Back to School Events Bring Together UCSF Community


New students listen as raffle prize winners are announced at the 2011 Chancellor's Reception and New Student Fair.

September is a busy month at UCSF, as students arrive and get into the swing of life on campus.

From white coat ceremonies to orientation fairs, there are plenty of opportunities for new students to explore the various academic and social opportunities at the University. Faculty, staff and returning students also have a chance to settle into the new school year with events bringing the campus community together.

Here are the highlights kicking off the fall quarter:

  • Friday, Sept. 7: The first-ever Graduate Division Fall Celebration welcomes new and returning graduate students, postdocs, faculty and staff and will feature an address by newly appointed Dean Elizabeth Watkins. The gathering takes place in the Koret Quad on the Mission Bay campus and will include games, a raffle, a photo booth and a full barbecue dinner.
  • Tuesday, Sept. 11: The Faculty Development Day features a series of workshops to help faculty utilize social media for their research, boost their leadership and mentoring skills, and better navigate the grant funding process. All faculty are encouraged to attend the event, which includes a networking lunch with UCSF leaders and sessions on career advancement, promotions and negotiation tips. Faculty also can learn more about campus activities and sit in on a session about raising children in the Bay Area.
  • Saturday, Sept. 22: “Taste of San Francisco,” sponsored by Student Academic Affairs and the Associated Students of UCSF, is a chance for new students to meet in a fun, relaxed setting at Golden Gate Park. The picnic fare will showcase the City by the Bay, serving clam chowder in sourdough bowls, It’s It ice cream bars, Ghirardelli chocolates and local brand beverages. The Center for Innovation in Interprofessional Education also is giving away logo bags and offering an opportunity for students to meet their interprofessional group members for the first time. Attendees should RSVP for a map and directions to the exact location.
  • Monday, Sept. 24: Chancellor Susan Desmond-Hellmann welcomes incoming students with the Chancellor’s Reception and New Student Fair at the Millberry Union Gymnasium. This lively event features prize giveaways — including an iPad — as well as free food and beverages, while introducing students to the array of organizations, activities and services on campus. The event is invitation-only, which students will receive from their schools.
  • Tuesday, Sept. 25: Chancellor Desmond-Hellmann speaks to the campus community and discusses her vision for UCSF this year at the State of the University Address at Cole Hall on the Parnassus campus. The noontime speech also will be live-streamed and broadcast on televisions at other university locations.

Photo by Susan Merrell