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Graduate Education and Life

Self Care is the Best Care

Grad Ed and Life offers programming to help you connect with fellow grad students, find a sense of belonging and build community at WVU. We also partner with units campuswide, encouraging you to be active, stay healthy and get the support you need to find success personally, academically and professionally.

Grad Ed and Life Peer Mentorship

Participate in Grad Ed and Life's Graduate Peer Mentorship program, which matches new graduate students with graduate students who are further along in their studies. The program runs in the fall and spring semesters.

Mentors and mentees can talk about their graduate school experiences and ways to persist in graduate school. They also can participate in workshops and other activities on the value of mentorship. Topics may include:

  • Time management 

  • Tips on talking to your adviser 

  • Living in Morgantown 

  • Finding faculty who have similar research interests 

  • Tips for succeeding and persisting in graduate school  

  • Campus resources and connections 

  • Perspectives on academic progress and expectations in graduate school including comprehensive exams, PhD candidacy, dissertation/thesis writing research, academic integrity, and others. 


Why is peer mentoring important? 

  • Promotes academic success and helps graduate students persist in graduate school. 
  • Provides an opportunity for mentees to build their mentoring and leadership skills to use in their future careers. 
  • Expands professional networks for mentors and mentees. 
  • Adds an important layer of support for graduate students.  
Peer mentoring is intended to be a resource for graduate students that supplements the graduate school experience. It does not replace faculty mentoring relationships. Peer mentors are not academic advisors or mental health counselors. 

Self-Care Tips

Graduate and professional school is taxing, intense and challenging. How do you take care of yourself? 

Self-care is more than just bubble baths and Netflix binges. 

Find meaningful ways to manage stress and burnout and meet your needs. Prioritize self-care, mindfulness and self-compassion. Get enough sleep. Move your body. Eat well. Participate in weekly wellness activities that help you reduce stress and relax.

You've got this!

Scan More Wellness Activities for Grad Students

Graduate Student Support Group

Thursdays, 3:30- 5 p.m. 

Join the Carruth Center’s graduate student support group and meet fellow grad students who seek a safe place to discuss common experiences of graduate school.

Call (304) 293-4431 or email megan.thomas4@mail.wvu.edu or  tndang@mail.wvu.edu to join the group.

WVUTalkspace

Virtual

Looking to talk to a licensed mental health therapist, anytime, anywhere, at no cost?

Simply answer a few questions and then you’ll be matched with a Talkspace licensed counselor. You’ll have access to two video sessions per month, and you can regularly send text, audio and video messages to your therapist. Talkspace is confidential and secure.

Get Started