Are you unsure about therapy and wonder what it’s like to talk with a therapist? Are you not interested in therapy but would like the perspective of a counselor? Perhaps you have a specific problem you would like to talk through, or concern about a friend. Let’s Talk provides easy access to free, informal, and confidential consultations with therapists from UChicago Student Wellness. You can drop in, and if you prefer, you do not have to give your name.

Winter Quarter Let’s Talk runs until March 10 and is open to all undergraduate and graduate students. Sessions are in-person on a first-come, first-served basis.

Mondays, 1–2 p.m. with Jerome Wilczynski, PsyD
Center for Identity + Inclusion, 5710 S Woodlawn Ave, Room 301

Fridays, 3–4 p.m. with Jessica Bychawski, LCSW
Biological Sciences Learning Center, 924 E. 57th St., Room 305

Whether you are brand new to graduate school or deep into dissertation writing, relationships with faculty mentors play a critical role in your student experience. It is common for students to seek advice in learning how to identify faculty mentors, get what they need from these relationships, and approach challenges or conflicts with faculty when they arise. UChicagoGRAD supports graduate students across campus in navigating these foundational relationships by working with students to develop communication, interpersonal, and self-advocacy skills that will set them up for success both in graduate school and beyond.

If you are experiencing specific challenges or conflicts with faculty mentors or you want to discuss general strategies for building effective mentoring relationships, you can request a mentorship advising appointment with Amanda Young, Associate Director of Graduate Student Affairs.

These appointments aim to provide students a space outside their academic program to discuss experiences with faculty mentors, raise questions about all aspects of the graduate school experience, develop strategies for handling difficult conversations and situations, and identify resources, policies, or other individuals on campus who can help. Ultimately, these one-on-one conversations aim to equip students with tools needed to build resilience and address challenges within a supportive environment focused on addressing each student’s individual situation.

There is more information about the types of issues and questions students bring to these meetings available on our website. To schedule an appointment or to ask questions, email Amanda at amanday@uchicago.edu.

The fourth and final 2022 estimated tax payment deadline is January 17, 2023, and it’s not too early to make sure you’re ready for it. Do you need to make an estimated tax payment on this date? How much do you need to pay? Confused? Graduate students can find more information about quarterly estimated tax payments here or, watch the recording of our 2022 Estimated Tax Information Session. if you have general questions, please email gradhelp@uchicago.edu.

The Family Resource Center (FRC) is a welcoming play and community space where UChicago families can access resources, information, supportive services, and enrichment programming. Membership is free. Any university-affiliated family is welcome: Students, postdocs, faculty, staff, and alumni.

The multi-age FRC playroom and playground are located in the Woodlawn Social Services Center at 950 East 61st Street. Our current hours are Monday–Friday, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. We offer children’s classes, family parties, and a daily themed activity in our art room with stories, crafts, and related games. We have a large playground. Come visit and play!

Stay tuned for a student-parent write-in in Winter 2023, a free babysitting service for dissertating student parents.

For more information, visit us online, keep up with our newsletter, or better yet, drop by and see us in person!

The academic year has just started, but the search for internships and jobs already is well underway for many graduate students and postdocs. Whether you are applying to your first tenure-track job, hunting for the perfect postdoc, or trying to land an internship at a leading company, UChicagoGRAD’s Career Development Team has you covered with a range of helpful workshops.

Career30: These weekly presentations teach you career fundamentals in 30 minutes or less. Check out upcoming sessions on Résumés, Cover Letters, LinkedIn, Networking, Interviewing, and Negotiation.

Academic Job Market Support: Learn up-to-date best practices from UChicagoGRAD’s expert team of PhD and postdoc advisors. Join coming sessions on Negotiating an Academic Job Offer, Demystifying Campus Visits and Job Talks, and To VAP or Not to VAP.

Oral Communications Training: Increase your comfort with interviews and informal networking. Attend an upcoming Storytelling for Behavioral Interviews session or one of the Weekly Technical Interview Workshops.

Graduate students often ask: why should I apply for a fellowship? The fellowships team at UChicagoGRAD is happy to meet with students wondering how a fellowship fits into their academic career. Fellowships can provide funding to pursue academic research or travel abroad for enriching learning experiences. Students also remark that competitive fellowships strengthen CV’s and resumes. But there is more to gain from fellowships than funding and prestige.

Students benefit from the process of applying to fellowships, which require applicants to offer compelling reasons justifying their research to specialists and interdisciplinary audiences alike. Applying to a fellowship encourages students to think through important logistics of their research, such how to select research participants, how many documents can feasibly be reviewed in archival settings, and how to set achievable goals. Some fellowship competitions, such as the Fulbright Hays Doctoral Dissertation Research Abroad, provide feedback to applicants, which is an excellent, low-stakes opportunity to discover how others are interpreting your research proposal.

Those who apply to fellowships are equipped to speak to a variety of audiences about their goals and contributions, a skill that will serve students’ academic and professional trajectories in graduate school and beyond. We encourage you to apply!

To learn more about fellowships, schedule an advising appointment to explore opportunities, sign up for an upcoming event, or join our fellowships Canvas site. We offer written feedback on draft application materials for all fellowship opportunities.

UChicagoGRAD is announcing the launch of Interstride – a platform that offers support for international students and postdocs on their U.S and international job search process. It is an interactive portal that provides insights, community, and job opportunities. Both domestic and international students can find resources for living and working abroad – whether for study abroad, a summer internship, or a full-time job in 80+ countries.

To access the platform, go to https://www.interstride.com/university-of-chicago/ and click on student login. That will bring you to shibboleth and you can proceed to create an account directly from there. Contact josephinecai@uchicago.edu if you have questions.