March 2026 Events:
Preparing Your Conference Poster
Wednesday, March 4, 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m., via Zoom
As a graduate student, presenting your research at conferences and showcases is a key part of your academic journey. This session offers practical tips and strategies to help you clearly communicate your work and confidently present your scientific poster to scholars in your field.
Creating Job Search Impact & Effectiveness Using Myers-Briggs Personality Assessment Tool
Thursday, March 5, 3-4 p.m., via Zoom
Understanding your personality type and how you interact with others is an important professional skill. In this workshop, we’ll review your Myers-Briggs Type Inventory (MBTI) personality test result that you’ll complete pre-workshop. We’ll discuss ways personality type affects your interactions with others, and how to leverage these in your job search and academic and professional career.
Strengths Inventory Assessment – Find Your Top 5 Strengths
Wednesday, March 11, 2-3 p.m., via Zoom
Identify your top 5 strengths using the CliftonStrengths personality assessment – and learn how to leverage this insight for job applications and interviews. Over 80% of Fortune 500 companies use personality assessments. See what it’s all about and how to use it to your benefit! NOTE: The Graduate School will pay the cost of your assessment, therefore, we have to limit the number of attendees. If you are not able to attend, please email cmitnick@uri.edu so another can attend in your place.
Small Talk for Career Success
Thursday, March 12, 5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m., via Zoom
Do you dread small talk—or find yourself avoiding it altogether? Maybe you enjoy connecting with others but sometimes ramble or struggle to keep it purposeful. In this session, explore the concept of Happenstance, discover how everyday conversations can create meaningful opportunities, and learn practical approaches to engage with others more genuinely. This is a joint session with UConn.
Spring Career Expo 2026
Wednesday, March 25, 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m., Ryan Center (in-person)
Meet with employers from all industries who are looking to hire interns and employees for full and part time positions. Make connections with employers now, even if you’re not quite ready to apply yet!
3MT Finals
Thursday, March 26, 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m., 170 Avedisian Hall (in-person)
University-wide finals for the Three-Minute Thesis (3MT) competition. The finals will be held in 170 Avedisian Hall and a post-finals reception will be held in the Avedisian lobby. All graduate students are invited!
Strategies for Reimagining Productivity: More Self Care = Less Stress
Tuesday, March 31, 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m., via Zoom
As grad students, when we discuss productivity, we talk about tricks like “doing your hardest task first” or “reducing multitasking.” These tips can be useful, but another way to be a more effective scholar, teacher, and researcher is to reduce the stressors that can make us feel helpless and inert in the first place. In this program, we’ll talk about self-care activities, how an improved mood can lead to improved productivity, and how carving out time for yourself can reduce overall burnout.
April 2026 Events:
From the Hiring Table: Insights from Life Sciences Employers
Wednesday, April 1, 4-5 p.m., via Zoom.
Are you curious as to how employers actually evaluate candidates, and what helps applicants stand out? Join this program, hosted by Brown University and the University of Rhode Island (URI), for a virtual employer panel designed to give students a behind-the-scenes look at the recruiting process from the employer perspective. This session will spotlight 2–3 life sciences employers (TO BE ADDED) who will share insights on how students can strengthen their job search strategy, build authentic professional relationships, and navigate early-stage recruiting conversations. REGISTER HERE.
Marketing & Communications Career Fair
Wednesday, April 8, 1-4 p.m., Memorial Union Ballroom (in-person).
Meet with employers from a variety of industries who are looking to hire students in the Harrington School of Communication & Media for internships and jobs! Make connections with employers now, even if you’re not quite ready to apply yet!
Writing Teaching Statements
Thursday, April 9, 3-5 p.m., via Zoom.
Join Dean and Professor Colleen Mouw and English PhD candidate Tia Hines for a workshop on crafting teaching philosophy statements. Learn the basics, explore examples, avoid common mistakes, and reflect on your own teaching practices. This session counts toward the Equitable and Inclusive Teaching and Pedagogy Badge Program.
Making Your Summer Break Count
Thursday, April 23, 1-2 p.m., via Zoom.
Summer break offers us a much-needed rest from academic responsibilities, but it’s also an opportune time to catch up (or get ahead) on our academic projects. Join the Graduate Writing & Presenting Lab as we discuss topics ranging from finding balance between relaxation and production, planning out for the upcoming academic year, overcoming exhaustion and unstructured time, and getting some summer writing/work done.
NSF GRFP Fellowship Info Session
Friday, April 24, 11 a.m. – 12 p.m., via Zoom.
Are you a graduate student in your first year in a STEM-based discipline? Or an undergraduate junior or senior or recent graduate? Are you interested in three years of funding while in grad school? Are you a U.S. citizen, national, or permanent resident? Then please join us for an informational session about the National Science Foundation’s Graduate Research Fellowship Program (NSF GRFP)! In this information session we will discuss the program, eligibility, and how to prepare a strong application. Note: We will run an NSF GRFP writing group in Summer 2026 where you can work on the application and receive feedback from peers and our GWPL consultants.
Providence Writing Retreat – Spring 2026
Thursday, April 30, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m., RINEC – Room 326.
Do you need some late-semester accountability to work on a writing project? A term paper, dissertation chapter, or perhaps even make a plan for using your summer break effectively? Join us for some or all of this jam session where you can bring any writing project and come work in a space with like-minded students! Coffee, tea, and light continental breakfast fare will be provided. No registration is required, but please consider signing up so we can anticipate how much food to order. If you have any questions while you’re writing, a Graduate Writing & Presenting Lab consultant will be available to chat with you. Please note: the area around RINEC in Providence has street parking, but there are no commuter lots for URI students. RINEC does however have its own paid parking garage at 330 Eddy Street (South Street Landing Garage) just behind the South Street Landing building on the same side. There are a few different parking garages in the area—the correct garage has large black & white historical photos on the outside & is located on the same side of Eddy Street as SSL. Additionally, when you arrive at RINEC, you may need to check in at the front security desk to let them know you are there to attend a writing retreat. REGISTER HERE.
