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Prior Years: Career Club

2025 SESSIONS:

2025 Session 1 - Careers for PhDs (Jan. 16, 2025) in person - Scaife 3706, 5:30 - 7:30pm
Students began the process of Career Exploration by reflecting on their skills, interests, and values to help narrow down the focus on kinds of careers to explore further that match their preferences. This session included structured exercises, and small-group discussions to enable students to better clarify what they are looking for in a career.
2025 Session 2 - Conversations with Mentors (Feb. 20, 2025) - Zoom , 5:30 - 7:30pm

This session provided structure and space for students and mentors to have conversations about student career goals. It featured case-based discussions between groups of students and mentors on topics around career planning, including alignment of mutual expectations, work-life balance, and finding time for career planning. The session concluded with one-on-one meetings between students and their mentors to create individualized career plans.

2025 Session 3 - Building Your Network: Part 1 (March 20, 2025) - Zoom - 5:30 - 7:30pm

Alumni in careers aligned with the interests of students in the club are invited to participate in this session. 

 

2025 Session 4 - Building Your Network: Part 2 (April 17, 2025) - Zoom - 5:30 - 7:30pm

This session will continue the previous theme using speakers from three to four additional sectors that align with club students’ interests. This discussion may also include junior faculty who can draw from their networks

2025 Session 5 - Dissecting job ads, resumes or CVs, and cover letter best practices (May 1, 2024) - Scaife 3706 - 5:30 - 7:30pm

This session is new this year, added in based on feedback from last years’ cohort, to help with preparation for the next session! In this session, examples of job descriptions will be reviewed in the session, and dissected to understand what aspects need to be focused on in a resume or CV

 

2025 Session 6: Resume/CV & Cover Letter Review (May 22, 2025) - Zoom - 5:30 - 7:30pm

Each member of the career club will submit a prepared job resume a week prior (i.e. by May 15, 2024) to this session for a job (real or hypothetical). To facilitate revisions, we will assemble a panel to provide guidance on resumes or CVs, and cover letters in a small group format related to job sectors.

2025 Session 7 - Marketing Yourself (June 26, 2025) - Scaife 3706 - 5:30 - 7:30pm

The Club was joined by Susi Varvayanis from Cornell University, to help students reflect on their personal brands and structure how they wanted to present their professional selves. They developed and practiced elevator pitches based on their research, personal accomplishments, and interests.

2025 Session 8 - LinkedIn, emails, interviews (July 17, 2025) - Scaife 3706 - 5:30 - 7:30pm

Students learned best practices for use of LinkedIn, and also learned about types of interviews, and were provided with some guidance on reaching out to professionals to network with, and composition of introductory emails/LinkedIn messages

2024 SESSIONS:

2024 Session 1 - Careers for PhDs (Jan. 18, 2023) in person - BST S120, 5:30 - 7:30pm

Students in this year's cohort began the career exploration process in the club by reflecting on their interests, skills, and values. In incremental pieces, students worked through different aspects to consider in their evaluation of specific career paths they may be interested in considering. Thank you to Susi Varvayanis for her wonderful collaboration on the development of this session!

Session 1 Slides |  All Worksheets | Additional Self-reflection resource

2024 Session 2 - Conversations with Mentors (Feb. 15, 2023) - Zoom , 5:30 - 7:30pm

This session provided space and structure for students and mentors to have conversations about student career goals. It featured case-based discussions between groups of students and mentors on topics around career planning that included alignment of mutual expectations, work-life balance, and finding time for career planning. It concluded with mentor-trainee(s) meetings with suggested topics to provide direction to continue discussions about individualized career plans.

Mentoring-related Resources:

  • "Mentoring Up": Learning to Manage Your Mentoring Relationships - Lee, S.; McGee, R.; Pfund, C.; Branchaw, J. book chapter in The Mentoring Continuum: From Graduate School Through Tenure, Syracuse University Press, Glenn Wright, editor, 2015.

  • Questionnaire for Aligning Expectations in Research Mentoring Relationships - Revised by Steve Lee and Stephanie House, originated from Ingrid Moses, Adapted by Margaret Kiley and Kate Cadman

2024 Session 3 - Building Your Network: Part 1 (March 21, 2024) - Zoom - 5:30 - 7:30pm

Alumni participating in this session are in careers aligned with the interests of students in the club!

  • Dr. Adriana Forero, Assistant Professor at Ohio State University. Dr. Forero graduated from Pitt in 2014, from the Molecular Virology and Microbiology Program.
  • Dr. Bartholomew Roland, Staff Scientist at Septerna, and has had project management experience in the past. Dr. Roland graduated from Pitt in 2014, from the Molecular Pharmacology Program.
  • Dr. Dawn Taylor-Mulneix, Technology Transfer Manager at the NIH. Dr. Taylor-Mulneix is a 2014 Pitt graduate, also from the Molecular Virology and Microbiology Program.
  • Dr. Matthew F Brown, Medical Affairs Director at MERCK. Dr. Brown is a graduate from Pitt’s Cellular and Molecular Pathology Program – he graduated in 2013.

2024 Session 4 - Building Your Network: Part 2 (April 18, 2024) - Zoom - 5:30 - 7:30pm

Alumni participating in this session are in careers aligned with the interests of students in the club!

  • Dr. Dana Previte, Senior Scientist, Preclinical Development at Krystal Biotech, Inc. Dr. Previte graduated from Pitt in 2017, from the Immunology program – at the time, this program was part of the Interdisciplinary program, but has since become the PMI program.
  •  Dr. Jason D’Antonio, Director of Health Professions Program and Assistant Teaching Professor in Biological Sciences at Carnegie Mellon University. Dr. D’Antonio graduated from Pitt in 2007 from the Cellular and Molecular Pathology program.
  • Dr. Martha Sklavos, Founder of Aloe Therapeutics, as well as Strategic Innovation Leader at Mass General Brigham Innovation. She is a 2009 graduate from the Immunology program – at the time, this program was part of the Interdisciplinary program, but has since become the PMI program.
  • Dr. Naima Sharaf, Assistant Professor of Biology, and by courtesy, of Structural Biology. Dr. Sharaf graduated from Pitt’s Molecular Biophysics and Structural Biology program in 2016.

2024 Session 5: Resume/CV & Cover Letter Review (May 16, 2024) - TBA - 5:30 - 7:30pm

This session provided club students with best practices, individual feedback, and insights on their CVs, Resumes, and cover letters from invited panelists! 

Students prepared CVs or resumes, and cover letters ahead of time, which were distributed among the panel based on the students' career interests. The panelists provided feedback on these material, and shared best practices on improving these materials to help the students stand out when applying to future positions!

2024 Session 6 - Marketing Yourself (June 20, 2024) - BST S120 - 5:30 - 7:30pm

Students learned about best practices and actively practiced and sought feedback for elevator pitches. They also learned basic guidelines for use of LinkedIn/Twitter for professional purposes, and give resources to design business cards

Session 6 Slides | Worksheets

2023 SESSIONS:

2023 Session 1 - Careers for PhDs (Jan. 18, 2023) in person (Alan Magee Scaife 1101)

Students began the career exploration process by reflecting on their skills, values, and interests, and exploring careers that match their profile. This session involves small group discussions to enable students to better clarify what they are looking for in a career.

2023 Session 2 - Conversations with Mentors (Feb. 15, 2023) online (Zoom)

This session provided space and structure for students and mentors to have conversations about student career goals. It featured case-based discussions between groups of students and mentors on topics around career planning that included alignment of mutual expectations, work-life balance, and finding time for career planning. It concluded with mentor-trainee(s) meetings to begin discussions about individualized career plans.

Mentoring-related Resources:

  • "Mentoring Up": Learning to Manage Your Mentoring Relationships - Lee, S.; McGee, R.; Pfund, C.; Branchaw, J. book chapter in The Mentoring Continuum: From Graduate School Through Tenure, Syracuse University Press, Glenn Wright, editor, 2015.

  • Questionnaire for Aligning Expectations in Research Mentoring Relationships - Revised by Steve Lee and Stephanie House, originated from Ingrid Moses, Adapted by Margaret Kiley and Kate Cadman

Thank you to Dr. Tracey Baas at UTSA for her input in the development of this session!

2023 Session 3 - Building Your Network: Part 1 (March 15, 2023)

Alumni whose careers align with interests of students in the club were invited to attend Sessions 3 and 4! Session 3 was  stimulating and insightful for this cohort. Thank you to alumni Dr. Aliyah M. Weinstein, PhD, Dr. Austin Nuschke, Dr. Courtney Andersen, Dr. Morgan Preziosi, PhD, Dr. Mondraya Howard, PhD, M(ASCP), and Dr. Siobhan Addie for joining the group, and meeting and providing advice to the club students.

2023 Session 4 - Building Your Network: Part 2 (April 19, 2023)

More Pitt alumni with careers aligned with students' interests joined this session to network with club students. Thank you to alumni Dr. Gregory Logan, PhD, JD, Dr. Jessica Toothaker, PhD, Dr. Kellsye Paula Fabian, Dr. Kylia Williams, PhD, Dr. Michael Ding, PhD!

2023 Session 5: Resume/CV & Cover Letter Review (May 17, 2023) online (Zoom)

This session provided club students with best practices, individual feedback, and insights on their CVs, Resumes, and cover letters from invited panelists - Dr. Tracy Costello, PhD, C. Holly Wilbanks, Dr. Danielle Minteer, PhD, PMP, and Dr. Ora Weisz! 

Students prepared CVs, resumes, or cover letters ahead of time, which was distributed among the consultants based on the students' career interests. The consultants provided feedback on these material, and shared best practices on improving these materials to help the students stand out when applying to future positions.

2023 Session 6 - Marketing Yourself (June 21, 2023) in person BST S120

Students will learn about best practices for elevator pitches, use of LinkedIn, and reaching out to professionals to make connections.

 2021 Sessions

Explore the Club's resources and details!

Session 1 - Careers for PhDs (Jan. 21, 2021)

Students begin the career exploration process by reflecting on their skills, values, and interests, and exploring careers that match their profile. This session involves small group discussions to enable students to better clarify what they are looking for in a career.

Resources:

Session 2 - Conversations with Mentors (Feb. 18, 2021)

This session provides space and structure for students and mentors to have conversations about student career goals. It will feature case-based discussions between groups of students and mentors on topics around career planning will include alignment of mutual expectations, work-life balance, and finding time for career planning. It concludes with mentor-trainee(s) meetings to begin discussions about individualized career plans.

Case-study and discussion guide

Mentoring-related Resources:

  • "Mentoring Up": Learning to Manage Your Mentoring Relationships - Lee, S.; McGee, R.; Pfund, C.; Branchaw, J. book chapter in The Mentoring Continuum: From Graduate School Through Tenure, Syracuse University Press, Glenn Wright, editor, 2015.

  • Questionnaire for Aligning Expectations in Research Mentoring Relationships - Revised by Steve Lee and Stephanie House, originated from Ingrid Moses, Adapted by Margaret Kiley and Kate Cadman

Thank you to Dr. Tracey Baas at UTSA for her input in the development of this session!

Session 3 - Building Your Network: Part 1 (March 18, 2021)

Networking with SOM Alumni

Dr. Gina Coudriet and Dr. Arturo Lopez Pineda 

Career club members learned about varied career paths and choices our alumni take, and networked with them in small-groups!

Session 4 - Building Your Network: Part 2 (April 22, 2021)

Networking (Part 2) with SOM Alumni

Career club members learned about varied career paths and choices our alumni take, and networked with them in small-groups!

 

Session 5: Resume/CV & Cover Letter Review (May 20, 2021)

Career club members participated Resume/CV preparation workshop with

Students learned about best practices for CVs, resumes, and cover letters for different types of jobs. They prepared resumes/CVs for individually identified job posting that appealed to each of them, and received feedback from a panelist whose experience matched each student's career interests. 

Dr. Costello's slides from her extremely informative talk are here!

Session 6 - Marketing Yourself (June 17, 2021)

Students learned about best practices for elevator pitches, use of LinkedIn, and composing invitations to guests for the Career Club Networking Event

Dr. Costello's slides with valuable opinions and advice and her worksheet with tips for writing to networking connections are available!

This program was supported by the Burroughs Wellcome Fund.

Burroughs Welcome Fund Logo