GRADventure

What is GRADventure

GRADventure is a central hub of professional development resources and programs designed specifically for graduate students at the University of Waterloo. It is maintained by Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs, in collaboration with campus partners. Graduate studies are often a time of transition, when students are learning how to be professionals, leaders, instructors, or independent researchers. Whether you are pursuing an academic or a non-academic career GRADventure is here to help support you, to give you the tools and resources you need to be successful in academic and professional ventures. 

GRADventure is a "one-stop shop," where you'll find relevant programs, resources, special events listings, and details about upcoming workshops that were designed to help you develop core skills and competencies that are essential in both academic and professional contexts. We know that graduate students have unique needs when it comes to professional development; that's why GRADventure runs our Professional Skills Foundations program and our annual Professional Skills Conference, both of which are open exclusively to graduate students. We also curate workshops, seminars, and training programs from the University of Waterloo and beyond in our GRADventure event listings, so that you can easily find professional development opportunities relevant to you.   

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GRADventure events

To help you more easily access workshops, programs, and training opportunities relevant to your professional development goals, GRADventure collects a list of campus or external to create a comprehensive "one-stop-shop" database for you to explore. Our events calendar is updated every term, and we also run our own annual Professional Skills Conference, with participating campus partners and external speakers. 

GRADventure Resources

In collaboration with campus partners, GRADventure has developed resources and facilitated workshops on a variety of topics relevant to graduate students. These resources are collected and chosen with the recognition that success in your professional and academic goals is inextricably intertwined with personal growth and well-being. 

The resources below are adapted from workshops originally developed and facilitated by GSPA or campus partners for past GRADventure events. 

Professional Skills Foundations

Take charge of your own professional development by registering for the Professional Skills Foundations program, developed and maintained by GRADventure. This program provides structure and guidance to help you develop crucial professional skills across the four core categories of career preparation, communication, leadership, and personal effectiveness. 

Research Communication Opportunities

If you are interested in developing valuable communication skills and showcasing your research to a wider community of scholars and professionals, consider participating in one or more of the fantastic research communication opportunities organized by GRADventure. 

Connect with GRADventure

We want to hear from you. GRADventure has been set up specifically to support graduate students. If you have any questions or concerns related to your professional development journey, or any of the programs and services we offer, please don't hesitate to get in touch with us. We also love to hear feedback on how we can better support you.

If you are interested in working with us to support your peers, keep an eye out for employment opportunities that we list exclusively for graduate students.