Workshop Series

The Graduate School Workshop Series offers students the opportunity to learn from members of the Graduate School and various other offices on campus about guidelines, processes, opportunities, and possibilities for assistance. The individual sessions cover a wide range of topics and will be offered each semester.

If you have any questions, please contact the Graduate School.

Spring 2026

Getting Involved and Finding Connections with other Gradbirds

Project Connect
Thursday February 5th 3:00 - 3:50pm
Friday April 3rd 4:00 - 4:50pm

Led by Health Promotion and Wellness graduate assistants, this workshop uses fun, engaging activities in a small-group setting to help students meet others and build meaningful connections. Whether you are an introvert or extrovert, you will enjoy getting to know other students without the pressure of having to figure out how to approach others and engage in interesting conversations

Writing Support

Friday Graduate Writing Nest
Every Friday from 1:00 - 4:30pm starting January 16th
Milner Library 213B and online through Zoom

Graduate student writers need consistent spaces in which they can focus and write. Between work, home, and classes, finding that place can be difficult. The Friday Graduate Writing Nest meets every week in Milner 213B and online. You can ask questions, talk about writing wins or challenges, or work quietly on your own. Find your writing community here! No advanced registration required.

Note: Participants can also join a Writing Nest chat through Microsoft Teams. Reach out to Dr. Hawkins (jchawk2@ilstu.edu) to be added to the list.

Saturday Writing Sprints
Saturday January 24th 10:00am - 1:00pm
Saturday February 14th 10:00am - 1:00pm
Saturday March 28th 10:00am - 1:00pm
Saturday April 18th 10:00am - 1:00pm

Are you easily distracted trying to work from home? Do you wish you could work with others in a quiet friendly space? Want to take in a little daylight? Join us for Saturday Writing Sprints! Coffee and light breakfast will be provided. Please register individually for each date you plan to attend to help us plan food counts.

Register for the January 24th Session
Register for the February 14th Session
Register for the March 28th Session
Register for the April 18th Session

Overcoming Writing Anxiety: How to Change Our Relationship to the Writing Process
Tuesday February 24th 6:30 - 8:00pm

“Being stuck in our writing isn’t just an intellectual or emotional problem; it’s a power problem.” - Michelle Boyd

What do we do when the labor of writing seems overwhelming? How do we make sense of the risks we take when we write? This conversational workshop, co-hosted by WGSS and the Graduate School Writing Support team, suggests that writing might become a site for meaningful work with others instead of an isolating burden. We will discuss strategies for breaking through writer’s block, risk assessment in 2026, and the importance of community in the writing process.

Register for the February 24th Session

Spring Break Writing Retreat
Monday March 9th 10:00am - 5:00pm
Tuesday March 10th 10:00am - 5:00pm
Wednesday March 11th 10:00am - 5:00pm

One of the hardest things about writing as a graduate student is making time for the work. This writing retreat will allow participants to spend three days prioritizing their writing in a supportive and focused environment. The Graduate School will provide lunch and snacks so that you can progress on your thesis, dissertation, capstone, coursework, or any other writing project. Dr. Hawkins will also be on hand to provide any one-on-one writing support you need.

You are welcome to attend for as many days as you like, but please register separately for each day to help us plan food counts.

Thesis/Dissertation Preparation

Navigating the Thesis/Dissertation Proposal Stage with Ease
Thursday January 8th 4:30 - 5:30pm
Tuesday April 14th 4:30 - 5:30pm

You probably know the stress of grad school all too well, but the thesis and dissertation process does not have to feel overwhelming and isolated. If you are starting the process and are lost, then we are here to help! Milner Library’s Copyright Officer, Colby Cilento, will be your fearless guides, going over the thesis/dissertation proposal processes and deadlines, and copyright procedures step by step so you can start the proposal milestone with ease!

Key Workshop Takeaways:
- Overview of Proposal processes and starting your research
- Copyright and IRB approval processes and who to contact
- Graduate School Committee Requirements

The Grad Student's Guide to Everything Milner
Thursday January 22nd 4:30 - 5:30pm

You've found yourself in grad school, now what? Did you know Milner Library has a plethora of helpful resources to help you navigate your research and next academic era with ease. Milner's Colby Cilento will be your guide to all things grad school in the library!

Key Workshop Takeaways:
-Navigate resources available through Milner Library
-Discuss how those services and resources can help with research
-Provide opportunities for questions on library resources and research assistance

Register for the January 22nd Session

One-Click Citations and Bibliographies
Tuesday February 3rd 4:30 - 5:30pm

Whether you're working on a course research project, finishing your comps, or writing your thesis/dissertation, keeping track of your sources can be dauting. Not to mention making sure your citations and references are formatted correctly! Facilitated by Jennifer Sharkey from Milner Library, learn how to use a free source management tool called Zotero so that you can easily and quickly collect and organize your sources; AND in Microsoft Word insert in-text citations and generate bibliographies with a click of a button.

Key Workshop Takeaways:
-How to keep track of sources and format citations
-Learn how to use Zotero, a free source management tool
-Insert Zotero citations into Microsoft Word

Grad School Guide to a Dauntless Defense
Thursday February 12th 4:30-5:30pm

You’ve passed the proposal stage, done your research, and compiled it into a draft of your thesis/dissertation. You’re now ready to hold your oral defense! You can go into this milestone without fear, as Milner Library's Colby Cilento is here to guide you through defense planning, procedures, and wrapping up your thesis or dissertation as you prepare to complete this chapter of your academic journey.

Key Workshop Takeaways:
- Overview of the Right to Defend requirements and filing procedures
- Learn how to plan your defense
- Find out about post-defense steps and graduation prep

Flawless Formatting for your Thesis/Dissertation
Thursday February 19th 4:00 - 5:30pm

The Graduate School's Dr. John Hawkins will show you how to flawlessly format your thesis by sharing writing resources and tips, then walking you through the Graduate School's formatting template so you feel confident in preparing your work for submission.

Key Workshop Takeaways:
- Discover available writing resources and services
-Overview of Graduate School formatting guidelines
-Learn how to navigate the Graduate School's templates and poperly format your thesis/dissertation to meet requirements

Submitting your Thesis/Dissertation to ISU ReD
Tuesday March 3rd 4:30pm - 5:30pm

ISU ReD, the university's institutional repository, is the required depository for ISU theses and dissertations. Milner Library's Colby Cilento will lead you through the steps to create an account, add metadata, upload your thesis/dissertation to ISU ReD, and view and make requested corrections.

Key Workshop Takeaways:
-Discover your rights as an author and considerations for depositing your work
-Learn how to copmlete your required deposit in ISU ReD
-Navigate through the process for making revisions and corrections

Register for the March 3rd Session

Unpacking Publishing for Graduate Students
Tuesday March 17th 4:00 - 5:30pm

Join Milner Library's Lindsey Skaggs and Colby Cilento as they provide information and insights into scholarly publishing for graduate students. Learn about publishing your thesis/dissertation research, including how to select a venue, the submission process, copyright agreements, and open access options.

Key Workshop Takeaways:
-Overview of the scholarly publication process
-Learn about open access and copyright transfer agreements
-Get answers to your questions about publishing your research

Register for the March 17th Session

AI Considerations For Your Scholarship at ISU
Thursday March 26th 4:30 - 5:30pm

AI is everywhere these days, but how are people actually using it? And will any of those applications help you as a graduate student to successfully complete your research? In this workshop, Milner Librarians, Grace Allbaugh and Colby Cilento, will engage participants in a discussion about considerations of using AI tools when developing and writing your thesis/dissertation.

Key Workshop Takeaways:
- Develop a greater awareness for how AI tools operate and various ways of interacting with them.
- Cultivate an understanding of ethical and appropriate uses of AI when developing thesis/dissertation content.
- Formulate questions and discussion points for your committee chair about AI incorporation.

Register for the March 26th Session

Career Preparation

Illinois State University has partnered with Beyond Graduate School and Beyond the Professoriate to offer Graduate Students access to a comprehensive set of career preparation tools. Participate in live webinars or access the library of content on your own schedule.

Beyond Graduate School (Master's Students)

Beyond Graduate School is a one-of-a-kind, online platform that helps master’s students make the most out of their investment and build their careers. From video lessons on career exploration, to writing application materials, to interviewing and negotiating for that next career step — Beyond Grad School helps master’s students through each stage of their job search.

To log in, visit Beyond Graduate School, select Illinois State University, and enter your ULID and password.

Upcoming synchronous online events offered through the Beyond Graduate School Platform

January 14th: Graduating This Year? How to Land a Job After Graduation (1:00 - 1:30pm)
February 9th - 12th: How to Stand Out in a Competitive Job Market (1:00 - 1:30pm daily)
March 4th: Advice for International Students Struggling in their Job Search (1:00 - 1:30pm)
March 18th: How to Maintain your Network During your Job Search and Beyond (1:00 - 1:30pm)
April 1st: What to Do if you're Getting Interviews but no Job Offers (1:00 - 1:30pm)
April 15th: What You Needs to Know About Using AI at Work (1:00 - 1:30pm)

Beyond the Professoriate (Doctoral Students)

Beyond the Professoriate’s Career Training Platform is an online professional development tool where postdocs and doctoral students can explore career options and learn job search strategies. Through two programs of study (Academic Careers and Professional Careers), students are empowered to make informed decisions about their career path and learn successful job search strategies from other PhDs.

To log in simply visit Beyond Prof’s Career Training Platform, select Illinois State University, and enter your ULID and password.

Upcoming online synchronous events offered through the Beyond the Professoriate Platform

January 14th: Why a Successful Job Search is a Focused Job Search (11:00am - 11:45am)
February 4th: How to Identify and Research Non-Academic Employers (11:00am - 11:45am)
February 18th: Why Generic Resumes Won't Get you a Job Offer (11:00am - 11:45am)
March 4th: Will AI Help or Hurt my Job Search? (11:00am - 11:45am)
March 18th: How to Build and Grow your Network for Non-Academic Jobs (11:00am - 11:45am)
April 1st: How to Build a Stand-Out LinkedIn Profile (11:00am - 11:45am)
April 15th: How to Stand Out in a Competitive Job Market (11:00am - 11:45am)
May 4th - May 8th: PhD Career Conference ((11:00am - 11:45am) daily)