Background Image Alternative Text: Spring 2022 Grad Symposium Event

Graduate Student Development

In addition to learning expertise in a discipline while in graduate school, graduate students benefit by taking advantage of opportunities to develop “transferable skills”, those skills that prepare them holistically to excel in their careers, to become leaders, and to lead a balanced life.

MSU Workshops for Graduate Students

A current list of workshops held by MSU that relate to graduate studies, will be shared at the link above. Many departments provide helpful workshops and seminars for graduate students and you hope you will take advantage of these resources. 

Accelerate to Industry

Accelerate to Industry, or A2i, is a professional development program dedicated to enhancing graduate and postdoctoral training for careers outside academia.  First developed by the North Carolina State University, this program connects graduate students with industry companies to explore employment opportunities. Our A2i programming offers a selection of Industry Job Search Strategy workshops and luncheons for the first cohort. Topics include networking, resume and CV writing, interviewing and communication skills, offer negotiation, and more. 

3 Minute Thesis

3MT® is a competition that helps graduate students develop their verbal communication skills and challenges graduate students to present a compelling verbal presentation of their thesis or dissertation topic and its significance in just three minutes.

Graduate Student Research Symposium

The Graduate Student Research Symposium (GSRS) is an interdisciplinary forum designed to highlight the quality and diversity of graduate-level research comprised of oral and poster presentations. The GSRS serves as an opportunity for graduate students to gain experience giving presentations and to receive meaningful feedback from an evaluative panel of established MSU faculty members and researchers in a conference-style venue.

Image of Research

A picture can say more than a thousand words … and sometimes more than an entire dissertation. 

The Image of Research competition gives students the opportunity to engage creatively with their research, share behind-the-scenes views of their research processes, or portray their academic study in visual form. Finalists will be displayed at the Union Art Gallery on the second floor of the Union.

Graduate Student Association (GSA)

The Graduate Student Association (GSA) provides programs and services to enrich the graduate student experience and promote, support, and represent graduate student interests and values. The GSA hold monthly meetings to provide a forum for graduate students to network with peers, learn about valuable campus support services, and express concerns on both academic and non-academic issues as well as sponsors multiple events throughout the year.

Graduate Student Event Weeks

The Graduate School and The Graduate student Association designate a week in the Fall and Spring semester to celebrate MSU’s graduate students and offer development opportunities designed for graduate students. Past events include professional development workshops, fitness classes, mental health workshops, virtual trivia night, free professional headshots, free food events and social events to meet fellow graduate students.

Preparing Future Faculty

The Preparing Future Faculty is a certificate program coordinated by MSU’s Center for Teaching and Learning and is a cooperative effort between the CTL, the Graduate School and MSU Libraries. It offers improved understanding of teaching and learning, including faculty roles and responsibilities; interaction with peers and faculty across disciplines; and improved preparation for faculty positions and the job market.

Travel Assistance Grants for Graduate Students (TAGGS)

The Graduate School offers Travel Assistance Grants for Graduate Students (TAGGS) annually, for each of two travel periods. Grants are offered in support of Master’s and PhD graduate students who plan to travel to national or international conferences and give a presentation, and have departmental support.

Graduate School Professional Development Award

The Graduate School Professional Development Award aims to support professional development opportunities of graduate students attending Mississippi State University. The award aims to encourage students requiring financial assistance to participate in a virtual conference to present their research or in other professional development opportunities.

Graduate Student Awards Banquet

The Graduate Student Awards Banquet is an annual event hosted in the spring to recognize the accomplishments of graduate students and faculty. Students can get nominated for Graduate Research Assistant, Graduate Service Assistant and Graduate Teaching Assistance, and each college selects their Hall of Fame student of the year.

Graduate Teaching Assistant Training Workshops

The Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA) Training Workshops are held twice a year and are designed to introduce students to the techniques and skills necessary to be effective instructors in the University environment and promote excellence in undergraduate education at Mississippi State University. The workshop includes two parts: the general training session, and the Classroom certification/teaching simulation session.

For questions regarding Graduate Student Development Events/Programs please contact:

Lilli Harris, Assistant Director, Graduate Student Development
Email: lharris@grad.msstate.edu
Phone: 662-325-1622