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Sac State & CSU Grad Slam Competition
Get Ready for the 5th annual Sac State Grad Slam April 8, 2025!
What is Grad Slam?
Sacramento State is hosting a Grad Slam competition in Spring 2025. Grad Slam is an academic research communication competition that challenges graduate students to present a compelling speech about their research and its significance to non-academic persons in just three minutes using only one presentation image. The goal is to not only support our students but also to raise the profile of graduate education in the CSU system. The winner of the Sac State Grad Slam competition will go on to represent the campus at the CSU Grad Slam competition. Here's a video from 2023’s competition: https://youtu.be/5MYVr1Rg_08?si=mhL6DFv5QYxMjrcQ
This is for students who will still be enrolled in Spring 2025. Consider applying to this professional experience!
Eligibility: All active master's and doctoral students who are conducting independent research or projects, including independent research projects done for a graduate-level class, are eligible to participate in Grad Slam competitions at all levels. Entrants must be current graduate students at the time of the competition (i.e. enrolled in the Spring 2024 semester).
- Group projects or group research is not eligible for submission and/or presentation in Grad Slam competitions. All projects and/or research must be conducted independently by the student applicant.
- At this time, Fall 2024 graduates are not eligible to participate in Grad Slam 2025. However, we are awaiting clarification from the CSU regarding if Fall 2024 graduates will be permitted to participate in Grad Slam 2025. If Fall 2024 graduates are granted permission to participate in Grad Slam, we will announce that information as soon as possible.
- Additional Resources: need a place to hone your presentation? Check out these University Library practice spaces!
Prizes!
- 1st place: TBA
- 2nd place: TBA
- 3rd place: TBA
- Honorable Mention: TBA
Want more information? Register for a Virtual Information Session!
- Session 1: Tuesday, November 5, 2024 (12:00pm - 1:00pm)
- Session 2: Thursday, February 6, 2025 (5:00pm - 6:00pm)
All Information Sessions will be hosted virtually on Zoom. To register for a session, use this link: https://surveys.csus.edu/jfe/form/SV_2c9k5nzAs9FJ11I
Ready to Compete? Applications are open!
Apply here.
Mark Your Calendars! Important Grad Slam Dates:
Application Open:
October 21, 2024 open until February 14, 2025
Info sessions:
Tuesday, November 5, 2024 (12:00pm - 1:00pm)
Thursday, February 6, 2025 (5:00pm - 6:00pm)
Judging for 3 min videos:
February 17 - February 22, 2025
Finalists Announced:
February 28, 2025
Grad Slam:
April 8, 2025 (5:00pm – 7:00pm)
CSU Grad Slam:
May 2, 2025
Sac State Grad Slam 2025 Competition Planning Committee
| Members | College | |
|---|---|---|
| Bridget Parsh, Chair | College of Health & Human Services | parshb@csus.edu |
| Chevelle Newsome, Dean | Office of Graduate Studies | cnewsome@csus.edu |
| Angela Clark-Oates | College of Arts & Letters | clark-oates@csus.edu |
| Carmen Stitt | College of Arts & Letters | stitt@csus.edu |
| Pooria Assadi | College of Business | pooria.assadi@csus.edu |
| Yanira Madrigal-Garcia | College of Education | y.madrigal-garcia@csus.edu |
| Alessandra McMorris | College of Continuing Education | mcmorrisa@csus.edu |
| TBD | College of Engineering & Computer Science | |
| Farshid Zabihian | College of Engineering & Computer Science | farshid.zabihian@csus.edu |
| Yvette Farmer | College of Health & Human Services | drfarmer@csus.edu |
| Carel Mountain | College of Health & Human Services | carel.mountain@csus.edu |
| Rachel Hill | College of Health & Human Services | r.hill@csus.edu |
| Scott Thompson | College of Health & Human Services | irwin.thompson@csus.edu |
| Stephanie Landers | College of Health & Human Services | landers@csus.edu |
| Laura Cravens-Ray | College of Health & Human Services | l.cravens-ray@csus.edu |
| Meghann Costa | School of Nursing | meghann.marcin@csus.edu |
| Matt Krauel | College of Natural Sciences & Mathematics | krauel@csus.edu |
| Mical Shilts | College of Social Sciences & Interdisciplinary Studies | shiltsm@csus.edu |
| TBD | College of Social Sciences & Interdisciplinary Studies | |
| Melissa Cardenas Dow | University Library | cardenas-dow@csus.edu |
| Emily Merrifield | University Library | emily.merrifield@csus.edu |
| Staff: TBD |
5th Annual CSU Grad Slam Competition hosted by CSU San Bernardino
4th Annual CSU Grad Slam Competition hosted by CSU Long Beach
https://www.csulb.edu/graduate-studies/csu-grad-slam
3rd Annual CSU Grad Slam hosted by San Diego State University
https://grad.sdsu.edu/csu-grad-slam
Sac State Grad Slam 2024 Competition
Congratulations to our top three 2024 presenters!
- First Place: Stevie Capps (MA in Biological Anthropology)
- Second Place: Niki Kangas (MA in Gender Equity Studies)
- Third Place: Deborah Ferguson-Doss (MA in Childhood & Adolescent Development)
Missed Sac State Grad Slam 2024? Watch the event recording!
Click here to watch Sac State Grad Slam 2024 held on Tuesday, March 26, 2024