December 2021 Newsletter for Graduate & Professional Students
Vice Provost for Education
Newsletter for Graduate & Professional Students
December 2021
Announcements from
Vice Provost for Education Karen Detlefsen, Ph.D.
As we move into Winter Break, I’d like to share my best wishes for a restful, healthy, and restorative break. Take time to recharge and (safely) gather with friends and family. Enjoy a Happy New Year, and I look forward to seeing you back on campus in the spring.
I’d also like to offer a special congratulations to our December graduates! Best of luck in your future endeavors.
Finally, I’d like to encourage returning PhD students to apply for the Provost’s Graduate Academic Engagement Fellowship, for students whose scholarship significantly involves Academically Based Community Service (ABCS) and related activities, including locally based community problem-solving, engaged scholarship, service learning, and learning by teaching in public schools. Applications are open now, and the deadline to apply is January 31.
Highlighted Resources
Public Safety Special Checks
Special Checks time is here! If you live within the Penn Patrol zone and will be away during Winter Break, register now for your property to receive special checks by Public Safety Officers. Learn more and register here.
Graduate Student Center reopening
I am pleased to let you know that the Graduate Student Center will reopen in the spring semester. Check the Grad Center website in January for opening dates and hours.
Upcoming Events and Activities
Virtual Dissertation Boot Camp
January 10-21, 2022 | Registration Deadline: December 20
Writing a dissertation is hard - especially when you're doing it alone. This two week virtual writing retreat for advanced doctoral students will kick start your writing in the new year and help you establish both good habits and a peer network! Learn more and apply at gsc.upenn.edu/virtual-writing-camp
Visit the Graduate Student Center’s calendar for future events!
Tips for Success in Graduate & Professional School
Decoding Diversity Statements for International PhD students.
Graduate Students Should Seek Multiple Mentors
Grad Students Making News
Nursing master’s student Danielle Walters published an op-ed on bills limiting the number of patients assigned to nurses.
See more grad students in the news at gsc.upenn.edu/about/penn-grad-news
Fellowships and Opportunities
Graduate Editorial Assistant
Deadline: Rolling
Part-time position providing editorial and proofreading support for preparation of faculty grant and manuscript drafts. This position will pay $25/hour and hours will be both variable and flexible. Eligible candidates will be advanced PhD students with strong English language writing and proofreading skills. Experience in a STEM field is an advantage but not required. Interested students should send an email with a current CV as a PDF attachment and the subject “Graduate Editorial Assistant” to mwooten@upenn.edu.
Perry World House Identity & Conflict Postdoctoral Fellows
Deadline: December 20
The Penn Identity & Conflict (PIC) Lab, led by Professor Nicholas Sambanis at the Department of Political Science is dedicated to addressing a broad range of critical questions focused on inter-group conflict.
Career Services' PhD Career Exploration Fellowship 2022
Deadline: January 17, 2022
The PhD Career Exploration Fellowship program encourages non-faculty career exploration among doctoral students by facilitating networking experiences and fostering mentorship relationships with advanced degree-holding professionals. This unpaid opportunity allows doctoral students to gain a better understanding of day-to-day life in administrative offices, libraries, pharmaceutical companies, museums, science outreach, and other organizations, on Penn’s campus, the greater Philadelphia area, and beyond.
Penn Projects for Progress
Application opens: January 17, 2022
Deadline: January 30, 2022
Penn Projects for Progress seeks to seed impactful projects, grounded in outstanding Penn research, that will offer new ideas to enhance the quality of life for members of our community now and in the future. Project proposals are to be related to the challenges of eradicating or reducing systemic racism, achieving educational equity, or reducing health disparities based on race, gender, sexual orientation, and/or social determinants of health.
To see additional fellowships and award opportunities, visit CURF Resources for Graduate Students and Grad Center Grants and Fellowships webpages. For general information about graduate funding and need-based aid, please visit the Graduate Funding and Finances section of the Graduate Resource Guide.
About the Vice Provost for Education
The Vice Provost for Education oversees undergraduate and graduate education at Penn, developing and implementing policies that promote academic excellence, innovative teaching and learning, and interdisciplinary knowledge across the University. The Vice Provost chairs the Council of Undergraduate Deans, the Council of Graduate Deans, the Council of Professional Master’s Degree Deans, the Graduate Council of the Faculties, and the Faculty Advisory Council for Access and Academic Support Initiatives.
