Professional Development Workshops
Prepare for your Profession!
Register for our workshops
The Graduate School offers an array of career preparedness, communication skills, leadership, teaching, and wellness programs which are broken down by five competency areas. If you are not sure where to start with your professional development, go to our Getting Started page for guidance.
All workshops and development series adhere to the attendance policy and the synchronous Zoom workshop policy.
If you are unable to attend a workshop you registered for, you can cancel by going to the Cancel Registration page.
Note: When you register for a workshop, please enter your correct NC State email address on the registration form so that the system will correctly add you to the registration list. Thank you!
April
Communication Skills: User-Friendly Writing (April 10 & April 17)
In this two part workshop, we address the challenges of conveying your research story in a persuasive way for technical and nontechnical stakeholders. We will focus on various structures of writing across STEM and humanities fields to include organization and interpretation of results. These will include technical/non-technical reports, results & discussion sections or articles and theses, and similar types of writing projects.
April 10, 1:00-2:30 p.m.; Zoom
April 17 1:00-2:30 p.m.; Zoom
Career Readiness Programs: A2i+ Workplace Preparedness Series – Relationship Management (April 16)
Workplace dynamics can be challenging, and understanding your communication style is key to navigating them effectively. In this workshop, participants will identify how their style influences interactions with supervisors, peers, and collaborators. Through practical strategies and real-world scenarios, students will practice approaches for resolving conflict and communicating with clarity and confidence. Attendees will leave with tools they can apply immediately in their current roles and future careers.
April 16, 4:30-5:30 p.m.; Zoom
Teaching Programs: TA Teaching Studio: Session 4 (April 16)
The TA Teaching Studio is a place where current or prospective Teaching Assistants can gain practical teaching experience by doing short, microteaching demonstrations. Not only will you have the opportunity to enhance and sharpen your own teaching skills, but you’ll also deepen your understanding and knowledge by seeing your peers and offering constructive feedback to them. In addition, Studio participants receive feedback in a constructive, supportive environment.
April 16, 4:30-6 p.m.; Graduate School, Room 2328
Career Readiness Programs: A2i+ Workplace Preparedness Series – Networking 101 (April 23)
You’ve made a great first impression—now it’s time to build meaningful connections! This workshop will provide practical strategies for effective networking, helping you cultivate relationships that can support your career growth. Learn how to confidently engage with colleagues, expand your professional network, and make the most of every opportunity.
April 23, 4:30-5:30 p.m.; Zoom
Career Readiness Programs: A2i+ Career Insights (April 24)
Learn directly from professionals across industry, government, and non-profit sectors. Each session highlights real career paths, essential skills, and actionable advice for navigating life after grad school. Why attend? Explore careers, ask questions, and expand your professional network.
April 24, 1-2 p.m.; Zoom (Open to all A2i+ partner schools)
Topic: Closing the Context Gap: Think Different, Learn Fast, and Operate from Your Strengths
Graduate school builds deep expertise, but success in unfamiliar professional environments requires a different way of thinking. In this session, our speaker will share a practical framework for recognizing existing strengths, addressing key gaps, and developing the mental models needed to adapt, learn quickly, and operate with clarity.
May
Communication Skills: Spring 2026 In-Person Writing Retreat (May 12 & May 13)
The two-day In-Person Writing Retreat provides graduate and postdoctoral writers with dedicated time and structure to make progress on a major writing project, as well as provide resources for writing strategies. Guest speakers will additionally discuss campus writing and research resources. Please note that this writing retreat does have a $40 registration fee to cover the cost of food and supplies.
May 12, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.; College of Textiles Convocation Center, Room 2225 (Centennial Campus)
May 13, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.; College of Textiles Convocation Center, Room 2225 (Centennial Campus)
Communication Skills: Professional Emails (May 21)
Contact colleagues at NC State and beyond with tact and ease! In this workshop, you will gain strategies for crafting effective professional emails. Participants will practice and discuss strategies for: organizing a professional email message, making inquiries and requests, and creating a professional tone or voice in email.
May 21, Noon-1:30 p.m.; Zoom
Communication Skills: Writer’s Toolkit (May 22 & May 29)
In this two part workshop, we’ll focus on strategies for planning and managing a writing project, as well as fundamental tips for structuring writing for a variety of contexts. Participants will clarify their writing goals for the semester and learn strategies to implement on current and future writing projects. We will use different genres of writing projects as case studies, so participants will also gain tips for summarizing, paraphrasing, and synthesizing their writing projects.
May 22, Noon-1:30 p.m.; Zoom
May 29, Noon-1:30 p.m.; Zoom
Communication Skills: Concise Communication (May 26)
Do people say that your communicate style is too wordy? In this interactive Concise Communication (formerly Concise Writing) workshop, we’ll address the challenge of building clear, concise sentences that represent your science to diverse stakeholders. Using Richard Lanham’s famous “Paramedic Method” and other approaches, participants will leave the session with strategies for “user-friendly” sentences in reports and other areas of workplace communication.
May 26, Noon-1:30 p.m.; Zoom
June
Communication Skills: Basics of Finding Fellowships/Grants (June 2)
In this workshop we will learn how to approach finding fellowship and grant opportunities for NC State graduate students. We will discuss developing a plan for locating relevant fellowship and grants, while also learning more about the types of opportunities available for your own interests. Please note that this workshop is part of the University Fellowship Office and Communication Skills workshop series and is tailored for graduate students at NC State.
June 2, 2-3:30 p.m.; Zoom
Communication Skills: How to Write a CV (June 4)
Translating your resume to a curriculum vitae and vice versa can be a daunting task, especially when trying to figure out which document will work best for your professional field. Join the Graduate School for a virtual workshop that will focus on the best approach for creating a CV for your academic and professional goals.
June 4, Noon-1:30 p.m.; Zoom
Communication Skills: User-Friendly Writing (June 5 & June 12)
In this two part workshop, we address the challenges of conveying your research story in a persuasive way for technical and nontechnical stakeholders. We will focus on various structures of writing across STEM and humanities fields to include organization and interpretation of results. These will include technical/non-technical reports, results & discussion sections or articles and theses, and similar types of writing projects.
June 5, Noon-1:30 p.m.; Zoom
June 12, Noon-1:30 p.m.; Zoom
Communication Skills: Writing Personal Statements & Narratives (June 9)
Combining personal writing and academic writing can be a challenge, especially when it comes to applications. In this University Fellowship Office and Communication Skills workshop series we will explore how to write personal statements and narratives for fellowship and grant applications. Please note that this workshop is tailored for graduate students at NC State.
June 9, 2-3:30 p.m.; Zoom
Communication Skills: How to Speak with Conference Confidence (June 15)
Formal presentations for conferences can be intimidating, especially when you navigate your first conference. In this workshop we will focus on best practices for preparing and presenting at a conference. We will talk through presenting with nerves, developing your pacing as a speaker and presenting in a manner that allows you to engage with your audience. Participants will also get a chance to practice their public speaking skills in a supportive in-person environment.
June 15, Noon-1:30 p.m.; Zoom
Communication Skills: Writing Research Statements (June 16)
Developing a concrete research statement is a requirement for many graduate academic and research opportunities. Through this University Fellowship Office and Communication Skills workshop series we will craft research statements that can be used for fellowship and grant applications. We will discuss challenges to this type of writing, while also considering techniques to enhance your writing. Please note that this workshop is tailored for graduate students at NC State.
June 16, Noon-1:30 p.m.; Zoom
Communication Skills: Situational Speaking (June 16)
Understanding how to communicate in different situations ranging from academic to professional contexts is an essential skill in one’s professional development. In this interactive workshop, graduate students and postdoctoral scholars will be able to practice their speaking skills in the types of conversations expected within and outside of academia, such as presentations or informal networking conversations. Additionally, we will discuss best strategies to create effective verbal and nonverbal communication when encountering new communication situations as they arise.
June 16, 4:00-5:30 p.m.; The Graduate School Conference Room COT 2328
Communication Skills: Writing Abstracts & Introductions (June 18)
Where to start? In this workshop, we tackle the challenge of composing two key components of a research article: Abstracts and introductions.
Participants will specifically practice strategies for: adapting common abstract structures to their own article projects, effectively organizing introductions using the “Create A Research Space” (CARS) model, using appropriate verb tenses in introductions and abstracts, and starting or revising their own abstracts and introductions.
June 18, Noon-1:30 p.m.; Zoom
Accommodation Requests
In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, NC State will honor requests for reasonable accommodations made by individuals with disabilities. Requests can be served effectively if notice is provided at least ten days before the event. Direct accommodation requests for professional development programs to professional-development@ncsu.edu.
