GRADnavigate

Academic and professional success in grad school requires navigating a variety of different academic, professional and interpersonal situations. How should you respond to a student who seems to be struggling with mental health? How can you remain motivated and productive when writing your thesis? And, what strategies do you use to manage stress during a busy term? This event will equip you with practical skills and tools to achieve success academically, professionally and personally. In addition to a series of valuable workshops and sessions, we’ll provide you with some tasty food and time to connect with other graduate students.

This event is only open to current University of Waterloo graduate students.

Additional Information: Registration required. Register now for the full day, or a half day (morning only), depending on your availability. Lunch is included for both full day and half day attendees.

Full day attendees: As the afternoon offers are concurrent sessions, you will be asked to indicate which is your preferred session to attend. Due to registration numbers, we may not be able to accommodate all of your preferred workshops; however, each participant will be guaranteed to attend at least one of their preferred workshops. You will receive an email, prior to the event, confirming which workshops you are registered to attend.

Program Descriptions

Dr. Patrick Parnaby, Keynote Presentation: “THINK: Paying attention to what matters”

Dr. Patrick Parnaby is an Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology & Anthropology at the University of Guelph where he is known for his engaging lectures. In his keynote, Dr. Parnaby will reflect on the life of a graduate student and how important it is to think about what we may take for granted as a way of navigating graduate school to make the most of the experience.

QPR (Question Persuade Refer) Training

Facilitator: Dave Logan MSW, Counselling Services.

Whether as a TA, peer, friend or family member, you may interact with someone struggling with mental health or thoughts of suicide. How should you respond? QPR teaches how to recognize and support someone who may be having thoughts of suicide by providing direction as to how to Question a person with thoughts of suicide, how to Persuade them to get help, and how to Refer the person to appropriate professional resources.

How can TAs & instructors support student mental health?

Facilitator: Kristin Brown, Centre for Teaching Excellence.

In this workshop you will discuss the role TAs and instructors can play in supporting student mental health, while learning practical classroom strategies to support students.

How to get stuff done (and enjoy doing it): Productive writing strategies

Facilitators: Nadine Fladd and Nicole Westlund Stewart, Writing and Communication Centre.

In this interactive workshop, staff from the Writing and Communication Centre will introduce you to practices for increasing your motivation to write your thesis, journal articles, or other major projects. Specific topics will include the role of motivation, and goal-setting and journaling as practical strategies to increase your productivity.

Impostor Phenomenon

Facilitators: Nyasha Gondora and Sarah Howard, Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs.

Have you ever felt like you don’t belong in academia and will be found out as a fraud? In this workshop, you will learn about what impostor phenomenon is, some reasons why it is common amongst academics, and discuss how strategies to combat impostor feelings as an individual and as a larger graduate student community.

Conflict Management

Facilitator: Jhotisha Mugon and Amanda Doggett, Student Success Office.

Conflict in the academic or professional workplace and be difficult to navigate, whether it be with a peer, colleague, supervisor or manager. In this workshop, you will identify and understand conflict management styles and explore your key strengths in conflict management to focus on constructive conflict resolution strategies and behaviours. *Due to the shortened nature of this workshop, it will not count for a credit in the Student Leadership Program

Intro to Mindfulness Meditation

Facilitator: Beth Bower RN, MTh, RSW, RMFT, Counselling Services.

Learn about the practice of mindfulness meditation and practice short guided meditations. No experience required.

Roll Out, Renew and Restore Yoga (massage ball yoga)

Facilitator: Natasha Allain, yoga teacher at Hands of Fire.

Relax with a yoga massage class. Using massage balls, the instructor will lead you through exercises that can be used to relieve muscle pain. All equipment will provided, no experience required.