Mission
The Graduate School Office of Well-Being (GROW) is a collaboration between the Graduate School and the division of Student Life & Engagement.
In support of the academic mission of MSU and in collaboration with campus partners, we work diligently to ensure that graduate and professional students are provided with meaningful opportunities to improve their overall well-being, helping them to thrive together while achieving their academic and professional goals.
Specifically, GROW improves graduate student success by:
- Helping students understand and value their well-being and that of their communities and developing attitudes and behaviors that support well-being.
- Facilitating meaningful connections to Michigan State University and strengthening a sense of community and belonging.
- Providing resources, workshops, and support for well-being.
- Preparing graduate and professional students for future leadership roles at MSU and beyond.
- Consulting with faculty, staff, and administrators about professional development, well-being, and student health concerns to identify opportunities for growth.
History
In 2007, the Graduate School at Michigan State University introduced the Graduate Wellness by Design initiative to systematically collaborate and investigate the various barriers that students encounter in pursuit of their advanced degrees.
Using a logic-based approach, a committee of key campus administrators assessed the current state of health and wellness at MSU, used institutional and national data to create programming specifics (structure, funding, and communications), implemented pilot programs, and evaluated and assessed their effectiveness. From that effort and vision, the office of Graduate Student Life & Wellness was born.
Since 2007, this office has evolved into a robust and comprehensive office that addresses the diverse well-being needs of the MSU graduate student population. Our programs, events and workshops are designed to help participants gain skills that will better prepare them to address challenges of graduate education that impact their well-being.
In 2023, the name of the office was changed to the Graduate School Office of Well-Being (GROW) to more accurately reflect its work and vision.