Professional development

Build success skills for diverse career paths

The Graduate School is committed to setting you up for success for your desired career path. In addition to the discipline-specific knowledge and training you receive from your academic program, employers also seek candidates with competencies that are important for any profession.

Through partnerships at K-State and externally, there are many opportunities for you to develop skills that will contribute to your success in graduate school and beyond.

Graduate Student Council Professional Development Seminar Series

The Graduate Student Council (GSC) coordinates a series of professional development seminars each semester that aim to enrich graduate students' education beyond their own disciplines. Seminar topics include networking skills, grant writing, salary and benefits negotiation, pursuing non-academic career paths, and presentation/communication skills. K-State graduate students who attend at least five professional development events hosted by GSC during the academic year will be eligible to receive a GSC Professional Development Certificate.

View the series

Leadership Development

Graduate Student Leadership Development Program

The Graduate Student Leadership Development Program (GSLDP) provides K-State graduate students an opportunity to develop leadership skills to make positive change in your work, studies, and student organizations. In this semester-long experience, you will work with Leadership Studies faculty and your peers to dive into challenges that are most important to you.

Career Center

K-State's Career Center is available to assist graduate students with their career readiness needs. The Career Center offers extensive career advising which focuses on resume/CV/cover letter development, interview prep, job search training, and networking. Students have the opportunity to connect with potential employers at several career fairs hosted each year. The Career Center also offers free professional clothing to K-State students from its Career Closet.

Visit the Career Center website

Teaching and Learning Center (TLC)

Kansas Science Communication Initiative (KSCI)

The Kansas Science Communication Initiative (KSCI) seeks to engage communities in understanding, enthusiastically promoting, and actively participating in science and research. KSCI activities include workshops and other activities that assist graduate students in developing their science communication skills and provide them opportunities to engage with the public.

Visit the KSCI website