Shop Talks

Grad College Shop Talks include everything that has to do with your graduate degree, from program requirements to research and everything in between. Grad College Shop Talks provide presentations in key areas of your shop — including strategizing efficient degree completion, finding research support, disseminating your scholarship, and planning for your career. We even offer a certificate of completion which you can add to your resume!

Upcoming Shop Talks

Our Shop Talks are always free, and we invite you to join us for as many sessions as you would like. To view Shop Talks descriptions and to register, select a Shop Talk title that you are interested in learning more about.

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If you would like to register for a Shop Talk on a mobile device, turn the device horizontally to access the registration link on an entry below.

Location:
Online
Cost:
Free
Contact:
Ashley Carrington
512-245-3593
amc189@txstate.edu
Campus Sponsor:
The Graduate College

In this workshop, we will delve into the art of taking smart notes, a technique that can revolutionize your research, writing, and critical thinking skills. Drawing from the principles outlined in Sönke Ahrens' book, we will explore effective strategies for capturing, organizing, and leveraging your notes to enhance your academic pursuits. Join us to discover a transformative approach to note-taking (or, note-making!) that will empower you to excel in your graduate studies and beyond.

Presented by: Jess Williams, Assistant Director, University Libraries


Register today!

Did you know you can earn a Certificate of Completion by attending Shop Talks? Learn more.
Click here for more information
more about event
Location:
Online
Cost:
Free
Contact:
Ashley Carrington
512-245-3593
amc189@txstate.edu
Campus Sponsor:
The Graduate College
This workshop combines reflection activities with practical strategies to increase your confidence as a writer and improve your writing productivity. The session will challenge common writing myths and address typical pitfalls that often hold writers back, such as waiting for inspiration, “binge writing,” all-or-nothing thinking, and more. Participants will identify their own attitudes and beliefs about writing, learn techniques to shift their writing mindset, and practice exercises to build writing stamina and promote positive writing experiences. Participants will also have the opportunity to build their own writing community by signing up to join a writing group. We recommend bringing materials to type or write with to this session!

Presented by: Dr. Lauren Brentnell , Director, University Writing Center


Register today!

Did you know you can earn a Certificate of Completion by attending Shop Talks? Learn more.
Click here for more information
more about event

Location:
Online
Cost:
Free
Contact:
Ashley Carrington
512-245-3593
amc189@txstate.edu
Campus Sponsor:
The Graduate College
Struggling to organize assignments and due dates? This session will provide attendees with tips and tricks on navigating Office 365, specifically Microsoft Planner and Microsoft To Do.

Presented by: Ethne Sorenson, Administrative Assistant II, University Libraries


Register today!

Did you know you can earn a Certificate of Completion by attending Shop Talks? Learn more.
Click here for more information
more about event
Location:
Online
Cost:
Free
Contact:
Ashley Carrington
512-245-3593
amc189@txstate.edu
Campus Sponsor:
The Graduate College
This Shop Talks session is designed for doctoral students seeking tenure-track and lecturer positions at four-year colleges and universities. It covers the last part of the interview process, namely job offer negotiations. Specifically, we will discuss which factors to consider when evaluating a job offer, what questions to ask, and how to negotiate the terms you were offered. In addition, we will discuss concerns of dual career couples and international students.

Presented by: Dr. Andrea Golato, Dean, The Graduate College


Register today!

Did you know you can earn a Certificate of Completion by attending Shop Talks? Learn more.
Click here for more information
more about event
Location:
Online
Cost:
Free
Contact:
Ashley Carrington
512-245-3593
amc189@txstate.edu
Campus Sponsor:
The Graduate College
Wondering how to attend to your mental well-being in graduate school? This Shop Talks session will address factors that impact mental well-being in graduate school (e.g., work-life balance), as well as briefly cover skills for coping with common mental health concerns faced by graduate students (e.g., anxiety).

Presented by: Dr. Alyssa Fernandez, Psychologist, Counseling Center


Register today!

Did you know you can earn a Certificate of Completion by attending Shop Talks? Learn more.
Click here for more information
more about event
Location:
Online
Cost:
Free
Contact:
Ashley Carrington
512-245-3593
amc189@txstate.edu
Campus Sponsor:
The Graduate College
This Shop Talk introduces writers to graduate-level writing expectations. It addresses graduate-level research writing with a focus on the general structure of research-based assignments such as research proposals and research studies for comprehensive exams, theses, or dissertations. Attendees will learn about the parts of these documents, the logic behind how they are written, and how to assess samples of research writing for their strengths and weaknesses in meeting the expectations of the genre. Although writing up literature reviews, methods, results, and conclusions will be discussed, this Shop Talk will serve as a broad overview of the genre.

Presented by: Dr. Joanna Collins, Assistant Director, University Writing Center


Register today!

Did you know you can earn a Certificate of Completion by attending Shop Talks? Learn more.
Click here for more information
more about event

Location:
Online
Cost:
Free
Contact:
Ashley Carrington
512-245-3593
amc189@txstate.edu
Campus Sponsor:
The Graduate College

Meet The Graduate College deans virtually: Dr. Andrea Golato, Dean, Dr. Patti Giuffre, Associate Dean, Dr. Donna Vandiver, Associate Dean and, Dr. Clay Green, Associate Dean. Join the event and hear their tips for success on graduate studies, research, and careers in academia. Bring your questions!

Presented by: Dr. Andrea Golato, Dean, The Graduate College
Dr. Patti Giuffre, Associate Dean, The Graduate College
Dr. Donna Vandiver, Associate Dean, The Graduate College
Dr. Clay Green, Associate Dean, The Graduate College


Register today!

Did you know you can earn a Certificate of Completion by attending Shop Talks? Learn more.
Click here for more information
more about event
Location:
Online
Cost:
Free
Contact:
Ashley Carrington
512-245-3593
amc189@txstate.edu
Campus Sponsor:
The Graduate College
Nervous about or unsure of how to take your job search to the next level? Don’t give up! You just need a plan. Find out how to organize your search and target the high-impact activities that will accelerate success. Come learn to use these “tricks of the trade” to uncover exciting job leads and professional contacts. The content for this Shop Talks session is tailored for graduate students.

Presented by: Sherry Yang, Career Counselor, Career Services


Register today!

Did you know you can earn a Certificate of Completion by attending Shop Talks? Learn more.
Click here for more information
more about event
Location:
Online
Cost:
Free
Contact:
Ashley Carrington
512-245-3593
amc189@txstate.edu
Campus Sponsor:
The Graduate College
This Shop Talk will address a common challenge in academia: rejection. Whether it is for funding, a publication, or academic employment, rejection is a normal part of the application process. While these experiences often cause grief, this presentation will help attendees develop strategies for processing rejection and responding to feedback through engagement with the following concepts:

• acknowledging the negative impacts of rejection
• understanding the benefits of non-selection
• interpreting negative feedback as constructive criticism
• building on feedback to move forward and persevere

Presented by: Dr. Andrea Hilkovitz and Dr. Brian Smith, External Funding Coordinators, The Graduate College


Register today!

Did you know you can earn a Certificate of Completion by attending Shop Talks? Learn more.
Click here for more information
more about event
Location:
Online
Cost:
Free
Contact:
Ashley Carrington
512-245-3593
amc189@txstate.edu
Campus Sponsor:
The Graduate College
New to setting up a survey in Qualtrics? Come learn how to set up a project, some of the tools, and some basics of survey design that will bring back the information in usable form. Come with a project or use ours to practice.

Presented by: Tricia Boucher, Librarian, University Libraries


Register today!

Did you know you can earn a Certificate of Completion by attending Shop Talks? Learn more.
Click here for more information
more about event

Location:
Online
Cost:
Free
Contact:
Ashley Carrington
512-245-3593
amc189@txstate.edu
Campus Sponsor:
The Graduate College
Budgeting in and beyond graduate school comes with many challenges. This session provides an opportunity to explore grad school and post-grad expenses and strategies to manage them. Also in this session, you will gain access to an example budget and be able to follow along with the presenter as they demonstrate different strategies.

Presented by: Dr. Byron Kerr, Assistant Director, Financial Aid and Scholarships


Register today!

Did you know you can earn a Certificate of Completion by attending Shop Talks? Learn more.
Click here for more information
more about event

What Students Are Saying

headshot of Elisabeth Cuerrier-Richer

"As an international student, I am continuously impressed by the resources offered by The Graduate College to help student success, as I did not encounter anything similar at my previous institutions. I am very grateful for the Shop Talks because they have helped me grow as a writer, improve my presentation skills, feel more structured in my finances and gain more self-confidence on the job market. In short, they have become crucial to my development as a graduate student and professional in academia."

Elisabeth Cuerrier-Richer, PhD, Department of Anthropology

headshot of Kayanna Resetar

"As a current graduate student working towards my M. Ed. In Student Affairs in Higher Education, Shop Talks have been essential to my program by helping me understand the process of research, walking me through helpful links and tools for classes, and helping me find new ways to fund my degree. The Shop Talks have taught me to be a better student by reaching out to and using the resources around me on and off campus. I have grown in my program, as a student, and as a person in learning about these topics."

Kayanna Resetar, M. Ed. Student Affairs in Higher Education

headshot of Crosville Williams

"I gain much more than academic support, but a set of handy tools to bring along in the next stage of my professional journey."

– Crosville Williams, Master's in Public Administration

  If you require accommodations due to a disability in order to participate, please contact 512.245.2281 at least 72 hours in advance of the event.

  Texas State is a tobacco-free campus.