Graduate Student Site Visit

“BYU professor + hard working graduate student = several publications, a great job, and a satisfying life.”

According to the graduate student recruiting committee, this is the equation for a successful graduate school experience.

Prospective graduate students and their spouses visited BYU this past weekend, March 3-4, for the annual graduate student site visit. 

Friday’s activities included meetings with individual professors and area chairs, a video about the history of BYU, and a Q and A session on graduate life.

Students were then treated to a delicious meal in the Hinckley Center, catered by Costa Vida.  Alex Velluto, a comedian, provided entertainment during the meal.  “It was a nice change to have the comedians come,” said Dr. Barry Willardson after their riotous routines.

A poster session and a raffle followed dinner.  Students were able to learn about different aspects of the research at BYU and win prizes at the same time. The evening concluded with a fun trip to Getout Games in Provo, an escape room.

Saturday’s activities began with the Student Research Conference, followed by lunch with current graduate students. Prospective students were given the opportunity to ask their peers about different programs and research labs.  

The best was yet to come, however.  Faculty and guests took a trip to Provo Beach Resort to play on the Flowrider, an indoor wave machine.  Faculty members got in on the fun, testing their surfing skills with the new students.  The final stop was Spring Haven Lodge in Hobble Creek Canyon for a delicious dinner.

Janet Fonoimoana, the assistant graduate coordinator, was very pleased with the event. “We believe it accomplished the goal of introducing our programs to quality prospective students,” she said, “and also gave us an opportunity to get to know some of the applicants better.”

Photographer: Taelin Wilford