Graduate students respond positively to new ‘GRAD’ sweaters

Black knit sweaters with “GRAD” printed in orange, known as GRAD sweaters, were distributed last month to over 1,000 graduate students. The Graduate Student Government (GSG), in collaboration with the Graduate School, launched the GRAD sweater program in
February 2024 to parallel the undergraduate Declaration Day tradition, during which sophomores wear sweaters with the class year and take photos with banners of their declared major.

Rias Reed GS ’25 pioneered the GRAD sweater initiative independent of GSG, ordering a bulk amount of sweaters on his own. The graduate student body quickly took interest in his project, however, inspiring Reed to formalize the program with Christopher Catalano GS, vice president of GSG at the time.

“We thought, ‘Why don’t we take this to the Graduate School and work out a more formal source of support, to do an even larger bulk order to serve the graduate students?” Reed told the The Daily Princetonian in an interview.

He described how he saw a photo from the early 20th century of an undergraduate student wearing a class year sweater and was amazed at how longstanding the tradition has been.

“I think to be included in that, now as graduate students, is something really special, and something that I take a lot of pride in being a part of and in making that happen for other graduate students,” Reed said.

Catalano added, “One of the big themes that we wanted to focus on was to help graduate students feel a better sense of belonging on Princeton’s campus.”

“I think sometimes it can feel like, for graduate students, we’re a little bit more separate from the campus. We don’t really get as much attention from the University,” he said.

In fall 2024, the initiative received over 1,700 sign-ups in the first round and ended up giving away nearly 2,000 sweaters.

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“Putting on the sweater does make you feel more attached to the campus, more included as a student,” Reed said. “I’m super proud of how much popularity they’ve gained.”

Some graduate students have found the Graduate School to be a “tight-knit community.” “There is always some group chat with a fun group activity, whether it’s building a 10-foot snowman, karaoke, or Mario Smash Bros,” Derek Hoot GS wrote to the ‘Prince.’ He plans to buy a GRAD sweater before he graduates in May.

Catalano emphasized the importance of the sweaters to graduate students on campus.

“They are a symbol of our belonging on this campus, our inclusion in the campus life and campus traditions, and I think people are really proud to wear their GRAD sweaters,” Catalano said.

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“You just see them everywhere — on the walk to the bus, someone’s wearing a GRAD sweater,” Reed said. “I think it’s all just super special.”

Clara Docherty is the assistant News editor for the ‘Prince’ leading faculty, graduate students, and alumni coverage. She is from Lafayette, NJ, and can be reached at clara.docherty[at]princeton.edu.

Please send any corrections to corrections[at]dailyprincetonian.com.