Students, Faculty and Alumni/ae Stories

Student, Faculty and Alumni/ae Perspectives on GradFUTURES

These stories and commentaries illuminate the journeys of graduate students who have participated in GradFUTURES programming, and render visible the campus-wide community of support available for graduate students-- from faculty, staff, and alumni as well as industry partners. 

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  • Avery Agles, GS, CBE

    "My experience has totally transformed my idea of academia into a place where meaningful change and empowerment can happen."

  • Jonathan Aguirre, GS, SPO

    • Jonathan Aguirre, GS, SPO
      • Professional Development Working Group Member
      • Participant, American Higher Ed GradFUTURES Learning Cohort
      • Participant, Ethics of AI GradFUTURES Learning Cohort
    "I've been most appreciative of the stimulating conversations that have motivated me to pursue research topics I would have never otherwise...

  • Emilia Arguello, GS, Chemistry

    "I am excited to participate in this fellowship to experience the personal connections – both as a mentee and as a mentor – that only a genuine...

  • Wendy Laura Belcher

    "Fortunately, the graduate student professional development program at Princeton University provides training in just these types of skills and thus...

  • André Benhaïm

    "The leadership and opportunities promoted by GradFutures provide students with invaluable practical tools that will help them magnify their...

  • Caitlin Charos, *19, ENG

    "As a UAF, I found the structure, skill-building, and community I was looking for to make my graduate school experience more intentional. I highly...

  • Alicia M. Ejsmond-Frey, *19, CLA

    "My department was surprised but delighted to find out that I was going to pursue a career in government, and in his introduction to my FPO the...

  • Saadia El Karfi, GS, FIT

    As a UAF "I get to work on issues and topics that are meaningful to me as an international student, as a woman, and as an academic."

  • William A. Gleason

    • William A. Gleason
      • Hughes-Rogers Professor of English and American Studies;
      • GradFUTURES Learning Cohort Participant
    "It's exciting to see how many new initiatives and opportunities for graduate student professional development are emerging here on campus, in...

  • Jenny Greene

    "PTI supports our students not only by creating a strong community of like-minded people across the University, but also by providing a substantive...

  • Hasan Hameed, GS, HIS

    "I've gotten to interact with people in departments as diverse as Professional Development and the Office of Undergraduate Student Life, giving me a...

  • Patrice Jean, *99, MOL

    During graduate school, I honed my skills as a scientist, but I also learned how important it was to engage with all people from different...

  • Stanley N. Katz

    • Stanley N. Katz
      • Professor of Public and International Affairs;
      • Director of the Center for Arts and Cultural Policy Studies;
      • GradFUTURES Learning Cohort Participant
    "The Higher Education Workshop has been a boon for me as a scholar-teacher with a long commitment to the study of higher education policy."

  • Don Kirsch, *78, BIO

    "The Dean’s office is supportive and helpful to those who want to pursue diverse careers in industry.  In fact, Princeton invited me back to lead a...

  • Josh Kotin

    • Josh Kotin
      • Associate Professor, Department of English
      • GradFUTURES Learning Cohort Participant
    "The workshop is an important forum for exploring graduate student professional development in the twenty-first century."

  • Robbie LeDesma, GS, MOL

    “Research on the Road” is a fantastic science communication/public speaking event that taught me a lot about how to think about my own work when...

  • Victoria Luu, GS, GEO

    "This experience in creating bridges across different stakeholders and developing systematic solutions helped me to secure a prestigious marine...

  • Erika Milam

    "The Graduate School's Professional Development Program provides guidance to help students develop the skills and competencies crucial for success in...

  • Lucy Partman, GS, ART

    "Through this work, I have the extraordinary opportunity to connect and collaborate with people all across campus, in the Princeton community, and...

  • Rodney D. Priestley

    • Rodney D. Priestley
      • Vice Dean for Innovation, Office of the Dean for Research;
      • Associate Director of Princeton Center for Complex Materials;
      • Professor and Director of Graduate Studies Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering
    "I have been very impressed with the rollout of the GradFUTURES program, and the opportunities that it has provided for graduate students to receive...

  • Ann Marie Russell, *12, PSY

    "When I was in graduate school, it felt like we had two choices: an academic career or failure. The thought of voluntarily pursuing a non-academic...

  • Aderayo Sanusi

    "I have found the experience deeply rewarding because of the invaluable opportunity to leverage my ethnographic research skills while I also learns...

  • Annette Zimmerman

    "The GradFUTURES Learning Cohort on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence has been a platform for many illuminating and inspiring conversations...