Graduate Engineering Students,
Welcome to the start of Fall Quarter 2026! We hope your first week of class is going well and that you are adjusting to the new school year. This is the first edition of a weekly newsletter for our graduate engineering community to highlight important announcements, opportunities, resources, and events in the School of Engineering and the broader Santa Clara community that are available to you. Please see this week's information below, and reach out to us in Graduate Engineering Programs if you have any questions or need any support.
Happy First Week!
Graduate Engineering Programs
Records and Student Services Updates
Please be aware of some of the upcoming important dates and deadlines for the Fall 2026 Quarter:
- Friday, Sept. 25 (by 5:00 p.m.) - Last day to add or drop a course for a 100% refund minus fees
- Friday, Oct. 2 (by 5:00 p.m.) - Last day to drop courses for a 50% refund minus fees
- Friday, Oct. 9 (by 5:00 p.m.) - Last day to drop courses for a 25% refund minus fees
- Friday, Oct. 9 - Last day to petition for graduate degrees to be conferred in December (Fall 2026 Graduates)
- Dec. 7-11 - Fall Final Examinations
Please review the Academic Calendar, Engineering Graduate Bulletin, and our Student Resources Website for important dates, deadlines, processes, and program requirements.
Student Resource Spotlight
Introducing the Graduate Student Hub! The Grad Hub is a place dedicated solely to SCU graduate students across all six graduate schools, providing a communal space for informal gatherings, study sessions, meetings, and building community. The Grad Hub is located at 852 Market Street (across the street from Swig Residence Hall and the Benson Center), and is currently open for the fall. See below for the Hub amenities and register to gain access to your community space at SCU!
Career Center Connections 
Register in Handshake
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SJSU SpartHill Hacks 2026 —
AI for Sustainable Impact
This 2-day, on-campus event at SJSU will give students a meaningful opportunity to apply their skills, collaborate with peers, and develop creative solutions that support sustainability and positive community impact. This event is open to students from all majors.
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Turner Housing Venture Lab Graduate Fellows
Fellows develop expertise in one or more verticals within housing, including real estate development, finance and investment, and building industry innovation. They are expected to commit an average of 7-10 hours per week from mid-December 2026 through the end of May 2027 (there may be an opportunity to continue into the summer). Fellows are paid $37/hour and may be attending any university in the Bay Area. Applications can be submitted through this link and are due by Monday, October 5th at 5:00pm PT. |
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Help us name our Weekly Newsletter!
Have an idea for the name of our Graduate Engineering newsletter? Please submit any suggestions to gradengineer@scu.edu to enter our naming contest. The winning idea will be chosen by the Graduate Engineering Programs staff, and the winning student will win some School of Engineering swag! Please submit ideas by next Friday, October 2. |
Upcoming Student Events
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"Unlocking the Power of Individual Stories for Innovation"
12:00 p.m., Zoom
We are delighted to welcome our guest speaker, Dr. Eda Yildirim-Ayan, Professor of Bioengineering at the University of Toledo, Associate Chair, Undergraduate Program Director, Director of the Clinical Immersion Co-op Program, and Co-Founder and Chief Scientific Officer of Altered Gravity LLC. Drawing from her experiences as a faculty member, researcher, educational leader, and entrepreneur, Dr. Yildirim-Ayan will share how personal stories can help us find our voices, build meaningful connections, inspire innovation, and create value throughout our professional and personal journeys. Registration is required to receive the Zoom link. |
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Who Gets to Define a Good Life? AI, Inequality, and Human Agency in Indonesia"
Zoom, 3:30 p.m.
Join us for a Zoom talk with Dr. Ressa Uli Patrissia, sponsored by the Department of General Engineering and the Department of Sociology. This Zoom event is part of the Digital Sociology Speaker Series and is open to all SCU faculty, staff, students, & classes. See the event link for Zoom access information. |
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Fall Grad Mixer
St. Ignatius Lawn, 5-7 p.m.
The Office for Multicultural Learning (OML) invites all SCU graduate students to our Fall Grad Mixer on the St. Ignatius Lawn (behind Kenna Hall). Come connect with peers across all graduate programs while enjoying live music, hors d'oeuvres, and a cash bar! Please note: This event is strictly for current SCU graduate students. Both an SCU ID and government-issued proof of age are required for entry. |
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Multicultural & First Gen in STEM Dinner
CA Mission Room, 5-7 p.m.
The DISC (Diversity & Inclusion Student Center) would like to invite you to join us for our 6th Annual Multicultural & First Generation in STEM Dinner! You are your Ancestors' Wildest Dreams. We want to celebrate you, your accomplishments, and your colleagues. This celebration is an opportunity to meet and visit with other students, faculty, staff, and allies in the College of Arts and Sciences, the School of Engineering, the Leavey School of Business, and all across the SCU community. Please RSVP by September 30, 2026, to help with our food order. We look forward to seeing you!
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Market Street BBQ
Market Street, 11 AM-1 PM
Join us for an afternoon of lawn games, music, community, and great food (including vegetarian, vegan, and pescatarian options). Located on the Office for Multicultural Learning (OML) front lawn at 823 Market Street, next to the Graduate Student Hub. |
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Inspector Planet Beach Clean Up in Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz Main Beach, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.
The next Inspector Planet Beach Clean-Up will be in Santa Cruz, CA on October 11th, 2026, from 10 a.m.- 12 p.m. We will be cleaning up Santa Cruz Main Beach, next to and in front of the famous Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. The meeting location will be on the beach between the Wharf and the Santa Cruz Beach Volleyball Courts: 106 Beach St., Santa Cruz, CA 95060. |
Check us out on our social media channels using our handle SCUengineering:
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