Monday, October 27, 2025 was the deadline for graduate students—aiming to graduate in Fall 2025 and who are in a program that requires a thesis or dissertation (T/D) or choose that option—to submit the following to the SGS for T/D format review:

1. Thesis or Dissertation (T/D) draft as an attachment via email directly to Program Manager Sarah Beach and/or the general SGS email account
2. Preliminary Approval online Kuali form available at the GradProRoo website
3.  MOspace license agreement online Kuali form via the GradProRoo website

Please email Sarah Beach for more information. Students who missed the deadline should discuss their degree completion timeline with their supervisory committee chair.

Upcoming T/D Deadlines for Graduate Students and Their Committees:

1. Deadline for completing T/D defenses: Friday, December 19, 2025
2. Deadline to submit final T/D to SGS for final format review and committees submit T/D forms to SGS: Tuesday, December 23, 2025
   1. Preference is for students to submit final T/D within 2-3 weeks after defense or by December 23, 2025—whichever comes first
3. UMKC is closed for Winter Break December 25, 2025 to January 1, 2026

Please see the webpages Theses and Dissertations and Submitting your Thesis or Dissertation for Review for more information, including formatting guidance resources and deadlines.

On February 27, 2026, the School of Graduate Studies and Graduate Student Council will host a joint Community of Scholars and Three-Minute Thesis (3MT) event in the Student Union.

The 3MT competition, as well as the call for abstracts for the Community of Scholars presentations, is open to ALL Master’s and Doctoral students at UMKC. Certificate students and Postdoctoral Fellows are also encouraged to present at Community of Scholars but are ineligible for the 3MT competition. Details are below for both sections of this event.

Three-Minute Thesis:

Interested students should sign up online before November 24, 2025.

This is an opportunity to present your Master’s or Doctoral work orally in three minutes, with ONE fixed PowerPoint slide as an aid. The skills learned through such presentations are numerous, including how to describe your project effectively to non-experts, how to present your research succinctly in a job interview or other professional setting, and how to focus your project in terms of goals and outcomes. Constructive feedback will be provided by the judges after the event.

Monetary prizes will be awarded after the competition date for applicable winners.  

Practice sessions will be held in early January, and PowerPoint slides will be due prior to that date, with final slides due in early February prior to the full event. Further details about the schedule, the formatting of slides, and the rules of the competitions will be sent in late November to those who have signed up.

 The winner (Final Round First Place) will be funded to participate in the regional MAGS 3MT competition in Kansas City on March 27, 2026: https://mags-net.org/three-minute-thesis-award/

 Please consider participating in this excellent opportunity to present your research, to network with a community of Graduate Student researchers, and to get feedback on your project.

Community of Scholars:

This opportunity to present your research is open to all departments, all graduate students and postdoctoral fellows.

Please submit an abstract online before November 24, 2025 for a Podium Presentation, Poster Presentation, or both!

Graduate Student Council will review all submissions, notify students of their acceptance in late November or early December, then communicate regarding the deadlines for poster printing and PowerPoint submissions prior to the February 27th event.

• For Podium Presentations:
  • Please prepare a 20-minute presentation on your topic, to be followed by 5 minutes of questions from the audience.
  • The abstract submission requires presenter information, presentation title, 500-2000 words of an abstract or description of the presentation, and applicable keywords.
• For Poster Presentations:
  • Please prepare a poster displaying your scholarly work, and be ready to discuss your findings with fellow graduate students and faculty during a 90-minute poster session.
  • The abstract submission requires presenter information, presentation title, 500-2000 words of an abstract or description of the work, and applicable keywords. 

We look forward to supporting your research through these important opportunities to communicate your work.

The 3-Minute Thesis (3MT) Competition is coming this early spring! To help you prepare, the Graduate Student Council invites you to a 3MT Workshop on November 19th, 12-1 PM in Student Union Room 413. Learn the competition guidelines and how to turn your research into a clear, engaging three-minute presentation. The winner of UMKC’s 3MT will advance to the Midwestern regional competition.

International Education Week is coming up! There will be lots of free food, games, and time to connect!

Monday, November 17

• ISAO Coaster Painting, Student Union 402 at 2:00-3:30 PM

Tuesday, November 18

• ISAO International Trivia, Starbucks Stage at 3:30-5:00 PM

Wednesday, November 19

• Study Abroad Fair, Student Union 401 BC, 402 at 11:00-2:00 PM
• International Roos Council Dance Across the World, Student Union 401 BC at 5:30-7:00 PM
• Vietnamese Student Association Cultural Game Night, 6:00-9:00PM at Miller Nichols Learning Center 452.

Thursday, November 20

• ISAO Global Game Day, Haag Hall 105 at 12:00-2:00 PM
• National Competitive Awards Tyler Center Research Presentation, Miller Nichols Library 421 at 3:00-4:00 PM

Friday, November 21

• Pie Tasting & Hot Beverages from Around the World, Student Union 302 at 2:30-4:30 PM
• UMKC MESA Multicultural Night ‘25, Student Union 401 at 6:00-9:00 PM

Register on Roo Groups!

Are you preparing to go on the job market? Are you already on the market and seeking to improve your CV or resume? Do you need to adapt your CV or resume to different opportunities for which you are applying?

Join Professor Candace Schlein, Director of the Graduate Certificate in College Teaching and Career Preparation, Associate Teaching Professor David Jarrett from the Bloch School of Management, and your fellow graduate students and postdocs on Monday, December 1, 2025, at 5:00 p.m. for a virtual professional development session sponsored by the School of Graduate Studies entitled Your CV Story and the Job Search.

Email umkcsgs@umkc.edu for the invitation to this session.

The Japan Society for the Promotion of Science has opened its applications for the summer of 2026. This program offers pre- and post-doctoral researchers from the US, Canada and Europe the opportunity to spend two months of your summer conducting research at a Japanese university or research institution under the guidance of a host researcher.

For more information, visit the application listing here, and reach out to Dr. ZhiQuiang Chen.

Application deadline is December 3, 2025

Call for Papers/Exhibition items
Environmental and Economic Challenges in Global Asia.

The KU Graduate Student Asian Studies Research Exhibition
University of Kansas, Graduate Scholars in East Asian Studies
In affiliation with the University of Kansas, Center for East Asian Studies

Symposium Date: April 4, 2026
Symposium Location: Watson Library, Three West Reading Room.
Symposium Time: TBD
Format: In-person
Abstract Submission Date: January 16, 2026

The University of Kansas Graduate Scholars in East Asian Studies (GSEAS) cordially invites submissions from graduate students and upper-level undergraduates to the Asian Studies Research Exhibition, “Environmental and Economic Stability in Global Asia.” This spring symposium is a 2-day event (April 3 – 4, 2025) on the theme of “Environmental and Economic Stability in Global Asia” as part of the Center’s Title VI-funded programming. The first day of the symposium is organized around faculty panels, and the second day of the symposium is dedicated to the graduate student research exhibition.
In the last century, climate change and the global economy have become major concerns around the world, and especially in Asia. From combating the increase in natural disasters to trade relationships, the combined challenges of the climate crisis and economic instability require regionally informed strategies. This Exhibition will showcase how the responses across Asia to global (environmental?) changes, resource scarcity, energy demands, and market fluctuations have impacted not only communities and cultures but Global Asia as a whole. By examining the research conducted by Graduate Students, this Exhibition hopes to display the ways in which Asia has contributed to shaping a more secure and balanced future for both the environment and global economy.
We welcome any currently enrolled and recently graduated/upper-level undergraduate students to present their research and/or works of art at our Exhibition. There will be two sessions during the day. One where participants will present their posters, works of art, models, etc., to attendees as they ask questions about their projects and their relation to the theme. The other will be paper presentations. Submissions should offer original research related to the themes of environmental and economic stability throughout Asia, defined openly, throughout any time period, and from any discipline.
Presentation topics could include, but are not limited to:
● Inquiries on the concept of “Asia,” “Global Asia,” ecology, and economy,
● Response to environmental crises, climate change, and/or their history
● Trade industries and infrastructures
● Ecocriticism in literature, art, history, architecture, etc.
● Asia and the global economy.
● Trade routes (contemporary and historic)
Abstract Submission: Please fill out this form with your abstract of your paper/project (250-300 words), along with a short bio (100-200 words) of yourself (please indicate what type of piece) by the submission date. In your abstract, please briefly describe your research and its connection to our symposium topic, and indicate the type of project you will be submitting (e.g., research poster, painting, photographic series, Architectural model, etc.). Please include “Graduate Symposium” in your email title.
Direct all questions to gseas@ku.edu.

Please join us for a virtual information session regarding the Fulbright Scholarship program. Eligibility is limited to U.S. citizens. Please see their website for more details, and email umksgs@umkc.edu for an invitation to this online information session.

This information session will include:

• A program overview presented by Misty Vaughn, Manager of Nationally Competitive Awards, UMKC Career Services
• Introduction of the faculty panel
• Prompt questions from Dean Getz to the faculty panel
• Questions from the audience members

GWI Second Saturdays Writing Retreat on December 13, 2025

Register for a day of relaxed productivity with available writing support, catered lunch, and writing-centered giveaways in celebration of all your hard work in 2025!

• Register at tinyurl.com/RetreatDec2025 for the December 13 Writing Retreat, held 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. CT in the Miller Nichols Learning Center room 451 in the morning and the Miller Nichols Library 4th floor Theater space for lunch and the afternoon, as well as online all day for virtual participants via RooLearning+.
• The retreat will consist of a morning and an afternoon session featuring brief goal-setting exercises followed by blocks of dedicated writing time, with a break for lunch at noon. Catered lunch provided for in-person attendees!

The Second Saturday Writing Retreats are free, one-day events for graduate students to work on their own writing projects with expert tips and techniques, graduate writing consultants, and optional lunch for in-person attendees all provided by the GWI. Attendees are welcome to bring food and beverage into the retreat. Coffee and hot tea beverage service also included. 

Find out more about the GWI, Second Saturdays Writing Retreats, and our other services and resources for graduate students here!

Questions can be directed to Graduate Writing Specialist Dr. Annie Lowe at Annie.Lowe@umkc.edu. 

GWI contact: Graduate Writing Specialist Dr. Annie Lowe,  Annie.Lowe@umkc.edu.

We've (re)launched the GWI's weekly virtual writing groups! 

• The Monday accountability group meets weekly from 6-7 pm, hosted by GWI GTA Angel Williams via RooLearning+. Meet with other graduate students to set goals together, discuss the process of writing, and hold each other accountable for meeting goals. Join when you are able (consistent attendance not required).

• The Wednesday working group meets weekly from 6-8 pm, hosted by GWI GTA Sarah Feldmann via RooLearning+. Meet with other graduate students to write together for two hours. This is a way to carve out writing time along with your fellow graduate writers. Join when you are able (consistent attendance not required).

Accessing GWI Writing Group sessions

How to Sign up for a GWI Writing Group session in advance:

• Log into RooLearning+ with your SSO credentials.
• Double check that “Writing Studio” is selected in the Support Centers list in the bottom left corner of the calendar display.
• Click on the tile for the GWI Writing Group session that you would like to attend to open the session information panel.
• Click the “Subscribe” button in the session information panel that appears on the right side of the calendar display. 

How to Join a GWI Writing Group session anytime throughout the duration of the session:

• Log into RooLearning+ with your SSO credentials on the scheduled day and time of the session.
• Click on the tile for the GWI Writing Group session to open the session information panel on the right side of the calendar display.
• Click the “Join the session” button in the session information panel.
• Confirm your device’s microphone and video permissions for the virtual session and click “Join.”

 GWI for the Academic and Academic-Aligned Job Market: New Module! 

The academic and academic-aligned job market season is in full swing, as is graduate and post-doc application season. To support your academic and professional goals at and beyond UMKC, the GWI has added a new Academic and Academic-Aligned Job MarketCanvas module.

We will continue adding resources to this and other GWI modules for application documents, Writing Teaching Philosophies and Writing Personal Statements. Send your suggestions for the application documents you would like to see resources for and/or share resources you found helpful via email to Annie at Annie.Lowe@umkc.edu!

As always, you can book an individual consultation for your application documents with a GWI team member (Annie, Angel, and Sarah) on RooLearning+!

UMKC Central can help students tackle financial and enrollment barriers!  As the one stop service center on campus, the team at UMKC Central can help with questions and concerns related to financial aid, scholarships, billing, enrollment, and records.

The office is located on the 1^st floor of the Administrative Center, room 120, and does accept walk-ins.  Students can schedule an in-person or virtual appointment through the UMKC Central Service Page in UMKC Connect.

Students are also welcome to call 816-235-6000 or email umkccentral@umkc.edu.

Office hours are Monday – Friday, 8:00am – 4:30pm, except Wednesday, 9:00am – 4:30pm.

Looking for assistance with your resume or job search? Career Services is here to help! Visit umkc.joinhandshake.com to schedule your appointment.

You have access to many campus resources, such as the CARE team, Campus Recreation, Financial Aid, Career Services, University Libraries, and more. More information is available online.