The Little Engine that Could

In the Summer of 2023, the Graduate Coordinators Network’s (GCN) Executive Committee (EC) started the year with only half of their usual team of 10 members. Despite this setback, the professional staff organization, responsible for overseeing 70+ graduate coordinators in over 103 departments, as well as 12,000+ students and administrators at UT Austin, achieved remarkable success within a year. They launched initiatives like Empower Your Pitch! with the Texas Career Engagement Office, and coordinated the university's graduate school fair, addressing critical graduate student needs. In addition, through monthly meetings, they disseminated crucial information promoting employee growth and increased productivity within the units and collaboratively. The team’s determination and strategic focus enabled them to surpass expectations, showcasing how even small teams can significantly impact graduate student success through strategic campus collaborations. The network offers mentoring and coaching to incoming graduate coordinators; moreover, it provides crucial resources and support services, emphasizing the pivotal role of such networks which enhance institutional resources and foster student success. With only 50% of graduate students completing their degrees, the dispersion of these resources and support services contributes to student outcome success by addressing the barriers graduate students must overcome.