Rethinking the Dissertation
byBy Natalie Berkman For our second session, the Connected Academics proseminar fellows visited Ithaka S+R, a nonprofit higher education think tank in Manhattan. While…
work experience
What Counts as Experience? Diversity as an Asset
byBy Carolyn Ureña This was my first year attending the MLA convention as a Connected Academics representative, and I was encouraged by the number…
Academic Archives as an Alt-Ac Avenue
byBy Patrick Butler For candidates on the job market, particularly ones focused on alt-ac positions, working in a library can seem enticing yet unattainable:…
Connected Conversations: Rachel Bernard
byIn the third installment of our Connected Conversations series, Rachel Bernard, program officer at the American Council of Learned Societies, talks about a typical workday, how she uses the research and communications skills she gained from her PhD, and what she thinks graduate students can do to prepare for life outside the academy.
Preparing for Life Outside the Academy: A Primer and Resource Guide
byInterested in pursuing a career outside or adjacent to the academy, but no idea where to start? 2015–16 proseminar fellow Dr. Sarah Goldberg made a handy primer and resource guide that will help you on your way!
The Strength of the Alt/Ac Candidate on the Academic Market
by“My fellow scholars in the MLA’s Connected Academics proseminar,” says Beth Seltzer, “tackle a mind-boggling range of responsibilities. They edit academic journals, serve as assistant deans and departmental administrators, lead graduate student associations, and volunteer with local youth-art programs. And they get all this done while they’re writing their dissertations and producing strong academic scholarship. I am sure that—through their work in various fields—they will make the world a better place.”
Cultural Programming in NYC
byHanna Griff-Slevin, director of cultural programming and intern coordinator at the Museum at Eldridge Street, on how a combination of PhD training and on-the-ground experience prepared her for a public humanities career.
Connected Conversations: Amanda Licastro
byIn our first installment of Connected Conversations, Amanda Licastro, a student at the Graduate Center, CUNY, talks about her experiences as a “freeway flyer,” the necessity of hands-on work experience for graduate students, and the unique contributions that language and literature PhDs can make outside the world of the university.
Transitional Work Experience: Why? Where? How?
by“Help! Everyone I’ve talked says my PhD isn’t enough—I need work experience. I came straight into grad school from my undergraduate program, and I’ve never worked full-time. How do I get work experience? What kind should I get? And how am I going to fit it in and still get my research done?”