Graduate students interested in exploring potential career paths while gaining valuable experience that connects to their research will discover an array of opportunities at the second annual GradFUTURES Internship-Fellowship Fair and Showcase. The event will be held Friday, April 5 from 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. in the Frick Chemistry Lab Auditorium. Dozens of partners - academic, nonprofit, public, and private, as well as campus offices - will be on hand to discuss fellowships and internships for the summer and academic year. In addition, current and past fellows will share their projects and experiences.

As at the inaugural 2023 Fair, the event will be as much about fostering connections as identifying potential fellowships and internships.  “Graduate School is a time to explore in every sense of the word, and this fair provides a great opportunity for discovery,” says Evangeline "Eva" Kubu, Senior Associate Dean of Professional Development at the Graduate School. "Beyond the experiential and skill-building opportunities, graduate students can connect with people representing a broad supportive ecosystem. We are bringing that ecosystem to students, right on campus."

The Fair echoes the overall theme for the 2024 GradFUTURES Forum: Building Clarity, Confidence, and Connections. This annual, weeklong professional development conference for graduate students offers opportunities for meaningful professional growth and exploration of futures within and beyond the academy. With many inspiring keynote speakers, interactive workshops, career panels, and networking receptions, the 2024 GradFUTURES Forum is open to the broader graduate community at Princeton and beyond.

“There are many offices on campus, such as GradFUTURES, that are dedicated to developing students' academic, professional, and personal development skills,” says Camila Llerena-Olivera (GS, CEE). “The knowledge that you gain from their programs can clarify and complement your intended career path. GradFUTURES has helped me build confidence in my soft skills, learn about various career paths, and connect me to some amazing individuals.”

Experiential Opportunities Reveal Diverse Pathways

GradFUTURES experiential opportunities help graduate students gain vital experience while exploring professional paths within the academic, government, nonprofit, and private sectors. Highly customized fellowships, internships, and special projects empower graduate students to apply discipline-specific skills, build interdisciplinary team experience, explore potential career paths, and receive 1:1 mentoring—all while building a professional network and contributing to the mission of the partner organization. These experiences are:

• Flexible & part-time: Participate up to 10 hours/week during the summer or academic year (subject to faculty adviser approval).
• Funded/Paid: Nearly all opportunities are funded through GradFUTURES, and some are paid by private sector organizations.
• Open to International Students: GradFUTURES fellowships do not require work authorization, unlike opportunities with private sector organizations.

These engagements can shed new light on how one’s research connects to multiple future pathways. 

“My experience as a GradFUTURES Social Impact Fellow was illuminating,” says Esther Ishimwe (GS, Architecture). “I learned that the research that drives social impact is a thorough process that takes time and effort. It has higher stakes and the ability to drive new social change. As someone who aims to work in architectural education, this experience helped me realize that my skill set is transferable, and it broadened my options for post-grad work.”

Emphasis on Partnership

The GradFUTURES Fellowship & Internship Fair features a carefully curated array of organizations that have formally partnered with the Graduate School. In keeping with the wide range of graduate student research interests and potential pathways, these include academic institutions as well as nonprofit, public, and private sector organizations. Each agrees to provide inclusive mentorship, flexible scheduling to allow graduate students to prioritize their academic commitments, and meaningful projects that facilitate professional growth across eight core competencies. 

Host organizations work closely with the Graduate School to determine the learning outcomes and professional development goals for these immersive experiences. The expectation is that the fellowship will be mutually beneficial, with partners benefitting from the diverse ideas of graduate students in conjunction with meaningful project deliverables that address local, regional, national, and global challenges that, in turn, broaden the impact of doctoral training.

“FASPE has worked with several GradFUTURES Social Impact Fellows,” says David Goldman, Founder and Chairman, Fellowships at Auschwitz for the Study of Professional Ethics (FASPE) and Social Impact Fellowship Mentor. “They contribute enormously to our mission as they have integrated beautifully and substantively into our work.” 

Meet Partners at the Fair

University Administrative Fellowships

• Department of Computer Science
• Firestone Library
• Keller Center for Innovation in Engineering Education
• NSF I-Corps Northeast Hub/Princeton Innovation
• Office of Sustainability
• Princeton Research Data Service (PRDS)
• Princeton Entrepreneurship Council
• Princeton Writing Program
• Prison Teaching Initiative

Social Impact Fellowships

• Agastya International Foundation
• American Philosophical Society Press 
• Ashoka
• Fellowships at Auschwitz for the Study of Professional Ethics (FASPE)
• Freedom Reads
• HomeWorks Trenton
• ITHAKA
• McCarter Theatre Center
• Museum of Jewish Heritage
• New Jersey Coalition to End Homelessness
• National Black Theatre
• New America, Future Frontlines Program
• New Jersey Foundation Venture Capital 
• Princeton Public Library
• Princeton University Press
• Psychoanalytic Review & the National Psychological Association for Psychoanalysis
• Responsible AI Institute 
• XPRIZE

Community College Teaching Fellowships

• Mercer County Community College

Higher Education Leadership Fellowships

• William Paterson University

Graduate Student Resource Providers

• LinkedIn
• Rutgers - Eagleton Science and Politics Program
• Davis International Center 
• Center for Career Development
• Program for Community College Engagement 
• Princeton Research Day
• Office of Disability Services 
• Princeton Institute for Computational Science & Engineering
• Mentor Collective

Co-Sponsors

• Princeton Graduate Student Government (GSG)
• Symplicity

Graduate Student Appreciation Week Extras

This year, The Graduate School’s Graduate Student Appreciation Week coincides with the GradFUTURES Internship-Fellowship Fair & Showcase. Fair attendees can take advantage of additional career-oriented bonuses.

• LinkedIn Profile Headshots & Expert Critiques: LinkedIn representatives will be on-hand to enhance the impact of attendee profiles. High demand is anticipated, and graduate students are highly encouraged to register for headshots and LinkedIn Critiques in advance.
• Free Business Cards: Co-sponsored by the Graduate Student Government (GSG), the first 100 attendees will receive a voucher for a box of 100 custom-printed business cards to use at conferences, symposiums, and networking receptions.

GradFUTURES Experiential Opportunities Platform to Debut at Fair

GradFUTURES now offers seven experiential fellowship and internship programs, with more on the way. To make programs more visible and accessible to students, the Graduate School has invested in a new technology platform to support increased demand and growth. The platform will soft launch at this year’s Fair and is powered by Symplicity, a provider of experiential education and student success solutions. Graduate students are encouraged to stop by their booth to demo the platform with features including: 

• Search by interest for internships and experiential fellowships.
• Identify and research opportunities with partner organizations.
• Explore the experiential learning process with customized resources, learning pathways, and events
• Streamlined applications and communications.

Register to Attend the Fair

Find complete details about the event and register to attend.