Supporting Graduate Students' Academic and Professional Success
Academic Pathways Week
After Grad: Academic Pathways Week is a week full of panels and workshops designed to promote preparation and success across your academic career, both in graduate school and as a possible future faculty member. In Fall 2022, it will be held between October 31st and November 4th, 2022. If you have any questions, email gradsuccess@ucr.edu.
(For information purposes only.)
**At the end of each session, a gift card will be raffled among attendees. Each attendee can win a gift card only once.**

Monday, October 31, 2022 | 12 - 1:50 pm | HUB 355
Keynote Address

Dr. Daryle Williams will be giving this year's Academic Pathways Week keynote address (12pm - 1pm). He will be sharing about his experiences and understandings of what it is like to pursue a faculty position at a research university.
Lunch (1pm - 2pm) will be provided to the 25 participants who register to attend the event in person.
Dr. Williams earned an undergraduate history degree and certificate in Latin American studies from Princeton University and a master's and Ph.D. in history from Stanford University.
Tuesday, November 1, 2022 | 11 - 11:50 am | Zoom
An Introduction to Academic Cover Letters
Join Alexis Smith, the Coordinator of the UCR Graduate Writing Center, to learn the basics of effective academic cover letters and how you can better market your academic skills to a hiring committee. Make your cover letter stand out!
Speaker's bio: Alexis has over six years of experience supporting graduate students in writing center contexts, first as a peer tutor and then as an administrator. After completing her BA in English and Anthropology at West Virginia University, Alexis went on to complete an MA in Applied Linguistics/TESOL at the University of Alabama. In addition to tutoring and teaching second language writing courses at UA, she also spent a year teaching English composition at Sias International University in Xinzheng, Henan, China. Most recently, Alexis worked with graduate students and multilingual writers at the Texas A&M University Writing Center.
Tuesday, November 1, 2022 | 1 - 1:50 pm | Zoom
Interviewing for Faculty Positions
Join Dr. Annika Speer, Professor of Teaching, Theatre, Film, and Digital Production at UCR Theatre Department, in this workshop to learn tips for presenting yourself well during both in-person and virtual interviews.
Speaker's bio: Dr. Speer earned her BFA in Theatre at University of Colorado Boulder. She then went on to earn her MA in Dramatic Arts and her PhD in Theatre Studies with doctoral emphasis in Feminist Studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara. She joined UCR in 2015 and is now a Professor of Teaching, Theatre, Film, and Digital Production at UCR Theatre Department.
Wednesday, November 2, 2022 | 1 - 2:50 pm | HUB 367
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Dr. Maria Morales is our invited DEI speaker for Academic Pathways Week. The title of her address is Stories Matter: Context and Empathy in the Practice of DEI. The purpose of this conversation/talk is to establish awareness--both of the self and of others--as a foundational element of cultural engagement; which in turn is key in the practice of diversity, equity and inclusion.
Lunch (1pm - 2pm) will be provided to the 25 participants who register to attend the event in person.
Speaker's Bio: Dr. Maria Morales is an educator and cultural scholar who has dedicated her entire career to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion. Her research and expertise focus on the effects that social, economic, and psychological factors have on the wellness, performance, and achievement of minoritized individuals (e.g., people of color, women, first-generation students, LGBTQ communities, etc.). She firmly believes that all individuals—regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation or socioeconomic status—can reach high levels of achievement when provided with adequate support and resources.
Dr. Morales currently serves as CEO of MIM Consulting; a firm that specializes in helping organizations become sustainably diverse, equitable and inclusive. In addition to her academic and professional interests, she is also a professional writer and an avid traveler. At the heart of her work are compassion, empathy, and human connections.
** The funding for the keynote address is provided by UC-HSI Doctoral Diversity Initiative President's Pre-Professoriate Fund.
Thursday, November 3, 2022 | 10 - 10:50 am | Zoom
Advanced Academic Cover Letter Clinic
Bring the announcements for any jobs you are applying to and a draft of your cover letter; work with Graduate Writing Center consultants to tailor your cover letter to fit specific positions. Space is limited, so please sign up early to reserve your spot.
Thursday, November 3, 2022 | 12 - 12:50 pm | Zoom
UCR New Faculty Panel
This panel consists of speakers who have all been recently hired at UCR. The panelists will discuss navigating an academic job search, the application process, job talks, and interviews. Attend to become a well-informed and better prepared candidate on the competitive academic job market.
This panel session will be broadcast on Zoom.
Thursday, November 3, 2022 | 2 - 2:50 pm | Zoom
UCR Postdocs Panel
Post-doctoral positions are becoming increasingly important to stay competitive on the academic job market. This panel invites UCR post-doctoral fellows to share thoughts about how these positions may fit into a larger academic career trajectory and to discuss experiences around the search and application process, position requirements, and time management.
This panel session will be broadcast on Zoom.
(For information purposes only.)