The new center had its official celebratory opening on April 8 for use by graduate students
By SYDNEY AMESTOY — campus@theaggie.org
The brand new Graduate Center at Walker Hall had its grand opening ceremony on Friday, April 8 at 10 a.m. on the North Lawn in front of Walker Hall.
Chancellor Gary May, Dean of Graduate Studies Jean-Pierre Delplanque, President of the Graduate Student Association John Minnick and various campus planners provided opening remarks at the ceremony. A celebratory bell was rung to bring in a new era in graduate studies on campus and was followed by an official tour of the building.
The ceremony marked the official celebration of the new graduate center, although it has already been open to the public since fall quarter of this year.
“Due to COVID restrictions, we had to delay the grand opening ceremony to [April 8],” said Kyle Clayton, the Graduate Center manager.
The center aims to provide a place for interdisciplinary study for graduate students on campus within existing graduate groups, according to the Graduate Center website.
“At UC Davis, success is founded on interdisciplinary research,” said Jessica Falor-Ward, the development and external relations manager for graduate studies. “[The Graduate Center] provides space to gather and learn, specifically supporting those working towards an advanced degree.”
The center is home to the Office of Graduate Studies, the Office of the Graduate Student Association (GSA), the Postdoctoral Scholars Association (PSA) and many more facilities to support the unique needs of graduate students on campus.
“Some of our graduate students are parents, and we have the student-parent study lounge for those students to study and bring their children,” Falor-Ward said. “We also have a pantry for graduate students.”
The Graduate Center is located in the historic Walker Hall, which was built in 1928 and is one of the oldest buildings on campus. According to the Graduate Studies website, Walker Hall, originally the Agricultural Engineering Building, went through a seismic upgrade and numerous safety improvements to become the new Graduate Center.
“Since the building’s construction was state-funded, the money for naming rights from donors is going back into student fellowships rather than back into construction,” Clayton said.
The new center is open to students looking to study or use its various services from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. every Monday through Thursday and from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. every Friday.
“Anyone who is interested in Graduate Studies at UC Davis should come and check out the center, it is a beautiful building,” Falor-Ward said.
Written by: Sydney Amestoy — campus@theaggie.org
