The University of Arkansas will celebrate the contributions of graduate students next week, as Monday serves as the first day of the campus' Graduate Education Week.

"Graduate students play such an important role in the university's teaching and research missions," said Kim Needy, dean of the Graduate School and International Education. "I think it's so special and important that our campus takes time to acknowledge the contributions graduate students make to the University of Arkansas."

The week will kick off with a coffee and donuts breakfast for graduate students on Monday, Feb. 6, and will conclude on Friday, Feb. 10, with the university's second-annual Three Minute Thesis competition final. The academic contest challenges graduate students to summarize their thesis or dissertation research within three minutes to a general audience.

The competitors in the Three Minute Thesis contest will vie for $500. All members of the campus community are invited to attend the event. Audience members will have the opportunity to vote for their favorite presentation. The People's Choice winner will be awarded $250.

The events planned for the week include:

Monday, Feb. 6

• Coffee and Donuts for Graduate Students – 8-10 a.m., Gearhart Hall Graduate Student Lounge (first-come, first-served)

Tuesday, Feb. 7

• Coffee and Donuts for Graduate Students – 8-10 a.m., Gearhart Hall Graduate Student Lounge (first-come, first-served)

Tuesday, Feb. 7

• LinkedIn Photo Session – 1-2 p.m., Davis Hall Photo Studio
  • Graduate students are invited to have a professional headshot taken with campus photographers to use on LinkedIn, a personal website or other professional use. Participating students should avoid wearing white or patterned clothes for the photograph.

Wednesday. Feb. 8

• LinkedIn Photo Session – 9-10 a.m., Davis Hall Photo Studio
  • Graduate students are invited to have a professional headshot taken with campus photographers to use on LinkedIn, a personal website or other professional use. Participating students should avoid wearing white or patterned clothes for the photograph.

Thursday, Feb. 9

• Doctoral Fellows Reception – by invitation only

Friday, Feb. 10

• Three Minute Thesis Competition Final – 2:30 p.m., Plant Sciences 0009

Those interested in learning more about graduate education week and the events associated with it should contact Amanda Cantu at amandcan@uark.edu.