The Collaboratory Space on the second floor of Scott Library is usually a quiet place in early September. On September 8th, it was anything but.
More than 350 incoming graduate students attended GRAD@91ÑÇÉ«U, the Faculty of Graduate Studies (FGS) social fair for students starting a master's or doctoral degree this fall. Over the lunch hour, the room filled with the rare energy of people who do not know each other yet but are about to.
The FGS swag bags helped. There is something about walking into a crowded room holding the same bag as everyone else, subtly noting a shared experience, that makes it easier to say hello, and students did. They compared what was inside, found out who else was in their department, who had moved to Toronto in August, who was still looking for a place to live and more. Small talk, mostly, but small talk is how a peer group starts.
Photo of students with FGS swag bags
Around the edges of the room, several student services and campus resources were waiting to meet them. Graduate Finance & Funding and Scholarships & Awards answered questions students often feel weighing on them. Graduate Wellness & Counselling and Student Accessibility Services shared that supports exist, and you do not have to be in crisis to use them. The Teaching Commons spoke with students about to teach their first tutorial. 91ÑÇÉ« International, YUGSA and CUPE 3903 talked through what it means to be an international student, a member, an employee. 91ÑÇÉ« Libraries, Athletics & Recreation, YSpace Hub, C4: Cross-Campus Capstone Classroom, Graduate Supervision, Graduate Academic Affairs, Graduate Student Affairs and the Office of the Ombudsperson each brought another piece of the map.
Photo of students connecting with a representative at the 91ÑÇÉ« International service booth
Put that many services in one room and something useful happens. Students arrived with one question and left with answers to three they had not thought to ask yet. Someone who came to ask about funding leaves knowing what the Libraries can do for their research, and that there is an Ombudsperson if a challenge arises . Nobody planned those conversations. They are what connection looks like in practice, and where a true sense of community materializes.
That is the reason FGS brings this event to life every year. An afternoon like this creates opportunities for connection and conversation that will last and support students beyond just those 90 minutes. Part of the Faculty’s role is to sit between graduate students and the wider University, connecting them to critical resources early so that students can more easily navigate the University and access support when needed. Those first introductions shape how a graduate journey unfolds, ultimately setting them up for success in the months and years ahead.
GRAD@91ÑÇÉ«U is just the beginning. Beyond the swag bags, the pizza, and a stack of informational pamphlets, what students carried out of Scott Library that afternoon was the start of a network: a new community of peers, and people across 91ÑÇÉ« who know them and are ready to help. Those are the connections that will allow them to navigate the rest of their first week, and the years that follow.