Past Events

THE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE PRESENTS:   Tax Help for Graduate and Professional Students   Dr. Richard Toolson, Professor of Accounting  This workshop will look at the basics of federal income taxation as it applies to graduate and professional students who file a 1040 (not a 1040 NR) and who are not claimed by a parent on the parent’s tax return. Some of the topics to be covered are the tax treatment of revenue sources such as grants, student loans, scholarships,…

THE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE PRESENTS:   A Skill Worth Developing: Making Your Point in 30 Seconds Dr. Mary Sánchez Lanier, Assistant Vice Provost   We’ve all had this experience: We think we’re concisely explaining our research (or professional accomplishments, or teaching experiences, etc.) but then find listeners staring back glassy-eyed or starting to fidget, ready, it seems, to change the subject as quickly as possible. Being in that situation is uncomfortable and frustrating, plus you never get your message across. We’re…

THE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE PRESENTS: Understanding Civil Rights Compliance in the Workplace and in Academia   Daniel Records, Office of Civil Rights Compliance and Investigation   The training will focus on anti-discrimination regulations and will also include a practical discussion on the impact of Title IX, discrimination complaint procedures, and diversity recruitment efforts. The Office of Civil Rights Compliance & Investigation will provide an introduction to various federal civil rights regulations that impact faculty, staff, and students at universities. This…

THE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE PRESENTS:   Green Dot Training: Reducing Gender-Based Violence Taylor Ellsworth, Health Education Coordinator, Cougar Health Services What is Green Dot? Green Dot is a violence prevention program that focuses on making our campus safer by empowering bystanders, like you, to become active members in reducing gender-based violence (intimate partner violence, stalking, and sexual assault). Green Dot will equip you with tools and strategies for taking action to help someone at risk of experiencing gender-based violence. During…

The Professional Development Initiative and University Recreation present: STRESS RELIEF AND MINDFULNESS WORKSHOP   Presentation by: Dr. Cecilia Richards Professor School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering & UREC Group Fitness Instructor   Graduate school can be stressful, competitive, and extremely demanding. Graduate students experience high rates of burnout and mental health problems from unrelenting workloads and pressure. It takes time and practice to learn to slow down, do less, and take care of yourself. Learn the basics of mindfulness and meditation training…

THE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE PRESENTS:   From Class Projects to Programs: Developing and Using Assessments to Measure Student Progress Dr. Donelle Posey, Clinical Associate Professor, Department of Psychology   In this workshop, participants will discover the purpose and types of assessments and rubrics, how to develop rubrics to assess student learning, and how to use these as feedback to students and instructors. We will discuss how assessment can be used in the classroom and beyond. Participants are encouraged to bring…

THE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE PRESENTS: WRITING LOCK-IN I   Are you writing your dissertation, thesis, a journal article, or other writing project? This event offers a quiet space for writers to work without distractions. Consultants from the Graduate Writing Center will be on hand to help with goal setting, accountability, writing habits, grammar, and structure in writing. Bring your laptop!   Coffee, tea, and water will be available while you write. Lunch will be provided from 12:00 - 1:00 pm.…

THE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE PRESENTS:   WORKSHOP AND PANEL DISCUSSION: THE ACADEMIC JOB APPLICATION Dr. Zach Heiden, Department of Chemistry   With recent government budget cuts throughout the United States and limited funds going to higher education, the availability of faculty positions have been few and far between. When a faculty position does open up, competition is high. Although many applicants are qualified, many applicants do not succeed in their search for a faculty position because they are simply not…