The Graduate School at Penn State is hosting our annual Career Exploration Workshop via Zoom on October 8, 2020, from 3:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time. It is intended for currently-enrolled graduate students, including Penn State World Campus students and students at campuses other than University Park. The workshop will be recorded and available for future viewing. Participants are invited to join the panelists and members of the Graduate School Alumni Society’s Board of Directors for informal Q&A Breakout Sessions following the Plenary Session, which provides an opportunity for participants to network with professionals from specific job sectors, as well as their fellow graduate students.
Registration is required. All graduate students are invited to attend.
Register for the WorkshopPanelists include leading professionals in their fields, including academia, corporate, global, and government.
Career Exploration Workshop Schedule
3:00 – 3:45 p.m., Introduction to Workshop
Welcome: Cynthia Mable, President, Graduate School Alumni Society
M.S., Computer Science, Penn State; MBA Temple University
Founder and Principal, The CAM Group
linkedin.com/in/cynthia-cindy-mable-mba-ms-114217
Keynote Address: Susan Schall, Chair of GSAS Professional Development Committee
- Ph.D., Industrial Engineering, Penn State, 1988
- Founder and Lead Consultant, SOS Consulting, LLC
- linkedin.com/in/sosconsult
Plenary Session: Panelists will provide brief comments and reactions to the themes raised in the keynote address, followed by Q&A.
3:45 – 4:30 p.m., Breakout Sessions
Academia Breakout Session 1: for those interested in gaining insight into academic careers and the current academic job market.
Edward Shihadeh
- Ph.D.,Sociology/Criminology, Penn State, 1992
- Professor of Criminology and Director, Crime and Policy Evaluation Research Lab, Louisiana State University; Former Chair, Department of Sociology, Louisiana State University
- lsu.edu/hss/sociology/people/faculty/faculty_profiles_new_2018/shihadeh_edward.php
Corporate Breakout Session 2: for those interested in perspectives on current career opportunities in the private corporate sector.
Tanja Gruber
- Ph.D., Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Microbiology, Penn State, 1998
- Head of Biochemistry, DuPont Industrial Biosciences; Technical Leader — Microbiome, DuPont Nutrition and Biosciences
- linkedin.com/in/tanja-gruber-308828
Matthew Krott
- Ph.D., Mechanical Engineering, Penn State, 2018
- Mechanical Engineer, Aurora Flight Sciences Corporation, a Boeing Company
- linkedin.com/in/matthewkrott
Global Breakout Session 3: for those with specific interests in international careers and careers in the USA for international students.
Jay Kovacs
- Chief Engineer, Strategic Solutions Group, KBR Government Solutions U.S.
- President-Elect, Penn State Graduate School Alumni Society
- M.S., Management, Penn State University, 1996
- linkedin.com/in/jay-kovacs-74083336
Government Breakout Session 4: for those seeking information about how graduate degrees position people for careers in the government sector.
LCDR Ashleigh Murriel, PhD
- Ph.D., Human Development, Penn State, 2008
- US Public Health Service Officer and Health Scientist at the CDC
- linkedin.com/in/ashleigh-murriel-phd-9b857a3