New Graduate Student Orientation
New Graduate Student Orientation welcomes you to campus and the larger College of Liberal Arts & Sciences community. You'll learn more about the academic, personal, professional, social and cultural resources available to you at PSU.
All new graduate students are welcome and encouraged to attend New Graduate Student Orientation.
Your graduate program may host a separate orientation program; contact your department for more information.
Fall 2026 Orientation
When: Monday, Sept. 21 | 9-11 a.m.
Where: TBA
Who: Open to all; required for new graduate assistants and returning GAs who were not able to attend last year's event
Graduate Assistant Training
Graduate Assistant (GA) Training is designed to help you succeed in your role as graduate assistants and work toward creating inclusive learning and mentoring environments for undergraduate students.
This training is required for all newly appointed graduate assistants (as well as those who hold an appointment but were not able to attend last year's training). All graduate students are welcome to attend.
Lunch will be provided.
The diversity and pedagogy training consists of two sessions:
Living as and Supporting Diverse Graduate Students
In this session, we will discuss resources and strategies for graduate students entering a diverse university. All graduate students need support navigating the ins-and-outs of academia, though some are more likely than others to experience bias and discrimination along the way. This session aims to provide resources for all incoming graduate students, whether they are at increased risk for experiencing bias/discrimination, or whether they are well-positioned for reducing the amount of bias/discrimination faced by others.
When: Friday, Sept. 26 | 9-11 a.m.
Where: TBA
Facilitator: TBA
Inclusive Pedagogy Training
Separate concurrent sessions will be held, one for STEM disciplines and another for humanities and social sciences disciplines.
When: Friday, Sept. 26 | 3-4:30 p.m.
STEM Session
The training provides practical, evidence-based, inclusive teaching tips that can be used in any classroom.
Where: TBA
Facilitator: TBA
Humanities and Social Sciences Session
The training provides culturally responsive and inclusive teaching and grading tips.
Where: TBA
Facilitators: TBA
Questions
If you have questions about the New Graduate Student Orientation or GA Training, please contact Heejun Chang, Associate Dean of Research and Graduate Programs, at changh@pdx.edu, or our Graduate Assistant Program Administrator at clasgrad@pdx.edu.