In order to become productive scholars and land a job in their field, graduate students need to be able to present their research findings clearly, network with scholars at conferences, and answer questions effectively at academic job interviews.
Most of this knowledge is acquired outside of the classroom, through conversations with mentors, other students, and workshops offered on campus as part of the 360o Graduate Student Development Initiative.
So if you are new to Western you may have questions about what to expect from the graduate school experience’? Or perhaps you’re nearing the end of your degree and are preparing for an academic interview? Would you like to enhance your conference presentation skills?
Have you been asked to teach your own course? Are you new to the Canadian academic setting and want to develop skills to communicate effectively in a new culture? Definitely a lot of questions to answer.
Whatever your specific needs, programs of the 360° Graduate Student Development Initiative provide graduate students with knowledge and mentoring to complement their academic preparation and help them to succeed at each stage of the graduate journey – from coursework through comprehensive exams, thesis writing and publishing to the academic and non-academic job search after graduation.
With programming that includes the SGPS Orientation, TA Day, Graduate Career Day and the Grad Write program, the 360° initiative enables new scholars to disseminate their research effectively, teach skillfully and collaborate successfully.
These free workshops are offered year-round and registration is open graduate students and postdocs in any discipline.
All graduate students are encouraged to take advantage of these offerings by checking out grad.uwo.ca/360/ for updates and additional information.
The writers are both staff members in the Teaching Support Centre