Grad Career Week to Help Graduate Students Prepare for What’s Next

Grad Career Week to Help Graduate Students Prepare for What's Next

Practical workshops will help graduate students build career skills, communicate their experience an

By Kaitlyn Sharo Email KaitlynEmail Kaitlyn

3 minute read October 6, 2026 Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on LinkedIn Share on Reddit Print Story Like

For graduate students, preparing for a career can mean more than polishing a resume or practicing interview questions. It can mean learning how to communicate years of research to a broader audience, translate teaching experience into skills employers recognize or build the confidence to make professional connections.

The University of Cincinnati Graduate College will bring these topics and more together during Grad Career Week, October 12-16, 2026. The week-long professional development series is designed for graduate students at every stage of their education and will offer opportunities to build career skills, connect with faculty and staff across the university and gain practical tools to support their next career step. With both in-person and online sessions, the week is open to graduate students across UC, including those completing their degrees online.

"Graduate education gives students the opportunity to develop expertise while also building the skills they need to contribute beyond the university. We want our students to see the full value of their graduate experience and feel prepared to apply what they have learned in whatever career path they choose. Supporting students as they connect their graduate education to their professional goals is an important part of preparing them to be leaders in their field."

Ryan White, interim dean of the Graduate College

Throughout the week, students can participate in workshops focused on navigating the job search and communicating the value of their graduate experience. Sessions will address topics ranging from resumes and interviews to networking, career planning, research communication and well-being during the job search.

"Graduate students develop valuable skills through their research, teaching, assistantships and other experiences, but it can be challenging to recognize how those skills translate into different career settings. Grad Career Week gives students the opportunity to identify those skills, practice communicating them and explore how they can use their graduate experiences to move toward their next career goal."

Brandilyn Pham, program manager with the Graduate College and event organizer

Sessions throughout the week will help students strengthen the skills they bring to the workplace. "Communicating Your Research to Broad Audiences" will help students practice explaining their work to audiences outside their disciplines, while "Transferring Teaching Experience and Skills Across Wider Audiences" will focus on translating teaching experience into language that can resonate with employers and other professional audiences.

Students preparing to enter the job market can also build practical job-search skills through sessions such as "From Campus to Career: Interview Prep and Practice Workshop," "Converting CVs to Resumes" and "The Art of Following Up: What to Do (and Avoid) After Meeting an Employer." Additional sessions will focus on networking and developing a personalized career plan.

By bringing together career development, professional skills and opportunities to connect graduate experiences with future careers, Grad Career Week reflects the Graduate College's commitment to helping students succeed during graduate school and beyond. The series also creates opportunities for students to learn from career professionals and faculty and staff across the university, regardless of how or where they complete their graduate education.

In-person sessions will include refreshments, and attendees will be entered to win UC Graduate College branded swag.

Grad Career Week takes place October 12-16, 2026. Graduate students can explore the full schedule and register for individual sessions through the Graduate College website.

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