PH.D. CAREER & PROFSSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROPOSAL Dr. … · implement the project. To get this project started, Maren Wood, Ph.D. would be our first guest to campus and would offer

Ph.D. Careers and Professional Development Proposal

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PH.D. CAREER & PROFSSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROPOSAL

Dr. John Masserini Associate Dean, Graduate College

Professor, School of Music

Executive Summary: Experts in graduate education cite a shortlist of key recurring issues when considering the efficacy and value of the Ph.D. in the 21st Century. Graduate Colleges are now spending significant time and resources on training, tools, and access to career opportunities for Ph.D. students (if not all graduate students) beyond careers within the academy (See Appendix C). Graduate students are looking for ways to build professional skills necessary to ask questions, create solutions, contribute skills in meaningful ways, and thrive in a 21st Century world. The NAU Graduate College is proposing a vigorous and healthy set of resources, tools, and opportunities for our graduate students, with a special focus on Ph.D. students, in the areas of career services and professional development beyond the academy. Not all Ph.D. students seek professorial careers in the academy, and it is becoming increasingly well-known that many Ph.D. students do not want these types of careers. As government agencies, non-profits, and private industry seek to expand a highly educated employee base, a multitude of opportunities are available for Ph.D. students, and they want their graduate training to acknowledge this reality. Graduate Colleges around the country are addressing these issues with increased focus and resources supporting a wider array of presentations, workshops, interactions with career experts, career conferences, and personnel within Graduate Colleges hired solely to support these activities. There is a strong likelihood that institutionalizing these efforts will increase retention and shorten time to degree, especially for our Ph.D. students. Having these tools enables students to explore additional career options instead of defaulting to a “holding pattern” as they wait for a limited set of academic career options in ABD status. We are starting with a 5-pronged approach, proposing to host a few important events and provide new resources in AY 2016-17. Based on feedback and efficacy of our efforts, we would add events and resources each year. A detailed potential timeline and budget of these efforts from AY 16-17 through AY 19-20 are reflected in this proposal (See Appendices A & B). We also include ideas for potential revenue-generating efforts, which would be expanded as we investigate and implement the project. To get this project started, Maren Wood, Ph.D. would be our first guest to campus and would offer a keynote address and a workshop during the week of October 24, 2016. The keynote would address data related to the academic vs. non-academic job markets, and the overall career culture and possibilities for Ph.D. holders. Her workshop would be targeted for all doctoral and master’s students, and discuss how to translate graduate students’ academic skills into an employer-specific language (See Appendix D).


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Project Rationale: Ph.D. students (as well as most graduate students) want professional development and career services that are specific to their unique experiences as graduate students. They also want the curricular structure of their programs to correspond with the reality they face when they begin to explore career possibilities and enter various job markets. Such alignment requires faculty and institutions to realize that most of their Ph.D. students may not secure, nor want, a professorship. This reality, training, and approach must be built into students’ education and training. Addressing these questions and voids in their career preparation will add a tremendous value to NAU students’ educational experience while continuing to build on the Graduate College’s role as a resource for professional development; providing opportunities beyond their discipline-specific education and training. Additionally, there is a strong likelihood that institutionalizing these efforts will increase retention and shorten time to degree, especially for our Ph.D. students. Having these tools enables them to explore additional career options instead of defaulting to a “holding pattern” in ABD status.

5-Pronged Approach:

1. Invite Experts to Campus: a. We want to invite experts to campus to speak to doctoral students about the

different career options outside of academia, how to prepare for and apply for these positions, and provide tips and strategies for finding fulfilling and meaningful employment after graduation.

b. We recommend inviting (below is a small list of people and examples): Maren Wood, PhD:

Dr. Wood is the founder and lead researcher of Lilli Research Group, which provides career coaching to individual PhD Job Seekers as well as research support and consulting to graduate programs and universities. In addition, Dr. Wood speaks on university campuses across North America to address the state of the academic job market (providing hard numbers) and provide tips and strategies to PhDs interested in careers beyond the professoriate. Dr. Wood earned a PhD in history from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and knows first-hand the challenges of being an adjunct professor, having worked as a visiting lecturer in the Department of History at UNC Chapel Hill teaching courses in American History and the History of Sexuality.

Genevieve Bell, Ph.D. Dr. Bell is an Intel Senior Fellow and vice president in the Corporate Strategy Office, with responsibility for corporate sensing and insights at Intel. From 1996-1998 Bell taught Anthropology and Native American Studies at Stanford University, in the Departments of Anthropology and Anthropological Sciences, as well as in the Continuing Studies program. She leads a cross-discipline foresights community at Intel that delivers insights into significant societal, technical and global trends. This market-inspired view helps guide product development and enables meaningful experiences for customers and end users of Intel solutions. Dr. Bell’s industry recognition includes being listed among the “100 Most Creative People in Business” by Fast Company in 2010, being inducted into the Women in Technology International Hall of Fame in 2012, and being honored as the 2013 Woman of Vision for Leadership by the Anita Borg Institute. Dr. Bell’s book, “Divining a Digital Future: Mess and Mythology in Ubiquitous Computing,” written in collaboration with Paul Dourish, was published by MIT Press in 2011. She is currently working on a new book. Bell holds a combined bachelor’s and master’s degree in anthropology from Bryn Mawr College and a master’s degree and Ph.D. in cultural anthropology from Stanford University, where she was a lecturer in the anthropology department from 1996 to 1998. Read more about here in the NY Times:

http://lilligroup.com/


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http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/16/technology/intels-sharp-eyed-social-scientist.html?_r=0

Arizona Industry Leaders To discuss what type of people are looking for careers in their field, what makes people successful in their field, and what they are seeing with the current generation of people who hold advanced degrees.

Career Service Experts working within Graduate Colleges and Universities

2. Longitudinal Career Tracking Historically, first placement studies are the easiest and most common form of tracking for graduate students (especially Ph.D. students) after graduation. The Graduate College recently designed and distributed an “Exit Survey” to all Ph.D. candidates the month before their graduation term in Spring 2016.

However, it would be more valuable if there were a system for finding, contacting, and engaging with Ph.D. candidates at the 5-year and 10-year post-graduation mark. This process would involve: Running Enterprise Reporting reports on graduates, and layering in the 5 and 10 year

cohorts to the current Exit Survey group. Locating students using google, social media, LinkedIn, past advisors/mentors,

department records, etc. Contacting individual students through email communications and then following up

with phone calls, so actual real-time conversations occur. Important Points to Consider: Do not only talk to them about their jobs; talk about their careers and how they got

there. Ask how their advanced degree helped them reach their career goals, and whether

they are using the degree in a way they did not think they would when they started their degree.

Find specific examples of alums from each discipline and use the “stand-out” stories to feature in marketing and recruitment efforts.

3. Engage faculty who are leading and teaching in NAU graduate programs

Discuss the program curriculum with faculty to explore opportunities for: o Short, concentrated practicum experiences and/or “Mini-internships” o Short residencies for active professionals

Find out what entities outside of academia, but related to the discipline (however remote), are interested in a program’s Ph.D. and/or graduate students?

When it comes to students who secure careers outside academia, what sort of work are they doing and how does the skill-set they offer their employer relate to the education and experience they received in their Ph.D. (applied skills vs. meta-skills)?

How do the faculty member’s students know about these opportunities? How can the Graduate College help?

4. Engage government agencies, non-profits, and private industry

What attracts them to Ph.D. graduates? What skills have they found are unique to Ph.D. graduates vs. people holding a

master’s degree or even a bachelor’s degree? What can NAU and/or individual programs do to encourage/assist in hiring of current

students or recent graduates for internship or other employment?




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5. Communicate the meaning of this approach to ABOR, Arizona, and the community Concise and meaningful bullet points on the meaning and benefit of a Ph.D. to the

public and policymakers; these students have the tools to help change the world. Advancement of knowledge and a highly educated citizenry is key to a university’s

mission as well as advancement in private, non-profit, public, and government sectors.

Point to significant advancements in all disciplines; make solid, tangible connections to the fact that most people have access and enjoy a better quality of life due to the creation and application of new knowledge. This is a direct result from the rigor and discipline-specific focus of graduate education.

Audience: Ph.D. students at any point in their degree

Students in the beginning and the middle of their studies can begin to explore and think about careers without feeling the pressure of applying all the information immediately.

Students near completion can use this information if they are not identifying or securing their perceived limited job prospects (i.e. academic positions); it offers them a meaningful alternative.

Presidential Fellowship Recipients Targeted professional development targeted specifically for these high-achieving and

actively sought-after students. All Graduate Students – Doctoral and Master’s

Not just limited to Ph.D. students, as workshops and resources will be developed to include all graduate students wishing to look beyond careers in the academy.

Gives a set of professional tools that all graduate students may use throughout their professional careers, especially if they decide to make a shift sometime later in life.

Faculty They would benefit from learning some of the more recent and relevant options for Ph.D.

students; exposure to fields that might have a connection to their discipline, but not as directly as they might think.

Deans and Provost In a position to apply these current, broader ideas into discipline-specific programs and

energize the faculty to do so.

NAU Peer Institutions with Dedicated Graduate College Career Development Staff Northern Illinois University Two co-coordinators of Graduate Career and Professional Development

NAU Sister Institutions with Dedicated Career Development Staff or Programs Arizona State University They have a “Career Services” section dedicated to graduate students, plus institutional membership to Versitile Ph.D. Additionally, the Graduate Student Support Services Office works with University Career Services to provide graduate student-specific programming as part of their Community of Scholars professional development platform. University of Arizona Director for the Graduate Center Program Coordinator for the Graduate Center


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Appendix A

Projected Timeline and Potential Action Plan

Academic Year 2016-17 Begin with key note address and workshop on campus by Maren Wood in late October.

o Key Note Address Gives an overview and data related to the academic vs. non-academic job

markets. For all graduate students, faculty, and academic administrators.

o Workshop: In-depth and transferrable skills plus résumé writing Discusses how to put graduate students’ academic skills into an employer-

specific language. For all master’s and doctoral students.

Dedicate a webpage on the Graduate College site to Ph.D. career resources beyond the academy.

Graduate College begins contacting Ph.D. alums with specific questions, beginning a dialogue about their career path and their Ph.D.

o Coordinate with the Alumni Office on aspects of this project for each entities’ benefit.

Become an institutional member of some of the professional organizations dedicated to career options beyond the academy for Ph.D. holders and students (see list under “Resources”).

o The versatilePh.D Institutional Subscription - $4000.00 annually plus $400 one-time fee

See Appendix E o National Coalition of Independent Scholars (NCIS)

Affiliate fees for 2016-17 and for 2017-18 Organizations over 100 members: $150 annually The Affiliate membership year runs from Sept 1 through Aug 31

Academic Year 2017-18

Add this component to Graduate Student Orientation (break-out session). Expand the workshops, potentially to multi-day or weekend.

Partner with Graduate Student Government to form a sub-committee dedicated to this particular aspect of professional development for Ph.D. students.

Continue with research specific to this topic in order to re-evaluate, refresh, and continually improve offerings.


Continue to expand professional development opportunities to include more workshops and resources for graduate students.

Bring other guest speakers to campus. o Speakers can do more than one workshop. o Speakers may engage more pointedly with campus leadership. o Speakers could be Graduate College professionals from other institutions

dedicated to this type of work. Send a select number of Ph.D. students to a career conference hosted by one of the

professional organizations dedicated to career options beyond the academy for Ph.D. holders and students (see list under “Resources for Students and Faculty”).

o Graduate Career Consortium o National Coalition of Independent Scholars (NCIS) o Beyond the Professorate

https://versatilephd.com/

http://www.ncis.org/

http://www.gradcareerconsortium.org/about.php


https://beyondprof.com/


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Find ways and develop opportunities to include Master’s education; expand the vision to all graduate education.



With continued success and interest, there might be a justification to hire a Director or Assistant Dean (non-academic, service professional) to lead Professional Development and Career Services exclusively for graduate students. (See list of institutions that have this resource below)



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Appendix B

Proposed Yearly Costs & Revenue

Academic Year 2016-17:

Event/Need Approx. Cost

Institutional Subscriptions National Coalition of Independent Scholars $ 150.00 Annually

$ 150.00

Travel and Fee for Campus Speaker $ 2,000.00

Total $ 2,150.00



Institutional Subscriptions National Coalition of Independent Scholars $ 150.00 Annually

$ 150.00

Travel and Fee for Campus Speaker $ 2,000.00

Expansion of Professional Development Workshops $ 300.00

Additional Stipend for GSG professional development sub-group members $ 2,000.00

Total $ 4,450.00



Institutional Subscriptions National Coalition of Independent Scholars $ 150.00 Annually The Versitile Ph.D. $4,0000.00 Annually 400.00 One-time fee

$ 4,550.00

Travel and Fee for Campus Speaker(s) $ 3,000.00



Professional conference funding for select graduate students $ 6,000.00

Total $ 16,650.00



Institutional Subscriptions National Coalition of Independent Scholars $ 150.00 Annually The Versitile Ph.D. $4,0000.00 Annually

$ 4,150.00

Travel and Fee for Campus Speaker(s) $ 3,000.00



Professional conference funding for select graduate students $ 6,000.00

Funding for Associate Director or Director of Graduate Professional Development and Career Services Salary $55,000 – 65,000 ERE (approx.) $35,000 – 43,000

$ 90,000 – 108,000

Total $ 107,050 – 125,050


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Proposed Revenue Revenue-generating opportunities will be developed and discussed and pursued. Cost sharing could happen between the Graduate College and the Provost and/or President’s Office as the project and culture surrounding this type of professional and career development begins to become a proven, effective, and valuable resource on the NAU campus.

Discussions with our development officers to find some targeted fundraising options would be a first step.

If this project becomes a significant, established, and valuable service to our graduate students, a student fee could be implemented.


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Appendix C Resources for Students and Faculty (Links are Active)

The Versatile Ph.D Versatile PhD provides students a rich non-academic career resource while also helping institutions fulfill their goal of providing more professional development for graduate students. The service is designed for doctoral students in the research disciplines, but master’s students can also benefit. With institutional subscriptions, additional content and features are available. Access can be extended to all affiliate groups – postdocs, faculty & staff, alumni. Some examples of what they provide:

Resumes and cover letters that got PhDs post-academic jobs Detailed practical info on specific careers, from PhDs in those careers

First person stories of long-term PhD success “Power Search” feature to find non-academic contacts & mentors Promotional materials to help you build student awareness

Reminders of upcoming events and milestones Metrics & reporting

#Alt-Academy Takes a grass-roots, bottom-up, publish-then-filter approach to community-building and networked scholarly communication around the theme of unconventional or alternative careers for people with academic training. If the idea is new to you, don’t miss this introductory cluster that helps to set the scope, stakes, and structure of the conversation. The #Alt-Academy project features contributions by and for people with deep training and experience in the humanities, who are working or are seeking employment — generally off the tenure track, but within the academic orbit — in universities and colleges, or allied knowledge and cultural heritage institutions such as museums, libraries, academic presses, historical societies, and governmental humanities organizations. The work of such institutions is enriched and enabled by capable "alternative academic" humanities scholars. Although they are rarely conventionally-employed as faculty members, the people contributing to this site maintain a research (or R&D) and publication profile, and bring their methodological and theoretical training to bear every day on problem sets of great importance to higher education. For some, keeping their considerable talents within — or around — the academy can be more difficult than making a switch to private-sector careers. Class divisions among faculty and staff in higher education are profound, and the suspicion and (worse) condescension with which so-called “failed academics” are met can be disheartening. For all that, we love our work. Many on the #alt-ac track will tell you about the satisfaction of making teams (and systems, and programs) work, of solving problems and personally making or enabling breakthroughs in research and scholarship in their disciplines, and of contributing to and experiencing the life of the mind in ways they did not imagine when they entered grad school. This site is for them, and for the next generation of hybrid humanities scholars — people who are building skills and experience in precisely those areas of the academy that are most in flux, and most in need of guidance and attention by sensitive, capable, imaginative, and well-informed #alt-ac scholar-practitioners. Connected Academics Headed by the Modern Language Association (MLA) and supported by a grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. The project will run through August 2019 and will support initiatives aimed at demonstrating how doctoral education can develop students’ capacities to bring the

https://versatilephd.com/

http://mediacommons.futureofthebook.org/alt-ac/

https://connect.commons.mla.org/about-us/

https://connect.commons.mla.org/about-us/


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expertise they acquire in advanced humanistic study to a wide range of fulfilling, secure, and well-compensated professional situations. Connected Academics will help prepare doctoral students—already well trained for postsecondary faculty positions—to use their humanistic training in a broader range of occupations than doctoral programs have, up to now, characteristically acknowledged and honored. Doctoral students in language and literature programs develop talents and complete training that qualify them for a wide range of career paths and professional opportunities. Graduates of doctoral programs that work to expand their students’ awareness of the spectrum of available careers will be better prepared to succeed in a rapidly changing higher education employment landscape. By supporting such programs and fostering collaboration and community involvement, Connected Academics hopes to serve the needs of those who pursue advanced degrees in the humanities and offer new possibilities for integrating the values of humanistic study into society. National Coalition of Independent Scholars (NCIS) The National Coalition of Independent Scholars is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation organized in 1989 to support independent scholars. Basic to many of the goals of NCIS is providing a sense of community in which independent scholars can interact and address issues we have traditionally encountered. NCIS has also responded to the increasing numbers and changing demographic of independent scholars. NCIS has identified large constituent groups. First and foremost are those who have not or never wished to enter academia, or those who have left it, preferring instead the life of the independent scholar. Another group of NCIS members is that of academics who are peripheral and marginal to their institutions. They continue to grow in numbers as academia no longer provides a stable position or income for much of its faculty, relying instead upon part-timers and adjuncts who are offered little or nothing in the way of benefits or jobs security. Newly emerging is the second or new career scholar who has decided, for various reasons, to forgo previous pursuits and enter a field of scholarship (s)he has long dreamed of pursuing. And, of course, there are numerous others who have chosen this route for their own individual reasons. phds at work Provides an online space for shared learning and making new connections. Individuals can learn from peers who have successfully transitioned from academia to industry, gain expert insight on how to manage a career, and join the association for events to connect with new colleagues. Their “Week in the Life” series gives individuals a glimpse into new possibilities and, with a little luck, the PhD-powered connections to go after them. Ph.D. Career Guide PhD Career Guide endeavors to bring to light the many career options available to PhDs, and more importantly, the information necessary to decide which career path would be most rewarding given their particular set of professional interests and career goals. Beyond the Professorate A virtual conference with website resources, for PhDs in career transition. The conference runs the first two Saturdays in May and features presentations from and discussion with PhDs, all working beyond the professoriate in a variety of jobs and careers. Graduate Career Consortium The mission of the Graduate Career Consortium (GCC) is to help members provide career and professional development for doctoral students and postdoctoral scholars at GCC member institutions. The GCC provides national leadership and serves as a national voice for graduate-level career and professional development. The organization now hosts an annual conference



http://phdsatwork.com/

http://phdsatwork.com/

http://www.phdcareerguide.com/

http://www.phdcareerguide.com/






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organized by the membership as well as works together on joint ventures. In 2014, the GCC incorporated and reached the 220 members mark. Beyond the Tenure Track A career strategy and professional development-consulting firm, founded by Fatimah Williams Castro, Ph.D., that helps graduate students, postdoctoral scholars, and faculty successfully leverage their talents, skills and voice into purposeful, successful careers. She is a speaker, author, and career coach whose professional development guidance has been featured in The Chronicle of Higher Education, Scientific American, University Affairs, Rutgers Today, and numerous podcasts and radio programs.

http://beyondthetenuretrack.com/about/

http://beyondthetenuretrack.com/about/


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Appendix D 2016-17 Keynote and Workshop Opportunities

Campus Workshops & Presentations

L. Maren Wood, PhD [email protected]

This is a list of presentations and workshops designed to deliver the content of Boot Camp for Post-Academic Job Seekers. Five in total, these workshops are designed as a series, although they can also function as stand-alone events. Each will last 90 minutes (60 minutes prepared content, 30 minutes Q & A). Cost: $750 US per workshop plus travel, hotel, and expenses

Prepare for a Comprehensive Job Search In today’s tough academic job market, students and recent PhDs need to make informed decisions about their career paths: what are their chances of landing a tenure track job in their field? What are their other career options? And what can students do now to prepare for a non-faculty job search? This presentation will begin to answer these questions. First, we will take an in-depth look at academic job market crisis, which is often oversimplified. Second, using data from recent placement studies, we will discuss where PhDs find post-academic opportunities. Finally, we will turn to solutions: how to prepare for a comprehensive job search. We’ll discuss the importance of networking and how to talk about what you do instead of what you know.

Transferable Interests & Redefining Success *(Additional fee of $26.70 per attendee for a copy of a Strong Interest Inventory assessment and the booklet Where Do I Go Next.) Attendees complete a Strong Interest Inventory assessment prior to the workshop. Before students begin looking at possible career paths, they need to clearly identify their strengths, values, and career motivators. PhDs have skills for a variety of careers, but not every career path will be fulfilling to each individual. Using the Strong Interest Inventory, participants will identify what they enjoy about their academic careers, which of their interests brought them to study their particular academic interest, and how these interests can be explored in a variety of careers. Part two of the workshop will be a discussion on how we (re)imagine success. As academics, our career successes are fairly defined: tenure, publishing, teaching awards, and promotion through the academic ranks. But what does success look like when we move outside of the ivory tower? How do we re-imagine our career goals and successes? Alternative: 60 minute in person one-on-one consultation with students, billed at $125/hr + materials.

Transferable Skills & Resume Building - Workshop PhDs often describe their transferable skills as “researching, writing, and teaching.” But these are actually categories, not skills. This workshop will help PhDs identify the skills they have gained while in graduate school and to sort these skills into their appropriate industry categories: project management, communications, facilitation, advising, analytical thinking, management, etc.

mailto:[email protected]


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Identifying transferable skills can be one of the most difficult processes in preparing for a post-academic search. PhDs are trained to talk about what they know, not what they do. Employers, however, want to know what you can do for their organization and hire based on a combination of skills, knowledge, and experience. Graduate students need to learn to communicate their skills and subject matter expertise in a way that makes sense to employers. We will then discuss how to put these transferable skills into a combination resume and a LinkedIn profile.

Networking & Relationship Building – Presentation When most PhDs imagine their post-academic job search, they see themselves submitting a resume to an online job posting. But this is the least effective way to find work: it is only successful 4% of the time. Most people will find their next opportunity through their friends, family, and acquaintances. When most graduate students hear this statistic, they say two things: I don’t have a network outside of academia and I hate networking anyway. This presentation is designed for those people. How do you kick-start your job search using people within your existing circle of friends and acquaintances? What is an informational interview and how do I set one up? And, how do you survive networking events if you’re an introvert?

The Professional You - Presentation This presentation will discuss how to craft a professional image online and in person. While this includes knowing what to wear and not sending out offensive tweets, there is more to cultivating a professional image. We will discuss:

How to build an online professional image (also known as a “personal brand”)

The do’s and don'ts of business attire

Interview/Networking etiquette and techniques

Business culture

Basic business ethics


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Appendix E The Versatile Ph.D. Details

Versatile PhD helps graduate students in Humanities, Social Sciences and STEM identify, prepare for, and succeed in non-academic careers. When you invest in a Versatile PhD subscription, you get more than just access to a website. You give your students access to a network of over 60,000 potential friends and contacts, some 6,000 of whom are accomplished post-academic PhDs who can be contacted directly through the VPhD site. Your students get a PhD-specific career resource that is tailored specifically to them, which makes them feel comfortable exploring careers in a way that generic resources do not. You get robust support, regular usage reports, and a low-cost enhancement to your unit’s capacity - and your unit gets to demonstrate that it is taking part in your institution’s effort to help PhDs succeed in a greater diversity of roles. We see the following positive impact across all subscribing institutions: * 66% of users spent time exploring nonacademic careers

* 48% identified at least one new career that interested them

* 40% started reading nonacademic job announcements

* 56% learned the value of nonacademic networking

* 55% learned that their skills have value in non-academic settings

* 55% feel they have more career choices than they previously thought * 53% feel more optimistic about their future

* 48% feel more excited about things they can do with their skills

* 44% feel more in charge of their career

* 69% feel encouraged that non-academic career help is available

(Source: VPhD 2015 Member Survey)

And who is using VPhD, experiencing these effects? The biggest group across all subscribing institutions is post-exams/quals doctoral candidates (45%), followed by alumni (20%), pre- exam/quals doctoral students (14%) and postdocs (11%). Across all subscribing institutions, 52% of users are in Arts, Humanities and Social Science and 38% are in STEM, with the remainder in a variety of other fields. More than half of STEM users are in Life Science. A subscription also benefits your unit and institution in tangible ways:

Helps augment your office’s expertise by providing information about a broad range of career pathways for PhDs

Inexpensive way to provide significant professional development to PhD students and

recent PhDs - like having a part-time employee without paying salary or benefits

Helps your unit articulate its value to the university - demonstrates commitment to professional development for graduate students, PhD students in particular

74% of campus partners feel the subscription has contributed to positive change on their campuses around PhD career paths and broadening professional development for graduate students and postdocs

Can also help POSTDOCS and ALUMNI at no extra charge, provided your IT systems allow them to access the site


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An institutional subscription provides access to premium content not found anywhere else:

Authentic resumes and cover letters that got real PhDs their first post-academic jobs, with detailed narratives describing the hiring process step by step, giving the nuts and bolts of how new PhDs and ABDs successfully broke into a wide variety of careers

Inspiring first-person stories by experienced post-academics describing how their careers evolved over several years after moving out of the academy: promotions, advancement, signature accomplishments

Detailed inside information on a wide range of specific PhD-friendly careers provided by

PhDs in those careers, along with their answers to grad student questions

Networking opportunities for your students to connect with PhDs outside the academy All VPhD users join our web-based community, a rich learning environment where they

learn about non-academic careers and gain support for preparing for a wide range of possible career paths. Over time, members realize they are versatile: they have skills applicable in a dazzling variety of careers, from nearly-traditional to quite untraditional. Many good options are ahead.

Subscriptions: Standard one-year subscription service year: July 1, 2016 – June 30, 2017. Options: Humanities/Social Science only: $2000. STEM only: $2000. Both: $4000. A one-time $400 set-up fee is added in first year only.

Robust support: promotional support, year-round updates and reminders, usage tracking

Free preview of premium content and features

Inquiries: David LaCroix, Director of Operations (PhD 2006, English, U of Wisconsin-Madison) [email protected] (202) 269-0554 (9am – 5pm EST)

The Versatile PhD LLC · 12400 Ventura Blvd., Suite 510 · Studio City, CA 91604

(818) 508-2000 · www.versatilephd.com · Twitter @VersatilePhD

© 2016 The Versatile PhD LLC

mailto:[email protected]

Documents

PH.D. CAREER & PROFSSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROPOSAL Dr. … · implement the project. To get this project started, Maren Wood, Ph.D. would be our first guest to campus and would offer