The Professional Development Initiative

The Professional Development Initiative (PDI) is organized by the Graduate School and the Graduate and Professional Student Association (GPSA), and has received support through many partnerships and colleges across campus. This initiative provides a range of programs, training opportunities, and resources to graduate and professional students that will help prepare them for academic and career success. The goal of PDI  is to ensure that all graduate and professional students have the skills, knowledge, and mindsets necessary to succeed both professionally and academically.

Through this initiative, we have developed a series of core competencies that are intended to guide students through their programs and help them transition into their future role in academia or industry.  The following core competencies are inclusive of masters and doctoral students across disciplines and applicable to a wide range of professional settings:

Academic Development

Research/scholarship; Effective teaching strategies; Critical thinking and problem solving; Transferable skills; Academic job strategy

Career Development

Critical thinking and problem solving, Resumes and Transferable skills, Professional competitiveness, Career strategy, Interviewing and Negotiating

Communication and Collaboration

Effective communication; Mentoring relationships; Interpersonal understanding; Team-building; Networking; Conflict management

Leadership and Professionalism

Goal and milestone planning; Professional ethics; Leadership styles; Problem solving strategies and solutions; Evaluation and feedback; Applicable presentation skills

Personal Well-being

Financial planning; Mindfulness and mental health; Relationship management; Physical wellbeing

PDI Events

Please click on the following link for a full list of PDI events:

PDI Events Calendar

Let us help you reach your goals

 

Presentation Topic	Presenter	Event Organizer	Date(s)	Time
Writing Lock In	Writing Program/ PD Committee	PDI	11/14/18	1:00-4:00 pm
Work and Wellness Discussion Series: How We Work	Author Leah Weiss and AFW faculty presenter	PDI and AFW	11/30/18	12:00-1:00 pm
Tax Help for Graduate and Professional Students	Dr. Richard Toolson	PDI	1/24/19	4:00-6:00 pm
Interviewing and Negotiating for Industry Careers	Dr. Isaiah Hankel (The Cheeky Scientist)	PDI	2/1/19	12:00-2:00 pm
Hacking the Academic Job Market	Dr. Karen Kelsky (The Professor is In)	PDI	2/7/19	12:00-3:00 pm
Sexual Harassment in the Academy	Dr. Karen Kelsky (The Professor is In)	PDI	2/8/19	9:00-11:00 am
Human Subject Research and Institutional Review Board Workshop	IRB Office	PDI	2/11/19	10:00 am-12:00 pm
Writing Workshop Series: Literature Reviews	Lorena O'English	PDI	2/13/19	1:00-3:00 pm
Data Literacy: Busting Myths of Big Data Part 2	Dr. Nairanjana Dasgupta	PDI	2/19/19	1:00-3:00 pm
Submitting Your Thesis and Dissertation	Daniel Vickoren, Programs and Graduations Supervisor, and WSU librarians Debra Spidal and Talea Anderson	PDI	2/27/19	12:00-2:00 pm
Stress Relief and Mindfulness	Dr. Cecilia Richards, Professor School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering	PDI	3/6/19	TBA
Work and Wellness Discussion Series: Braving the Wilderness	AFW faculty presenter	PDI and AFW	3/19/19	12:00-1:00 pm
How a University Works	Provost Dan Bernardo	PDI	3/20/19	1:00-3:00 pm
Writing Workshop Series: Writer's Block and Writing Strategies	Elitza Kotzeva	PDI	3/25/19	1:00-3:00 pm
Writing Lock In	Writing Program/ PD Committee	PDI	3/27/19	1:00-4:00 pm
Panel Discussion: Balance of Work, Life, and Family	Dr. Carmen R. Lugo–Lugo, Dr. Mary K. Bloodsworth-Lugo, Dr. Joanna Kelley, and Dr. Omar Cornejo	PDI	4/5/19	3:30-5:00 pm