In the wake of completing a big project or reaching a major deadline, do...
In the wake of completing a big project or reaching a major deadline, do...

March 22, 2022

In this issue: Getting back on track, Metro Transit redesign info session, and more.

Tips for Grads: Getting back on track

By Olivia Gacka, PhD student
Managing Projects and People
In the wake of completing a big project or reaching a major deadline, do you ever feel absolutely useless? I myself just finished up a huge months-long project right before spring break, and throughout the process I constantly told myself “When this is over, I’ll get everything else done. I’ll be so productive!”
You may be able to guess that has not turned out to be the case. In the days since the project ended, I have felt simultaneously depleted and overwhelmed by everything I have to do that was pushed to the back burner until now. Here are some things I’ve been doing to try and get back on track:
  • Acknowledge: At first, I had absolutely no sympathy for myself when I was too exhausted to start tackling all the things I’d been putting off. But it’s important to remember you just did something huge - you’re burned out for a reason! Assuming you’d be able to spring back right away is overly ambitious at best. So, take a minute (but really, take a day or two) to rest and congratulate yourself for whatever it is you just accomplished before proceeding. You did it!
  • Take stock: After you’ve taken some time to be nice to yourself, sit down and write on a piece of paper all the things you now need to think about doing. You’ve had the thought “I have so much to do” looming in your head, but how many things do you have to do exactly? Five? 10? 20? Are they all roughly at the same level of difficulty? Or are some easier than others? Concretely identifying the things you now have to devote energy to will make the next challenge seem much more surmountable if you can demystify the items for yourself a bit. 
  • Tiny steps: Don’t start with the most complicated thing you have to do. I started with laundry. It seems silly, but doing a less cerebral task like taking care of the laundry I had put off in the final days of my big project gave me the little boost I needed to feel up to tackling the bigger things, like catching up on reading and answering all the emails I’ve been ignoring. You might be the total opposite, however, and may find that answering ignored emails will give you the stamina you need to do your laundry. Just pick the easiest thing on your list for you, and work up from there.
 
GradConnections Weekly is looking for fresh perspectives on the graduate student experience.
If you have advice, counsel, or tips for UW grad students, you’re invited to write a guest column for Tips for Grads.
DiscoverPD: Your guide to professional development
DiscoverPD is an innovative tool for UW–Madison graduate students to advance their academic and professional goals. Review the eight facets of professional development, complete a self-assessment, and get a customized report and recommendations.

Upcoming Professional Development Events

All event times and deadlines are listed in Central Time.
Inclusive Teaching Workshop
Wednesday, March 23 | 10 am - noon
Union South (TITU) | Career DevelopmentInclusion and Diversity
Examine a range of inclusive teaching approaches to use in the classroom and beyond, and practice what to say during "hot moments" or difficult discussions.
Creating an Individual Development Plan (IDP)
Tuesday, March 29 | 3:30 - 5:30 pm
Memorial Library, Room 460 (Library Commons) |  Career Development | Managing Projects and People | Personal and Interpersonal Effectiveness
Creating an individual development plan (IDP) encourages you to think about what you need to do next – and over the next few years – so that you achieve your goals. We will discuss how to define achievable goals, identify resources, and develop strategies for implementing and sustaining your plans. Participants will begin to create a personalized plan that takes into account career interests and addresses the development of knowledge and skills for professional growth. This event is co-sponsored by the Graduate School Office of Professional Development and the Delta Program.
Getting the Job: Workshop and Panel Series
Are you preparing for a career in academia or a career that will value your teaching and mentoring abilities? Join Delta for this special event series dedicated to helping candidates stand out in a competitive job market.
Crafting Your Teaching Philosophy
Wednesday, March 30 | 12:30 pm - 2 pm
Union South (TITU) | Career Development | Communication | Inclusion and Diversity 
The hands-on exercises and constructive feedback you’ll receive in this workshop will prepare you to create a teaching philosophy statement that helps you stand out in a crowded pool of applicants.
This workshop will focus on website and online portfolio design for the various needs of graduate students such as choosing the right platform and making aesthetic choices with your audience in mind. This session is an excellent planning tool if you are creating a new website or a good way to double-check and polish your content if you have an existing page. Other topics will include determining what information is most important to share with your audience, creating a succinct CTA (call to action), keeping your content concise, considerations for making your website accessible (including mobile-friendly), suggested website resources (such as where you can find stock images), and pros and cons for some of the major website building platforms. Presented by DesignLab and the Office of Professional Development.

For Future Faculty

Preparing for success on the job market and beyond.
Find a full list of events on the For Future Faculty website.

Teaching

Explore more teaching-related professional development events from the Delta Program.
Teaching at UW: Designing Effective Discussions
Friday, March 25 | 10 - 11:30 am
Online

YOU@Wisc Lunch & Learn for instructors
Friday, March 25 | 12:30 - 1 pm
Online
YOU@Wisc is a wellness resource with tools, content, and information for UW–Madison students built around three themes: succeed, thrive, and matter. This lunch and learn is geared primarily toward instructors who are interested in connecting students to a tool to improve wellbeing.
Grammar 4: Sentence
Monday, March 28 | noon - 1 pm
Online

  • Excel 2: Functions
  • Python
  • Excel 1
Women in Foreign Policy
Thursday, March 24 | 5 pm
Online
STEM Education in Peace Corps
Friday, March 25 | 4 - 5 pm
Memorial Union (TITU) 
Ecological Restoration Work Party
Saturday, March 26 | 9 am - noon
UW–Madison Arboretum
Global Health Issues in Peace Corps
Monday, March 28 | noon - 1:30 pm
150 Russell Labs, 1630 Linden Dr.
Deadlines & Announcements

Summer term enrollment dates

  • Week of March 28 - Enrollment appointment times for summer term assigned to students (throughout week)
  • Week of April 4 - Students begin enrolling for summer term courses according to their appointment times

Tuition and fee deadlines

Chancellor Blank outlines steps against hostile, intimidating behavior

UW–Madison addresses instances of hostile and intimidating behavior head-on, Chancellor Rebecca Blank says. Recent news reports have cited behavior by advisers toward grad students that the chancellor says “is unacceptable and … harms individuals and our mission.” UW, she adds, has “the most robust combination of policy, response and support resources” in the Big Ten. Read the full message about UW–Madison efforts to address hostile and intimidating behavior.

Food assistance available for students

Food insecurity can mean skipping meals because you can’t afford them, or it can mean not having enough access to healthy and nutritious food that allow you to focus on your academic and scholarly goals. If you are facing food insecurity, there are free food resources available on campus:
  • The Badger Fare Program provides a $75 deposit directly to your Wiscard that you can immediately use to purchase food on campus. The program is offered through the Dean of Students Office and is available once each academic year to students who are experiencing food insecurity or an unexpected life event.
  • The Open Seat Food Pantry supplies students in need with free boxes of food and hygiene products packed and distributed by Second Harvest Foodbank. To get a food box, fill out the Open Seat food box request by Thursday at noon. The following week, you can pick up your food at locations at Eagle Heights or East Campus Mall.
While these are some highlights, there are many other food assistance resources on campus and in the community for all students facing food insecurity or who have experienced an unexpected life event. Please take advantage of them if you need them.

Humanities Grant Writing Camp - Call for applications

The UW–Madison Graduate School is launching the Humanities Grant Writing Camp this May. Hosted by the Institute for Research in the Humanities and facilitated by the UW–Madison Writing Center, the four-day camp (May 23 through 26, 9 am to 3:30 pm) provides participants with a structured introduction to the nuts-and-bolts of writing funding proposals to support a wide range of humanities work, from research travel and dissertation writing to public humanities projects. Applications will be accepted until March 25 and require an advisor endorsement. Notifications will be made by April 15. Eligibility criteria include enrollment in a UW–Madison graduate program in the humanities or humanistic social sciences. For more information, see the Humanities Grant Writing Camp call for applications.

Apply now for May Dissertation Writing Camp

Supported by the Graduate School and facilitated by Writing Center senior staff, the virtual Dissertation Writing Camp is scheduled for May 16 through 20. Camp offers an opportunity for dissertators to make significant progress on their dissertations by drafting a substantial amount of writing in a structured, collegial, virtual environment. Develop writing strategies, receive feedback, build peer support, and reserve uninterrupted time to focus on your dissertation. Applications are due by Friday, March 25 and require an advisor endorsement. Visit the Graduate School Dissertation Help webpage for detailed descriptions and application information.
Wellness

Monitor yourself for symptoms of COVID-19

It remains important to monitor yourself daily for COVID-19 symptoms. If you develop symptoms, stay home and get tested. At-home antigen tests are available for pickup at no cost on campus and PCR tests are available by appointment in MyUHS.
University Health Services (UHS) continues to offer free COVID-19 vaccines and boosters to all students and employees. If you’re eligible for a booster and haven’t yet received one, make an appointment today at UHS. Once you receive your booster dose, let UHS know.
For more information, see the COVID-19 Response FAQs.

UHS services available remotely

University Health Services is committed to supporting you. Many medical, counseling, and wellness services are available by phone and accessible online. Find out more on the UHS Remote Health and Connection webpage.

Mental Health Resources for Grad Students

According to the 2019 Healthy Minds Survey, 93% of UW–Madison graduate students do not think any less of a peer who seeks mental health care, and 89% of UW–Madison graduate students who used mental health care found it helpful.
  • Let’s Talk. Sign up for a free, informal, and confidential consultation about any topic at locations across campus. Common concerns include stress, sadness, relationships, academic performance, financial struggles, and family problems.
  • UHS 24-hour Crisis Services. On-call crisis counselors can help address your most pressing concerns, address your safety, and help you connect with follow-up service needs. It’s available every day, including weekends, holidays, and semester breaks. Call the UHS crisis line at 608-265-5600. For situations that are immediately life-threatening, call 911.
  • YOU@WISC. This portal has tools and information to help you be well, with modules on stress management, self-care, social support, suicidal thoughts, mindfulness, academic wellness, and more.
For more mental health resources, visit UHS Mental Health Services.

Graduate Student Support and Assistance

The Dean of Students Office provides resources to students struggling with a variety of issues and can be your go-to spot for assistance as a graduate student. To contact the Graduate and Professional Student Assistance Specialist Elaine Goetz-Berman directly, email egoetz2@wisc.edu.

Hostile and Intimidating Behavior

The University of Wisconsin–Madison is committed to preventing hostile and intimidating behavior (HIB) and will take prompt and appropriate corrective action whenever it learns that it has occurred. If you have experienced HIB, there are resources to help and staff available to talk.
Funding Opportunities
Please note: Some graduate students may be ineligible to hold graduate assistantship appointments. Be sure to check with your graduate program coordinator about your eligibility before applying.

Campus Employment

Project Assistant (25% position), Division of the Arts, Provost's Office
Technical writer position; no tuition remission or benefits
Teaching Assistant, DesignLab, General Library
2 - 4 positions available; minimum one to two years of experience in digital design
Project Assistant, Department of Plant Pathology, College of Agricultural & Life Sciences
Requires strong programming skills in julia language and proficient level of version control via git/github; graduate students in Computer Science or Statistics preferred
Student Help (hourly), Dairy Brain Project, Department of Animal Science
Experience in any programming language required; R and Shiny web development experience preferred

Fellowships & Grants

Fulbright U.S. Student Program information session
Thursday, March 24 | 3 - 4:30 pm
Online 

Pet of the Week

Picture of a brown and white dog smiling at the camera with a tennis ball in front of her.
Move over, Gretchen Wieners: Sadie is making fetch happen. This smiley pup belongs to Hannah Stuart, graduate student in Water Resources Management.
Twitter Facebook Instagram YouTube
powered by emma
Subscribe to our email list.