!
Tickets drop on Eventbrite Friday, Oct 31 at 5:00 PM. See you on the mat!

Gargoyle Gala Round Three Tickets Open This Friday!
Saturday, November 8, 7:00–11:00 p.m., Navy Pier Aon Grand Ballroom

We’re almost there! With just one week to go, the Gargoyle Gala is nearly upon us. Picture it: Navy Pier glowing at night, champagne flowing, music thumping, and you; dressed to the nines; making memories that’ll last long after the lights go out. Don’t wait! Round 3 tickets drop Friday, October 31 at 5:00 p.m. Follow UChicago Graduate Council on Eventbrite to get notified about tickets for this and upcoming events.

Attend November's Graduate Council General Body Meeting
Monday, November 10, 6:00–8:00 p.m., Harper Center C04

Are you interested in seeing how Graduate Council works? Maybe you have an idea for campus life that you would like to share. Come to our next General Body Meeting to meet your Council officers, learn about upcoming initiatives, and find ways to get involved. All grad & professional students are welcome to attend. Reserve your spot here!

spaCy Natural Language Processing Workshop
Monday, November 3, 1:00–2:00 p.m., Regenstein Library 101A, 1100 E 57th St

In this workshop, we’ll go over the basics of using a python-based natural language processing tool, spaCy, to analyze short texts. You’ll learn how to visualize part of speech tagging, dependency relationships, and more! This workshop is open to undergrads, graduate students, pre-docs and postdocs.

Aim for Accessible Hands-on Workshop
Wednesday, November 5, 10:30–1:30 a.m., Hybrid

Instructors are invited to create a more inclusive learning environment by participating in the Aim for Accessible Challenge, focusing on remediating the top 5 accessibility errors in your UChicago Canvas courses. In this workshop, you’ll work on your Canvas course with expert help to fix issues right then and there.

East Asia by the Book! CEAS Author Talks Presents: "Anime's Knowledge Cultures: Geek, Otaku, Zhai"
Wednesday, November 5, 12:00 noon–1:30 p.m., Seminary Co-op Bookstore, 5751 S Woodlawn Ave

Why has anime, a “low-tech” medium from last century, suddenly become the cultural “new cool” in the information age? In Anime’s Knowledge Cultures, Jinying Li shifts the center of global geography of knowledge culture from the computer boys in Silicon Valley to the anime fandom in East Asia.

Perspectives in Sustainability: A Conversation with Gabriel Presler, MBA ’05/ MPP ’05
Thursday, November 6, 12:00 noon–1:00 p.m., Harper Center C-09, 5807 S Woodlawn Ave

Join the Rustandy Center for a fireside chat with Gabriel Presler, MBA/MPP ’05, the global head of enterprise sustainability for Morningstar. This session is a must for all students interested in the connection between corporate sustainability and real business impact. 

Reflections on the Sacred & Secular in The Current Moment
Thursday, November 6, 5:00–6:30 p.m., The Chicago Forum, 5737 S University Ave

What is Sacred and Secular? Do our traditional understandings of them still hold true during unprecedented times? The Harris School & Divinity School Committees of the Chicago Forum Student Board invite you to think about what these two things mean, especially during a particularly tumultuous year in our country’s history.

Yangyang Cheng Fellows Seminar | When Scientists Cross the Pacific
Monday, November 3, 12:30–1:45 p.m., Institute of Politics, 5707 S Woodlawn Ave

ELI Conversation Hour
Tuesday, November 4, 3:30–4:30 p.m., Cobb Hall 201AB, 5811 S Ellis Ave

Inequality Reconsidered: A Week with the Stone Center
The Origin and Future of Economics Inequality (Tuesday, November 4, 5:00–7:30 p.m., Keller Center Sky Suite, 1307 E 60th St)
Why Economic Inequalities Endure (Thursday, November 6, 5:00–6:30 p.m., Keller Center Form, 1307 E 60th St)

The Works and Legacy of St. Augustine
Tuesday, November 4, 6:00–8:30 p.m., The Lumen Christi Institute, 1220 E 58th St

No End in Sight: Atrocities and Impunity in Mexico's War on Drugs
Thursday, November 6, 12:30–4:00 p.m., Social Sciences Tea Room, 1126 E 59th St

Geoeconomic Resilience: Supply Chain Agility
Thursday, November 6, 4:00–5:00 p.m., SSRC Room 142, 1155 E 60th St

Community Connections: Meet the Historians
Thursday, November 6, 5:00–7:30 p.m., UCSC, 6030 S Ellis Ave

Reporting on Something You Don’t Like: How an LA Times Journalist Is Telling the Stories of 2025
Thursday, November 6, 5:00–6:30 p.m., Swift Hall Room 310, 1025 E 58th St

China & Tech Innovation: An Unstoppable Path to Victory
Thursday, November 6, 5:30–6:45 p.m., International House, 1414 E 59th St

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