World Kindness Week
World Kindness Week encourages graduate students to make kindness part of their everyday lives and recognize the positive impact small acts of compassion, generosity and support can have on the University of Cincinnati community.
About World Kindness Week
World Kindness Day is celebrated around the world each year on November 13. The day was first celebrated in 1997, when several humanitarian groups came together to make a Declaration of Kindness. World Kindness Day has since evolved into World Kindness Week, encouraging people to make kindness part of their everyday lives.
Kindness can be shared through small gestures, such as holding a door open for someone, sending a kind message to brighten someone’s day or mentoring a student in another cohort. It can also take the form of larger community acts, such as volunteering or supporting those in need.
Graduate Student Kindness Champions
As part of World Kindness Week, the Graduate College recognizes graduate students who have gone out of their way to spread kindness and compassion throughout the UC community.
Graduate faculty and staff are invited to nominate graduate students who demonstrate meaningful acts of kindness, compassion, generosity or support for others.
2026 World Kindness Week
World Kindness Week will take place November 8–14, 2026.
World Kindness Week Pop-Up Events
Celebrate World Kindness Week with the Graduate College! Stop by one of our pop-up events to grab a kindness bar, snacks and UC swag while celebrating the kindness and community that make our graduate community special.
Tuesday, November 10, 10–11:30 a.m., TUC Plaza
Thursday, November 12, 10–11:30 a.m., CARE/Crawley Atrium, Medical Campus
Registration links coming soon.
Nominate a Graduate Student
Nominations for the 2026 Graduate Student Kindness Champions will open October 1, 2026, and are due October 30, 2026.
Graduate faculty and staff can submit nominations through Bearcats Landing.
The 2026 Kindness Champions will be announced November 13, 2026, in celebration of World Kindness Day.
Kindness Toolkit
Looking for ways to practice kindness or encourage others to do the same? The Graduate College’s Kindness Toolkit offers resources, tips and ideas to help graduate students make kindness part of their everyday lives.
Even a small act of kindness can make a meaningful impact on someone else. Together, we can help create a more supportive and compassionate graduate community.