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:
Let us help you reach your goals
| Presentation Topic | Presenter | Event Organizer | Date(s) | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mentoring Doctoral Students for Non-Academic Careers: Faculty and Staff Luncheon | Dr. Paula Chambers | PDI | 9 /17/18 | 12:00-1:30 pm |
| From Skills to Results: Re-Seeing Your Skills Through Non-Academic Eyes | Dr. Paula Chambers | PDI | 9/17/18 | 3:00-4:30 pm |
| Making the Leap: Key Factors That Get PhDs Hired into Non-Faculty Jobs | Dr. Paula Chambers | PDI | 9/17/18 | 5:30-7:00 pm |
| Data Literacy: Busting Myths of Big Data Part 1 | Dr. Nairanjana Dasgupta | PDI | 9/24/18 | 1:00-3:00 pm |
| Submitting Your Thesis and Dissertation | Daniel Vickoren and Kelly Caraher from the Graduate School, and WSU librarians Debra Spidal and Talea Anderson | PDI | 10/3/18 | 12:00-2:00 pm |
| Resume and Transferable Skills | Dr. Isaiah Hankel (The Cheeky Scientist) | PDI | 10/12/18 | 12:00-2:00 pm |
| Learning to thrive, not just survive: Developing resiliency in grad school- Vancouver Campus | Denise Yost, Director of CTLL | PDI | 10/15/18 | 10:00 am -12:00 pm |
| Learning to thrive, not just survive: Developing resiliency in grad school- Spokane Campus | Caitlin Bletscher, Clinical Assistant Professor | PDI | 10/22/18 | 10:00 am -12:00 pm |
| Networking and Building Your LinkedIn Presence (Spokane Campus) | Dr. Isaiah Hankel (The Cheeky Scientist) | PDI | 10/26/18 | 3:00-6:00 pm |
| Stress Relief and Mindfulness | Dr. Anne Cox and Eleanor Dizon | PDI | 11/1/18 | 2:00-4:00 pm |
| Writing workshop Series: Critical Reading Strategies | Lorena O'English and Elitza Kotzeva | PDI | 11/7/18 | 1:00-3:00 pm |
| Learning to thrive, not just survive: Developing resiliency in grad school- Tri-Cities Campus | Anna Whitehall, Clinical Assistant Professor | PDI | 11/9/18 | 10:00 am -12:00 pm |
| 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 |
Presenter Spotlight
Lorena O’English
Tenured Faculty, Holland/Terrell Libraries
Lorena came to librarianship after a stint working for the nonprofit election information organization Project Vote Smart, which made her value the importance of access to information. Oddly enough, she went into librarianship after being on a Foley Institute panel in 1996, and realizing what she really wanted to do! She has been a librarian at WSU since 2000 as a social sciences librarian, just recently adding government information to her portfolio. She very much values her partnership with the GPSA Professiona Development Initiative – working with graduate students in PDI workshops over the last three years has brought her professional and personal joy.
PDI Presentations:
- Writing Workshop Series
- Goal Setting and Project Management
- Critical Reading Strategies
- Reference Management Software
- Submitting Your Thesis and Dissertation
- Writers Block and Writing Strategies
- Literature Reviews