Graduate Studies

Student Success Series

The Student Success Series takes place in the fall and spring semesters. This series of workshops is designed to support current graduate students in building skills to succeed in their graduate programs and provides other professional development opportunities.

Please click on the tab below to view our current workshops. Upcoming workshops for the following year will be posted before the semester begins.

Please read before you register

  • Students must use their CSUN email to register.
  • Students will also need to complete a Zoom Registration Form; our office will send the link to access the form before the scheduled workshop.
  • Once the Zoom Registration form is complete, students will receive a confirmation email with the meeting instructions.

Special Note: These workshops might be recorded so it can be shared with other students.

Spring Workshop Presentations

Please select the link below to access the slides from the Spring workshop series. To view a list of upcoming workshops scheduled in February-March, please click on the tabs in the accordion.

AGE PowerPoints

FEBRUARY WORKSHOPS: Workshop Details and Descriptions

Overview of Graduate Application Process
Date:
February 16, 2024
Time: 11:00am-12:00pm
Location: Via Zoom
Workshop Description: In this workshop, we'll offer an overview of applying to graduate school. We'll discuss the components of graduate applications, the timeline for applying, how to select schools to apply to, and where to look for information about those schools.

Registration Link 

MARCH WORKSHOPS: Workshop Details and Descriptions

Negotiating your PhD Packet
Date:
March 6
Time: 12:00 pm-1:00 pm
Location: Via Zoom
Workshop Description: The many components of a PhD funding package can be tricky to understand. In this workshop, we'll break down what your offer letter contains, and discuss strategy and steps for negotiating your package with your top-choice program if you choose to do so. Please have copies of all offer letters available during the workshop. This workshop is timed so that you will have most letters in hand, but will not yet have said yes or no to programs (since you cannot negotiate if you've already done that).

Registration Link

How to Create and Present a Poster for a Professional Conference
Speaker: 
Dr. Allen Lipscomb, Department of Social Work 
Date: Thursday, March 7th 
Time: 2:00 pm-3:00 pm
Location: Via Zoom
Workshop Description: This presentation will cover (1) why conference presentations are important, (2) ethical considerations, (3) different types of conference presentations, (4) how to best present yourself at the conference during the poster session, (5) how to make the poster visually appealing, (6) different types and sections of poster sessions, (7) materials and transporting posters, (8) how to cite your poster on your resume/vita, and (9) excellent resources for poster presentations (including templates).

https://csun.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZcvcuqtqj4pGdSIZIoskifQROvNzY0ajP2W


Presenting and Designing a Research Presentation for a conference (College of Education)
Speaker: Dr. Wendy Murawski, Department of Special Education
Date: Friday, March 8th
Time: 2:30pm-3:30 pm

Location: Via Zoom
Workshop Description: Never been to a conference? Been bored at a conference? Nervous about presenting? If any of these questions was a "Yes" for you, you need to attend this session! In just one hour, you will learn how to design a poster or PowerPoint that grabs audience attention and a presentation that holds it. We will discuss common pitfalls and issues and how to come prepared to avoid them. Communication, presentation, and audience engagement strategies will all be reviewed. The presenter will model strategies as she presents them so be prepared to laugh and learn!

https://csun.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZIvceqorTIrH9Wn_kiSN6aXpkrg8a0Oz3xL 


Presenting and Designing a Research Presentation for a conference 
(College of Science and Mathematics)
Speaker: Dr. Tyler Luchko, Department of Physics and Astronomy
Date: Tuesday March 12
Time: 3:00 pm-4:00 pm
Location: Via Zoom
Workshop Description: 
We will discuss creating an engaging oral presentation for a conference, including the overall structure of the presentation and best practices for constructing slides. Attendees will be instructed on how to create an abstract and introduction using the and-but-therefore method, identify what material they want to highlight, and tailor the talk to different audiences. Attendees will create a first draft of their abstract and introduction as an activity during the workshop. The best-practices discussion will include guidelines to create slides that will help keep the audience focused on your key research points.

https://csun.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZwod-6rqjkqHdTg9tiq0i2TzMy6sGIx9W0V 


Presenting and Designing a Research Presentation for a conference 
(College of Social and Behavioral Sciences)
Speaker: Scott Plunkett, Department of Psychology 
Date: Wednesday March 13
Time: 3:30 pm-4:30 pm
Location: Via Zoom
Workshop Description:TBD

https://csun.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZEsdeqvqDMvGd2VMiA3LvPSHXLbphV57ohM 


Presenting and Designing a Research Presentation for a conference 
(Engineering and Computer Science)
Speaker: Dr. Jamie Booth, Department of Mechanical Engineering
Date: Wednesday March 13
Time: 5:00 pm-6:00 pm
Location: Via Zoom
Workshop Description: TBD

https://csun.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZIsce2pqz4pGtQw8PN5CNMG1KawxJqUBQ_9 


Presenting and Designing a Research Presentation for a conference (College of Business and Economics)

Speaker: Dr. Kristen Walker, Department of Marketing 
Date: Thursday March 14th
Time: 4:00 pm-5:00 pm

Location: Via Zoom
Workshop Description: Not all presentations in business need to be like an episode of Shark Tank. Yet certain things about presentations hold true, whether you present research or a business idea:

  • Why is what you’re talking about important?
  • Who cares and who should care?
  • What evidence do you have to support your claims, findings, results, etc.?
  • How did you find, gather, collect, and analyze this evidence?
  • Why does your research matter?

This workshop will help you consider ways to present your research as an opportunity to move an audience from “what is” to “what is possible.”

https://csun.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZErcumorTIpGNZtmBiSpaSHV0gKh6Y3AQr0


Presenting your Research: Designing a Research Presentation College of Humanities (HUM)
Speaker: Dr. Jennifer Lee
Date: Thursday, March 21st
Time: 3:00pm-4:00pm
Location: Via Zoom
Workshop Description: Presenting is not only a wonderful way to share your analyses and findings with others, but also an opportunity to receive valuable feedback on your research from a live audience. This workshop will prepare you to present your work confidently and clearly by sharing some common expectations and practices for conference presentations. It will also provide you with tools that you can use to prepare for your presentations.

 https://csun.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZIvceqtrT8qG9bN-O4AWJNXc_QzxfMD7j0o

Fall Workshop Presentations

Please select the link below to access the slides from the Fall workshop series. To view a list of upcoming workshops scheduled in October and November, please click on the tabs in the accordion.

AGE PowerPoints

OCTOBER WORKSHOPS: Workshop Details and Descriptions

  • Requesting Letters of Recommendation and Building Relationship with Faculty
    Speaker: Dr. Allen Lipscomb
    Date: Tuesday, October 3rd
    Time: 5:00 pm -6:00 pm
    Location: Via Zoom
    Workshop Description: The purpose of this workshop is to provide students with guidance on developing student-faculty mentoring relationship, as well as assisting students with the process of requesting faculty letters of recommendation.

  • Women in Academia
    Panel of Speakers: Dr. Yarma Velazquez Vargas, Chicana/o Studies Department, Dr. Carmen Saunders-Russell, Health Science Department and Dr. Maryam Tabibzadeh, Department of Manufacturing Systems Engineering & Management
    Moderator: Dr. Amy Levin and Wendy Brown-Danks
    Date: Monday, October 16th
    Time: 1:30pm-2:30pm
    Location: Via Zoom
    Workshop Description: This panel of three CSUN faculty will share their experiences navigating graduate school and life as a female faculty member. They will answer questions you have about work/life balance, being a woman in graduate school, and intersectional gender issues one faces as a professor.

SELECT HERE TO REGISTER

NOVEMBER WORKSHOPS: Workshop Details and Descriptions

  • Statement of Purpose and Diversity/Personal Statement
    Speaker: Dr. Nayan G. Ramirez
    Date: Thursday, November 2nd
    Time: 2:00 pm-3:00 pm
    Location: Via Zoom
    Workshop Description: The Statement of Purpose (SOP, sometimes called Personal Statement, Objectives Statement, or some other similar title) is generally the most important component of your application, and the Personal/Diversity Statement (or some similar title) complements that document to reflect on how your lived experience has contributed to the goals outlined in your SOP. In this workshop, we will explore how this document outlines what you intend to focus on in a graduate program, how all of your academic and work experiences thus far have built towards this moment, and how your intended school is the ideal place to pursue your graduate education. We’ve created three groups for this workshop based on similarity in expectations for the document, so you’ll receive targeted information to your general field. We will discuss strategies for standing out from the crowd while also adhering to the structure and content schools expect in the document. You will leave this workshop with an understanding of content and approach so you can get started with a draft.

  • Financing Your Graduate Education: The Higher Education Hustle
    Speaker: Pauline Serrano
    Date: Friday, November 3rd
    Time: 2:00 pm
    Location: Via Zoom
    Workshop Description: In this workshop, former CSUN alumni and current professor will discuss the process behind obtaining the necessary funds to support yourself as you navigate higher education. Topics include how to start writing, how to seek mentorship, and how to ask for letters of recommendation.

  • Overview of the Graduate Application Process
    Speaker: Professor Heidi Schumacher
    Date: Thursday, November 16th
    Time: 3:00pm-4:00pm
    Location: Via Zoom
    Workshop Description: In this workshop, we'll offer an overview of applying to graduate school. We'll discuss the components of graduate applications, the timeline for applying, how to select schools to apply to, and where to look for information about those schools.

SELECT HERE TO REGISTER