Workshop Abstracts and Resources

Graduate Professional and Academic Development (GPAD) Workshop Descriptions

Ally Training
Roxie Patton (rpatton7@kent.edu), Student Multicultural Center

This workshop is a modified (shortened) version of Ally Training and will focus on challenging your understanding of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBTQ) issues and common misconceptions.  The workshop will center on advancing the knowledge of the KSU community on the lives of people who identify as LGBTQ.  The ultimate goal of Ally Training is to create a group of trained allies to facilitate the transformation of the campus environment to a more welcoming community for all people regardless of sexual identity.
Handout 1, Handout 2


Blackboard Learn Overview
Preeti Palvankar (ppalvan1@kent.edu), Information Services

Blackboard is a learning management system which provides online course delivery and management for institutions like Kent State University.  This session provides an overview of Blackboard Learn and covers layouts, customization, course settings, and different tools, including grading capabilities.


Communicating in the Academy
Jenny Rosenberg (jrosenb8@kent.edu), Graduate Student Orientation Teaching Fellow

This workshop will provide useful insights into common communication practices within academic departments, universities, as well as the respective disciplines at large. The session is designed to provide tips for communicating with your academic advisor and department, networking within the discipline, and will discuss presentational tips for conference presentations, along with professional etiquette. Feel free to bring any questions you may have, as this will be an interactive workshop.
Powerpoint


Conferences and Publications
Dave Murad (dmurad@kent.edu) and Andrea Simms (asimms1@kent.edu), Graduate Student Orientation Teaching Fellows

Designed to meet the needs of all graduate students, irrespective of funding status or assistantship type, this session will provide a general overview of conferences, presentations, and the publication process. We will discuss presentation strategies, as well as offer suggestions about how to get involved in a conference, from presenting or moderating to some of the behind-the-scenes opportunities. We also hope to motivate you with ideas and suggestions about submitting your work and research for publication. And of course, feel free to share your own experiences in these areas and come with questions!
Presentation


Exploring and Conducting Academic Research
Shelley Blundell (sblundel@kent.edu) and Naser Al Madi (nmadi@kent.edu), Graduate Student Orientation Teaching Fellows

Deciding where and how to begin a research endeavor can sometimes be overwhelming. This workshop will provide some useful tips regarding how to get started, where to go for assistance, the role academic honesty plays, and some search-savvy strategies that will aid you in maximizing your results. A question-and-answer session at the end of the workshop will be available to address specific questions and concerns students may have about exploring and conducting academic research.
Presentation, Handout


How to Do a Literature Review
Paul Fehrmann (pfehrman@kent.edu) and Clare Leibfarth (cleibfar@kent.edu) University Libraries

Literature reviews are completed for many purposes: papers, articles, grants, theses, dissertations, etc. This session will explain and show you resources and steps for developing, managing, and completing literature reviews.
Literature Review Guide


Interviewing and Negotiating Your Job Offer
Hannah Sharma (hwaitkus@kent.edu), Career Services Center

In this session, you will learn about different types of interviews and interviewing tips.   Additionally, recommendations will be shared on evaluating a job offer and negotiating salary and responsibilities with confidence.
Powerpoint, Handout 1, Handout 2, Handout 3


RefWorks
Paul Fehrmann (pfehrman@kent.edu), University Libraries

RefWorks is a tool for managing library research and helping with citations and references as you write papers, theses, or dissertations. This hands-on session will show you how to get started.
RefWorks Guide


Research that Involves Human Subjects: Developing and Submitting your Institutional Review Board (IRB) Application
Paulette Washko (pwashko@kent.edu), Research and Sponsored Programs

This workshop will provide you with information about the IRB submission and review processes at Kent State.  Topics include an overview of the IRB process, how to develop an informed consent document, and common submission mistakes.
Presentation


Resumes, CVs, and Cover Letters
Hobson Hamilton (hhamilto@kent.edu), Career Services Center

This session conducted by Career Services will focus on writing Resumes, CVs, and Cover Letters. Learn how to gauge when each document is appropriate and how to get the attention of the reader.   Free online as well as in-person resources will be discussed.
Presentation, Handout


Searching for Grant Funding Opportunities
Dr. Mark van ‘t Hooft (mvanthoo@kent.edu), Research & Sponsored Programs

A critical step in obtaining grant funding is searching for and finding funding opportunities that will work for your topic. This session is a tutorial on how to best utilize COS, a funding opportunity database, to extract the most helpful and relevant information to you. The session also includes information about KSU's sponsored programs office and how it assists students in the grant process.
Presentation, Handout


Syllabus and Scheduling
Krishnamurti Murniadi (kmurniad@kent.edu), Graduate Student Orientation Teaching Fellow

Syllabus and Scheduling is designed to guide graduate teaching assistants in creating a syllabus and course outline while managing graduate study.  The goal of this workshop is to help graduate teaching assistants to create their syllabus, craft learning objectives, develop course policies, produce assessment tools and their descriptions, schedule their office hours, and ensure their syllabus adheres to university policy.  The workshop draws on graduate teaching assistants’ own knowledge about and experience with syllabi and course planning in previous classes.  Graduate teaching assistants will also have the opportunity to ask experienced graduate teaching assistants about their experience planning their own courses.


Technology Tools
Christabel Devadoss (cdevados@kent.edu), Graduate Student Orientation Teaching Fellow

This workshop looks at various technological tools, both free and for purchase, which graduate students will use in their diverse roles (student, assistant, teacher, researcher, etc.) at Kent State University and beyond.  Participants are introduced to resources like online office suites, cloud technology, presentation tools such as Prezi, and many more!
Handout


Transitioning to the American University
Weronika Kusek (wkusek@kent.edu) and Neete Saha (nsaha@kent.edu), Graduate Student Orientation Teaching Fellows

This workshop is designed to answer a range of questions international students may have about scheduling classes, connecting with advisors, professors, types of assignments, university guidelines, and academic honesty. It will also introduce international students to various university and community resources such as: career services, assistantships, internship opportunities, student organizations, and tutoring and writing services. The overall goal of this workshop is to help international students adjust to their new environment by introducing them to the expectations of their host institution.
Presentation


Using Your Online Presence to Get a Job
Ryan McNaughton (rmcnaug2@kent.edu), Career Services Center

As the use of social networking skyrockets, finding jobs in the traditional way is now obsolete.  Employers now view your online presence to assess the kind of person you are, who you’re connected to, and how you present yourself.  Through the lenses of Facebook and LinkedIn, we'll discover how your web presence impacts your job search!


What You Need to Know About Students and Plagiarism
Vanessa Earp (vearp@kent.edu), University Libraries

This session is designed to introduce you to the basics of plagiarism education. We will cover the KSU policy on plagiarism, plagiarism school, and how to design assignments to help prevent plagiarism.