More than 200 graduate students gathered at the Alumni Center Thursday evening for the first welcome reception sponsored by the Graduate and Professional Student Senate and the Graduate College.

This orientation gives them an opportunity to network with graduate students and faculty and receive information about services offered at Iowa State.

Peter Huffman, GPSS university relations and legislative affairs chairman,  called the event a “huge success.” Attendance was more than double than expected at about 240 students.

“I am very surprised and excited that it went … too well,” said Anna Prisacari, GPSS president. “I was excited how many university administration staff showed up, and it shows they do care about new graduate students. Graduate students stayed until the end, so it means that it was something important for them to hear tonight.”

In the past, there was an orientation that was a walk through display of information at the graduate college office. It was not publicly announced or well attended so students were not getting the information they needed, said Brian Tlach, vice president of GPSS.

The Graduate College and GPSS decided to find a more effective way to inform graduate students of services provided at Iowa State.

“I know it’s a lot of information, but it’s all stuff that took me five years to figure out,” Tlach said. “They got it in 70 minutes or so.”

Speakers began the orientation extending their welcome and offering advice to the graduate students. A majority of them are first year ISU students and have been in Ames for less than a month.

Opening the event was Bill Graves, associate dean of the Graduate College. Jonathan Wicker, senior vice president and provost, offered his welcome followed by David Holger, associate provost and dean of the Graduate College; Tom Hill, senior vice for President for Student Affairs; and Prisacari.

“I’m delighted to add my welcome, and I’m delighted especially that you’ve chosen Iowa State graduate college to continue your education,” Holger said.

Other speakers gave their advice and information including representatives from ISU Police, Parks Library, Thielen Student Health Center, University Human Resources, Dean of Students Office, the Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching, and GPSS. The floor was then opened for a question-and-answer session.

This is one of the largest classes of graduate students at an expected enrollment number of about 5,000, Holger said, but it is not only the enrollment numbers that have grown.

“I think you’re arriving at Iowa State University at a very exciting time here,” Wickert said. “This is a time when our campus, our research enterprise and our graduate programs are really growing,”

Overall, GPSS is expecting to get a positive reaction from students, Tlach said.

“It is a very good event. It helps a lot to basically introduce us to Iowa State University,” said Iman Hasan, graduate student in political science, who attended the reception. “But, I think it could have been more elaborated.”

Graduate students were asked to fill out a sheet to rate the event and give suggestions. 

Prisacari said next year’s orientation will be based on student feedback.

The events for graduate orientation will conclude Friday evening with the GPSS Fall Social at Brookside Park.