With the end of 2023 approaching and finals week upon us, it's a good time to review the year behind us, celebrate achievements, and reflect on goals and plans for the new year. We in the Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Affairs hope you have a restful and restorative winter break, whether you're staying in Pittsburgh, journeying to visit family and friends, or embarking on new adventures.

And to the graduate students who are concluding their CMU journey, we wish you the best as you move forward in your academic and professional lives. We can't wait to learn about your successes!

This month, we're launching a Graduate Student Career Services series to highlight the career and professional development resources that are available to students across Carnegie Mellon University. First up: the Career and Professional Development Center (CPDC)!

Career and Professional Development Center (CPDC)

The Career and Professional Development Center (CPDC) supports Pittsburgh-based and online degree-seeking graduate students in the College of Engineering, School of Computer Science, Mellon College of Science, Dietrich College, and the College of Fine Arts. The Graduate Student News thanks Marcie Foy, the Director of Graduate Engineering & Computer Science Career Consultants, for sharing information and updates about the CPDC!

Quick Facts:

• Office location: CPDC Advising Center - West Wing Building, 2nd Floor (located near the Track and Football Stadium/Field)
• Contact: Schedule appointments via Handshake or email designated career consultants (staff information located here: Meet the CPDC Team)

What services or resources do you offer for graduate students?

The CPDC offers personalized 1:1 career advising for industry and academic interests. Advising topics may include: career exploration, resume/CV reviews, application material reviews (cover letters, personal statements, portfolios, etc.), how to conduct a comprehensive job/internship search, interview skills/mock interviews, job offer negotiation and evaluation, and more.

What events are happening at the CPDC?

Each semester, the CPDC offers a wide variety of workshops/labs for graduate students. These are advertised in Handshake and via email. Additionally, workshops for specific interests and student groups can be requested by graduate student groups! Career Fairs and other employer events occur each semester, and many companies participate in-person or virtually with the goal of establishing meaningful connections with graduate students. Event details can be found in Handshake.

What’s new with the CPDC?

Each year, we collect outcomes from our graduates and publish the aggregate data in an online dashboard. This is a great resource for current students to reference as part of their job/internship search and provides them with valuable insights into potential outcomes for their programs as well as other programs at CMU. The dashboard also helps students learn about specific companies, job titles, continuing education programs, and average salaries of recent CMU alumni. This dashboard will be updated with data from 2023 in January!

What message would you like to deliver to graduate students?

You are never alone in your job/internship search. You have a team of experienced career consultants who are ready to provide you with guidance, input, and knowledge to help you navigate the process from start to finish. Take advantage of these resources as early and as often as you need throughout your program. Workshops are a great way to gain high-level information, while 1:1 appointments can help answer specific questions and provide advice tailored to your specific needs, background, and interests. 

Take a video tour of the Career and Professional Development Center! 

You can reserve a room in the CPDC's Interview Center (Lower Level of the CUC) for Zoom or phone interview needs. More information can be found on the CPDC website.

Rossina Soyan (she/her)

College: Dietrich College of Humanities and Social Sciences, Modern Languages, Second Language Acquisition

Year / Degree Program: 4th-year PhD student

Hometown: the village of Beldir-Aryg, Tuva, Russia

What are your academic and/or professional goals? 

I have two big goals for this academic year: defend my dissertation and find a job. My smaller goals are to attend three conferences, present my papers there, finish the first draft of a journal article I have been working on since this summer, and apply for a grant to fund my next research project. 

Tell us about a significant moment in your academic journey at CMU so far.

I like how the PhD program is structured in my department. There is clear scaffolding from the first year to the fourth year of the program that gradually leads to independence as a researcher: first, a systematic review of literature; next, a smaller research project to try out your ideas; and finally, a dissertation proposal. When I understood how this structure benefits my growth and leads to a finished dissertation, I was very happy. 

What do you like to do in your time away from academic work? 

I like reading and walking. Every year, I read about 80 books not related to research or teaching, just for fun. I have a huge TBR list which will never be finished. Before or after reading, I usually walk in Frick Park and observe how nature changes with seasons. 

Tell us about your last memorable meal. What was it, where did you have it, and who were you with?

Since I am answering these questions at the end of November, of course, the last memorable meal is Thanksgiving dinner. My boyfriend Tom is from Pittsburgh, so we went to his parents' place and enjoyed all the traditional dishes. Tom's parents are great at cooking, so we are regularly spoiled with amazing homemade dinners. 

What’s your favorite thing about Pittsburgh?

I like that the city is small and affordable, but also it has a lot to offer in terms of nature and culture. I like all the parks around CMU such as Schenley and Frick and hiking destinations around Pittsburgh like the Presque Isle and Ohiopyle. Also, I like that whenever I want to be entertained, I can buy tickets to CMU drama plays or downtown theatres. I have enjoyed my four years in Pittsburgh. It was all I ever wanted and more than I imagined. 

Anthony Wallace (he/him)

College: Dietrich College of Humanities and Social Sciences, English

Year / Degree Program: M.A. in Rhetoric (One-Year Program, First Semester)

Hometown: Eagan, Minnesota

What are your academic and/or professional goals?

After completing my program this spring, I intend to pursue publishing and professional communications careers.

Tell us about a significant moment in your academic journey at CMU so far.

Since I arrived at Carnegie Mellon, I've been most thankful for the opportunity to engage with rhetoric at its intersections with race in Dr. Sarah Hae-In Idzik's Rhetoric and the Construction of Race course (76-473 /873). As a result of taking the course, I am far more capable of analyzing racial scripts across groups and more attentive to positionality than I was previously. Moreover, as a student of color, the opportunity to share that classroom space with Dr. Idzik and the students of color in the Rhetoric Ph.D. program was priceless. 

What do you like to do in your time away from academic work?

I'm a pretty big basketball fan! If I'm not writing a paper, I'm usually checking box scores or watching the Timberwolves play.

Tell us about your last memorable meal. What was it, where did you have it, and who were you with?

My last memorable meal was probably this past Thanksgiving. Although the menu followed Turkey Day standards, reconnecting with and sharing stories with my family––as many of us find ourselves farther and farther from the Twin Cities we once called home––made everything a little more satisfying than usual. 

What's your favorite thing about Pittsburgh?

Everyone here is so kind and incredibly generous! As a Midwesterner, I am polite to a fault, so it's been wonderful to see home reflected in the thoughtfulness of my peers, the smiles of my neighbors, and the welcoming, prideful spirit of the city.