Before the Class of 2022 prepares to take their final exams, West Virginia University invites all upcoming graduates to celebrate their accomplishments during GradFest, a week of in-person events taking place April 18-24. The variety of GradFest events will provide soon-to-be WVU graduates with the chance to commemorate their college experience.
Beginning Monday, April 18, Career Services and the WVU Alumni Association will kick off the week with Next Steps, an event taking place at the Erickson Alumni Center from 3-6 p.m. Students in attendance will receive a WVU Alumni branded padfolio, have the opportunity to take a professional headshot and can enter to win gift card prizes. At 4 p.m., Amy Pridemore, Director of the Center for Financial Literacy and Education, will discuss Financial Career Readiness and valuable resources as students approach life after graduation.
To end the evening, President Gee will host an in-person and live-streamed fireside chat at 6 p.m. with Marco Greenberg, author of "Primitive: Tapping the Primal Drive that Powers the World's Most Successful People." Each participant attending in-person will receive a free, signed copy of "Primitive."
Graduates can also stop by Appreciation Station and Alumni Truck Pop-ups located in various campus locations Monday through Friday (April 18-22), where they can write a letter of recognition or a thank you note to a mentor, professor, advisor, or fellow student. They'll also have the chance to reflect on their time at WVU with our Dream Big board and inspire the next generation of students by writing about their college experience.
On Thursday (April 21), graduates are encouraged to head to the Student Recreation Center from 4-7 p.m. for a fun-filled evening of events focusing on wellness. Students will also have the opportunity to decorate mortarboards, snap photos with friends in our photo booth, and even meet their deans before meeting again on the commencement stage in May.
Prior to the Gold-Blue Spring Football Game on Saturday (April 23), a Touchdown Tailgate will be held in the Erickson Alumni Center courtyard from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. for food, yard games, gifts for graduates, and more. Grads must present their student ID to receive their grad gift. On Sunday (April 24) GradFest celebrations will end with the Spring Ring Ceremony, held at 11:30 a.m. at the Erickson Alumni Center.
Lastly, the Center for Community Engagement will offer graduates various opportunities to complete service activities in Morgantown to help give back to the community they've called home throughout their college experience.
Additional information on GradFest events can be found at gradfest.wvu.edu.