Professional Development Winter Warm-Up

A curated calendar of skill development and wellness activities for January 2025

Calendar-style view of the Professional Development Winter Warm-Up Activities. Text content of the calendar is available after brief text following this image.

Download a PDF of the Professional Development Winter Warm-Up Calendar.

Jump to: Week 1  |  Week 2  |  Week 3  |  Week 4  |  Week 5

Week 1

Wednesday, January 1: Happy New Year!

Thursday, January 2: Take a self-assessment in DiscoverPD

Friday, January 3: Watch Networking: The What. The Why. The How.

Week 3

Winter Welcome Back Week

  • Monday, January 13: Funding Forward into Spring: Equipping and Empowering Graduate Students to Apply for Funding
    Join us at this online event for students in research-based doctoral programs where you’ll discover why external fellowships are useful funding opportunities. You’ll gain a basic understanding of predoctoral fellowships, as well as how to seek out additional opportunities relevant to your disciplines and research goals. Leave feeling equipped to pursue fellowship opportunities with confidence. (Note that some of the fellowships require students to be U.S. citizens or permanent residents.)
  • Tuesday, January 14: Cocoa and BuJo (Bullet Journaling)
    Have a project you are working on? Wondering how to keep track of your personal goals and tasks for the new year? Bullet journaling is an effective and creative way to organize numerous aspects of your life. Come sip hot cocoa, pick up a free notebook, and tap into your creative side as you decorate and begin building your bullet journal with our crafting supplies, including stickers, markers, gel pens, and more at this special community-building event for all master’s and PhD students. Stay for as little or as long as you’d like. This is a self-directed experience but examples will be available for students seeking guidance or inspiration. Journals and other supplies provided while supplies last.
  • Wednesday, January 15: Navigating Mentorship and Lunch
    This interactive workshop for graduate students offers tools to develop a strong network of academic mentors. Enjoy lunch and learn about mentorship: What are mentors and why are they important? How do I know what I need from mentorship relationships? How do I approach a potential new mentor? How do I establish a solid network of mentors?
  • Thursday, January 16: Exploring Funding Resources for International Graduate Students
    Navigating funding as an international student can be challenging, but we’re here to help! This resource panel connects you with fellowships, and grants tailored to global learners. Discover opportunities to ensure you make the most of available resources. Gain access to tools to strategize how you will approach funding search. Your future begins with the right funding! Brunch buffet will be provided during this event.
  • Thursday, January 16: Ableism Interrupted
    Join the Graduate School for Ableism Interrupted, a panel discussion that will shine a light on the impact of ableism in higher education. This event will explore what ableism is, how it has been woven into institutional systems, and the ways it affects disabled students, staff, and faculty on college campuses. Through interactive discussions and Q&A, attendees will unpack able-bodied privilege and identify actionable steps to create a more inclusive and equitable academic environment. Whether you’re just beginning to explore these issues or looking to deepen your understanding, this introductory session is designed with graduate students in mind—staff and postdocs are also warmly invited to join the conversation!
  • Friday, January 17: Project Management for Graduate Students
    Project management is a set of skills that can be applied in academic, non-profit, laboratory, business, and many other settings. Learn principles of project management and apply them to your own project in this collaborative, day-long program. You will leave better prepared to lead a team and deliver results. Students will also hear from a panel of successful faculty and others who manage multiple projects. Lunch will be provided, with vegetarian options.