GPS (Graduate and Postdoctoral Success) Offers Programs and Supports for Graduate Students and Postdocs
Graduate and Postdoctoral Success – GPS for short – supports masters and professional students throughout BU to ensure their academic, co-curricular, and career success. They achieve this through their own extensive programming as well as partnerships with other BU departments, schools, and programs — including free workshops, panels, and training events throughout the academic year to guide students in their career development. These events are designed to facilitate networking opportunities for students and postdocs while fostering personal and professional growth.
GPS also carries on the the work done by the former Professional Development and Postdoctoral Affairs (PDPA) program, working directly with PhD students and other terminal degree students as they develop skills that will benefit them while at BU and beyond. GPS works with postdoctoral scholars to foster a supportive environment as these scholars work and gain experiences to aid them in the next steps of their careers.
Visit their website to learn more about the many important activities of GPS. To name just a few of their supports, they offer:
- Professional development grants of up to $1,500 to support activities including, but not limited to, workshops and short courses that support research, teaching, or professional skills. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
- Events including the November 17 informational session on the Rappaport Public Policy Summer Fellowship program.
- Navigator, a monthly email newsletter providing updates on workshops and events, fellowships, funding opportunities, and more.
- Vitamin PhD Podcast, a program for anyone currently pursuing a doctorate, has a doctorate, or wants to support others on their doctoral journey. The podcast delivers career narratives and skills know-how in multiple formats.
- PhD Progression, an online training program that offers individual modules (badges) to support career and professional development over the course of the PhD and helps participants to prepare their their post-PhD careers.
- And much more, including teaching resources, mental health and wellness supports, summer internships, funding resources, and PhD office hours where you can learn more about these programs, receiving mentorship, and more.
GPS is led by Lauren Easterling, Assistant Provost for Graduate and Postdoctoral Development. She is also an Assistant Professor of Medical Sciences & Education at the BU Chobanian & Avesidian School of Medicine. Lauren joins BU after over nine years working in the field of graduate student and postdoctoral scholar professional and career development at Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis, IN. While at IU, Lauren developed a comprehensive professional and career development program for PhD students and postdocs, a program focused on preparing PhD students and postdocs for teaching, training, and mentoring roles, and support structures to improve the experiences of postdocs and students through policy and process changes.
Jessica McCarthy is the director of graduate student support and part of the GPS team. In this role, she focuses on career and academic support of master’s and professional students across 17 schools and colleges and two campuses. Prior to BU, Jessica was the assistant dean of graduate programs in the School of Education & Social Policy at Merrimack College, as well as the interim program director for the online education graduate program. During her time at Merrimack, she supported the development and operations of six graduate programs, as well as the implementation of the college’s first online program in teacher education. Jessica takes pride in her ability to develop cross-campus partnerships for the benefit of supporting graduate students.
Reach out to GPS (gradpd@bu.edu) to learn more about their many valuable programs!