The Graduate College's Career Exploration Fellowship Program connects doctoral students with administrative units within the university for substantive, mentored work experiences.

The main goal of the program is to enable doctoral students to gain experience and build skills beyond traditional research and teaching roles, aligning their professional development to a wider range of career aspirations. Graduate students develop a number of vital, transferrable skills through their work in research and teaching at the university, but students often tell us that they wish they also had the opportunity to get hands-on experience in other kinds of work. Such experience gives graduate students the chance to develop new skills, explore unfamiliar career options, and market themselves more effectively to employers when they graduate. You can read more about the experience of being a Career Exploration Fellow in this GradLIFE blog by a Fall 2023 Fellow.

How the Program Works

As a Career Exploration Fellow, selected students will receive the following:

• A 10-15 hour per week hourly position at a campus unit (at $25/hour). See host units below.
• A $5,000 Career Exploration Fellowship from the Graduate College, which will generate a tuition waiver for the semester.
• Required professional and career development activities facilitated by the Graduate College.

The student's tasks and responsibilities as part of the hourly position will be determined by the host unit (in consultation with the student), and the host unit will provide mentoring and targeted professional development opportunities. In addition to their work with the host unit, the student are required to participate in a twice-monthly career exploration seminar, during which they will reflect on their work and engage in career development activities.

Fall 2024 Host Units

We are pleased to announce the lineup of Fall 2024 host sites! Each of these units will host one Career Exploration Fellow. Read more about the units and the work a Career Exploration Fellow might do for them below. Other host sites may be added during the application process.

• Asian American Cultural Center: Established in 2005, the Asian American Cultural Center (AACC) provides the university and greater community programs and resources that promote diverse and rich Asian and Asian American cultures. The grad fellow will coordinate programming curricula that promotes educational, social, and cultural understanding (eg, support network for Asian/Asian American grad students, lunar new year programs). The grad fellow will assist in other aspects of the daily operations and administration of the AACC (eg, weekly program and occasional community outreach).  Occasional evening and weekend events may be scheduled. The graduate fellow will be working collaboratively with other members of the team but may also work autonomously on individual projects. The AACC is looking for a graduate fellow that will be engaged, supportive, and willing to learn about the Asian and Asian American community both on and beyond the campus environment.
• Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology: The Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology is an interdisciplinary research unit that unifies genomics-related work across campus, addressing societal grand challenges through team science. IGB researchers come from many different disciplines, including biology, chemistry, physics, computer science, social sciences, engineering, crop science, and many others, and are brought together by a shared interest in how an understanding of living things can help us make the world a better place. Because of the broad potential impacts of basic and applied genomic research, the IGB has a strong focus on science communication and outreach activities. Our team and institute include members from a wide array of academic backgrounds, and we enjoy discovering how each person's strengths and interests can be incorporated into what we do. Depending on their interests, the Career Development Fellow will have opportunities to work within administrative groups dedicated to external relations and strategic partnerships; research center management; research infrastructure management; and communications and outreach, with opportunities for fellow-led writing and activity design projects.
• Strategic Communications & Marketing, Graduate College: The Graduate College serves more than 20,000 graduate students across many different academic and professional disciplines. Within the college, the communications team promotes graduate education at Illinois to attract prospective students from many educational, socio-cultural, geographic and familial backgrounds. The Strategic Communications and Marketing fellow will work as part of a creative team to assist with the development of new marketing and recruiting communications. This is an opportunity to gain professional experience with the design of marketing campaigns and strategies, including written and visual content creation. Specific activities can vary depending on the fellow’s skills and interests. For example, some may be more interested in gaining skills in writing while others may want to focus on visual design. All activities are done as part of a highly collaborative team that engages with staff in units across campus.
• Jump Simulation-Urbana, Carle Illinois College of Medicine: Established in 2018, Jump Simulation-Urbana was founded with the mission to train a new breed of healthcare professionals uniquely equipped to revolutionize the field. Serving as the cornerstone for simulation training at the Carle Illinois College of Medicine, the Jump Simulation Program extends its impact by providing research and innovation resources to the Department of Bioengineering. As a graduate fellow within this dynamic environment, you will be at the forefront of shaping the future of medical education and healthcare transformation. Collaborating closely with esteemed faculty and simulation experts, your role will involve designing intricate medical simulation scenarios encompassing all fidelity levels – from task trainers and high-fidelity manikins to standardized patients and cutting-edge XR immersive landscapes.  Your responsibilities will extend to the coordination of simulation logistics, ensuring seamless sessions through meticulous scheduling, room setup, and equipment preparation. This hands-on involvement will grant you a comprehensive understanding of the operational intricacies of a world-class simulation program.  Moreover, the fellowship will provide unparalleled opportunities for engagement in research activities related to medical simulation. This could involve conducting literature reviews, contributing to pioneering simulation-based research projects, and actively participating in the scholarly discourse surrounding simulation technologies and methodologies. A key aspect of your role will be the assessment and evaluation of simulation scenarios. By systematically collecting data and gauging the effectiveness and curriculum placement of each activity, you will play a pivotal role in refining and enhancing the overall simulation experience. Your findings will not only inform ongoing improvements but will also contribute to the evolution of simulation practices based on valuable feedback and assessment outcomes. This unique fellowship at Jump Simulation-Urbana is not merely a training ground; it is a launchpad for those eager to contribute to the continuous improvement of medical simulation activities while actively shaping the future of healthcare education. Join us in this transformative journey, where innovation and collaboration converge to redefine the standards of medical training and patient care.
• Lemann Center for Brazilian Studies: Join the Lemann Center for Brazilian Studies at the University of Illinois and seize the opportunity to gain professional experience in a dynamic and collaborative environment. The Lemann Center fosters knowledge and understanding of Brazil across disciplines and colleges by offering fellowships to UIUC and Brazilian students at graduate and undergraduate levels, funding faculty research, organizing international conferences on Brazilian topics, and supporting cultural activities. As a Fellow, you'll actively engage in our collaborative atmosphere, participate in meetings, and co-design impactful events and outreach initiatives. Working closely with the Director, you'll contribute to fostering external relations and strategic partnerships, amplifying the center's influence. Responsibilities include supporting communications, connecting with graduate and postdoctoral students, and collaborating with distinguished professors. Shape new initiatives and play a pivotal role in organizing our 15th-anniversary celebration. Specific activities will be planned to align with your skills and interests, offering a personalized and comprehensive professional development experience. Join us for an exciting journey at the forefront of Brazilian studies.
• Office of Inclusive Excellence, Liberal Arts & Sciences:  As a Career Exploration Fellow in the LAS Office for Inclusive Excellence, you will be crucial in advancing the college’s commitment to fostering an inclusive environment. Your responsibilities will include collaborating with the LAS Inclusive Excellence team to develop and implement projects and events that promote diversity, equity, and inclusion. Essential duties may involve conducting research on best practices, assisting in the planning and execution of diversity-related programs and initiatives, and engaging with various campus community partners to ensure inclusivity. You’ll have the opportunity to contribute to the creation of educational materials, workshops, and awareness campaigns. Furthermore, as a career exploration fellow, you will be expected to actively participate in meetings, workshops, and training sessions provided by the LAS Inclusive Excellence office. In summary, you will foster a culture that values and celebrates diversity, promotes equity, and ensures an inclusive environment for all campus community members.
• Office of Proposal Development, Vice Chancellor for Research & Innovation: Learn about proposal and research development activities that the Office of Proposal Development (OPD) undertakes, including how it supports researchers at UIUC and helps with development of large and strategic research proposals from campus. Meet with OPD staff to learn about their professional work and their career paths. Become familiar with reading and analyzing solicitations from different federal funding agencies (such as the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, Department of Energy, Department of Education). Shadow a research development manager on a proposal development project to learn about using project management tools for proposal development. All activities you will take part in during the fellowship are designed to expose you to a range of activities that research development professionals perform.
• Assessment and Planning, Student Affairs: Assessment and Planning leads assessment, evaluation, and strategic planning efforts for Student Affairs and coordinates co-curricular institutional surveys. Student Affairs encompasses 25 departments that support the academic, social, and personal growth of all students. The Assessment and Planning Fellow will work alongside the Director to design and implement evaluation instruments, analyze large-scale survey data, create customized reports/data visualizations, and assist in consulting/training across units. Fellows will have the opportunity to work with existing data sets (e.g. Multi-Institutional Study of Leadership (MSL), National College Health Assessment (NCHA)) and share findings with campus partners to improve the campus experience. Fellows will also develop a professional development workshop on an assessment or planning topic of their choice.  This fellowship is ideal for those looking to apply research methods, statistics, or data analysis/visualization in a professional environment.
• Diversity & Social Justice Education, Student Affairs: Diversity and Social Justice Education (DSJE) provides a variety of workshops, trainings, courses, and lectures focused on educating and empowering students around belonging, inclusion, and social justice. Our signature programs include Racial Justice Allies and Advocates trainings, Conversation Café, ESPY 203’s social justice/identity themed dialogic courses, and I-Journey workshops. I-Journey workshops are peer-developed, peer-led workshops covering a variety of topics. Facilitated by a pool of trained student facilitators, I-Journey workshops explore issues of social identity, exclusion/inclusion, and being an ally. Student facilitators meet with requestors to adapt, modify, or create a workshop to meet the needs of the specific groups. A Career Development Fellow will work to expand our I-Journey program to better serve the needs, experience, and knowledge of our diverse graduate student population. This will include creating a workshop designed to be delivered to graduate students. The DSJE team works collaboratively and the Career Development Fellow will be working with a diverse and passionate professional and student staff.

If you work at a unit on campus and are interested in hosting a Career Exploration Fellow in Spring 2025 or later, please contact us at gradsuccess@illinois.edu.

Eligibility

• Applicants must be enrolled in good standing in a PhD, DMA, EdD, or AudD program at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
• Applicants must be graduating December 2024 or after.
• During Fall 2024, Career Exploration Fellows may not hold more than a 25% appointment (or equivalent) in addition to their hourly position and Fellowship. Any additional employment must be confirmed in advance by the Graduate College. The number of hours a Fellow can work at their host site may be impacted by visa status.
• At the finalist phase, applicants must confirm their participation with their advisor or Director of Graduate Studies before they can be selected.
• Career Exploration Fellowship activities typically happen primarily in-person, on campus. (If you will be working remotely during Fall 2024, you are still eligible to apply though host units may consider that when making their decisions. If you will need to work remotely, please indicate it in your response to Question 17 of the application.)
• Career Exploration Fellows must commit to attending eight to ten 90-minute professional development sessions hosted by the Graduate College Career Development office throughout the Fall semester.

Application

Applications consist of the following items:

• A completed application form
• A professional resume (see this handout for more information about resumes, and consider making a career advising appointment to work on yours)
• Fellowship Application Statements
  • Statement 1: The Career Exploration Fellowship is a 2-part program including 1) collaborative professional development sessions facilitated by the Graduate College, and 2) weekly work at a host site. How do you see the combination of these experiences contributing to your career and professional development? How could it help you clarify or pursue your goals? (250-500 words)
  • Statement 2: A key part of the Career Exploration Fellowship is a collaborative professional development seminar, during which participants share with and learn from one another. In this response, 1) describe your commitment to diversity and inclusion in the academic, professional, or civic realm through your work experience, volunteer engagement, or leadership of student or community organizations, and 2) discuss how that commitment will help you contribute to the intellectual and collaborative community of the Fellowship. (250-500 words)
• Host Site Selection Statements
  • Rank your top 3 host sites
  • Statement 1: Why are you interested in the host sites you ranked? (3-4 sentences per site)
  • Statement 2: What are some of the key skills, experiences, or perspectives that you would bring to your host site? What strengths have helped you succeed in previous academic or professional experiences? (300 words max)
  • Statement 3: What are some skills you would like to develop or refine during your work with a host site? (300 words max)
  • Statement 3: How will the Career Exploration Fellowship contribute to your career and professional development? How could it help you clarify or pursue your goals? (250-500 words)

In order to provide more comprehensive answers to these questions, we encourage you to to use tools that can help you reflect on your career goals. Consider engaging with individual development plans (like myIDP or ImaginePhD) or self-assessments (like our skills worksheet and values worksheet).

Apply Here

The deadline to apply for the Fall 2024 Career Exploration Fellowship is 10:00am Central on Monday, March 18.

Questions?

Contact us at gradsuccess@illinois.edu.