The PDWG supports graduate student professional development! Launched in 2019, the Professional Development Working Group (PDWG) is a collaborative, cross-functional coalition that convenes regularly to integrate, assess, and promote all of the robust professional development programs, opportunities, and resources offered for graduate students across campus. This group’s shared mission is to expand the availability and visibility of graduate student professional development and to support this strategic priority of the Graduate School. PDWG Goals Provide strategic input regarding ways to build a campus ecosystem by engaging all campus stakeholders, academic departments (by division), alumni, and industry partners in collaboration efforts; Organize a menu of programs, opportunities, and resources for the learning and acquisition of the eight core professional development competencies for students at each stage of their graduate education; Identify gaps between graduate students’ needs and Princeton’s current offerings in each competency area and propose ways to address these gaps; Recommend assessment strategies and measurable learning outcomes for graduate student professional development; Identify and expand graduate student fellowships available across campus; Explore ways to share quantitative and qualitative data and develop stories that demonstrate the impact of professional development on the graduate student experience and post-graduation outcomes. “My career has included many surprising twists and turns. Paying attention to what I need to learn, and how I can manage my own learning has helped me to progress. My current work gives me many opportunities to learn new skills, which I find wonderful. I have appreciated the welcoming community provided by GradFUTURES, connecting faculty, staff, graduate students and alums to each other. The conversations are creative and inclusive, and I am grateful for the careful facilitation to help all of us contribute." –Anu Vedantham, *94 (SPIA), Assistant University Librarian for Research Services Current PDWG Members Elizabeth Adams Executive Director, Office of Research and Project Administration Future Faculty Workshop Speaker Yassine Ait Ali, GS, FIT Professional Development Associate 24-25 Jill Arbeiter Graduate Administrator, Department of Classics Professional Development Working Group Member Margarita Belova, GS, ECE Professional Development Associate 24-25 Serene Dhawan, GS, PNI Professional Development Associate 24-25 Steve Gump Associate Director of Fellowship Advising, Office of International Programs Leanne Horinko Graduate Program Assistant, Department of History Professional Development Working Group Member B. Rose Huber GradFUTURES Forum Panelist Director of Communications & Senior Writer Florence Hudson '80, MAE Executive Director, Northeast Big Data Innovation Hub at Columbia University Founder & CEO, FDHint, LLC GradFUTURES Fellowship Sponsor Cornelia Huellstrunk Executive Director, The Keller Center Professional Development Working Group Member University Administrative Fellowship Mentor Jessica Leung *19, ARC Design Program Manager & Lecturer GradFUTURES Forum Speaker Anne-Marie Maman '84 Executive Director of the Princeton Entrepreneurship Council Clio Hall Award Recipient Shawn Maxam Associate Provost for Diversity and Inclusion Inclusive Leadership Learning Cohort Speaker & Professional Development Working Group Member Clio Hall Award Recipient Andrea Morris *99, MOL Assistant Dean and Director, Career & Professional Development, Rockefeller University GradFUTURES Mentor & Alum-in-Residence (Summer 2022, Spring/Summer 2023) Clio Hall Award Recipient Laura Murray Assistant Director, Learning Programs, The McGraw Center for Teaching and Learning University Administrative Fellowship Mentor Clio Hall Award Recipient Karen Oliver Graduate Program Administrator, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering Professional Development Working Group Member Sacha Patera Corporate Engagement and Foundation Relations, Office of Dean for Research Future Faculty Workshop Speaker Christina Pellicane Assistant Director of Innovation, Lead Instructor, I-Corps Northeast Hub, Office of the Dean for Research Amy Pszczolkowski Associate Director, Graduate Career Development & Alumni Relations, SPIA Co-chair, GCC Professional Development Committee Clio Hall Award Recipient Jill Ray Graduate Program Manager, Department of Psychology Professional Development Working Group Member Tara Ronda Program Coordinator, Prison Teaching Initiative Professional Development Working Group Member Mariyah Salem Assistant Director for International Programs Professional Development Working Group Member Sarah Schwarz Associate Director, Teaching Initiatives and Programs for Graduate Students, The McGraw Center GradFUTURES Forum Speaker Clio Hall Award Recipient Wright Seneres Social Media and Marketing Specialist, Princeton Entrepreneurship Council GradFUTURES Forum Presenter Anu Vedantham *94, SPIA Assistant University Librarian for Teaching, Research and Social Sciences and Liaison for Indigenous Studies UAF Mentor & Professional Development Working Group Member Clio Hall Award Recipient Hellen Wainaina, GS, ENG University Administrative Fellow Host & Executive Producer, GradFUTURES Podcast John Weeren Founding Director, Princeton Writes Professional Development Working Group Member Clio Hall Award Recipient Michele Whitlow Associate Director of Alumni Affairs, SPIA University Administrative Fellowship Program Mentor Clio Hall Award Recipient Julie Yun Associate Dean, Office of Diversity and Inclusion, Princeton Engineering Future Faculty Workshop Speaker Catherine Zandonella Senior Associate Director for Communications, Dean for Research “The style of professional development at Princeton inspires and supports: when I see a common need from interacting with my peers, I set out to seek allies and create solutions so that others will have resources when they encounter the same challenge. GradFUTURES makes my experience at Princeton even more vivid than I expected!” –Tianxia Xiao *23 (CHM)
