Grad LIFE

Resilient and Ready to Lead, Teachers Make the World a Better Place

Apr 20, 2020 1:15 pm

In a time of uncertainty, as instruction and learning transition to digital technologies, College of Education students have an important message to share.

Coping with Compassion Fatigue

May 6, 2020 12:45 pm

Dr. Tara Powell's recent Zoom workshop on "Self-care, Preventing Burnout and Compassion Fatigue" struck a chord with over 1000 people in the university community, maxing out the potential registrants for a Zoom meeting. That's not surprising during these strange times when many people are doubling down on efforts to check-in (virtually or in-person) on friends and family members who are struggling. Powell offers some tips for those in caregiver roles during the COVID19 pandemic, but they are applicable in our everyday lives as well.

Person doing one-arm push-up with their hand on a laptop. A cat is underneath them.

Staying Active while Sheltering at Home

May 12, 2020 10:00 am

Many of us grew up with a very rigid conception of ‘exercise’ that involves participation in a ‘formal’ exercise program, or joining a gym or fitness club, this kind of exercise almost always involves wearing special clothes, traveling to an exercise facility, and finding time in a busy schedule to fit it all in. There are countless enjoyable and creative ways to build physical activity into a daily routine, even during the cornavirus.

Where Are They Now? Rick Deja

May 13, 2020 12:15 pm

Landing a teaching role outside of the US was always a goal for Rick Deja (PhD, musicology, '16). So when he was offered a job teaching in South Africa, he simply couldn’t pass it up. Deja is currently a lecturer (the equivalent to an assistant professor position) in ethnomusicology at the University of Cape Town (UCT), where he teaches courses on music and culture from Africa and other world regions, advises graduate students’ research and writing, curates a collection of traditional and historical instruments, and leads a student music ensemble performing Pan-African Jazz and Popular music.

Radical Healing / Collective Thriving

May 18, 2020 3:00 pm

Getting work done looks very different today than it did at the beginning of the Spring semester. For Amir Maghsoodi, PhD student in Educational Psychology, the shift from in-person, clinical counseling training has offered time to deepen his social justice work with the Radical Healing Collective, a group of psychology scholars who work in issues of culture, ethnicity, and race.

How to Enhance Your Personal Brand Online this Summer

Jun 2, 2020 2:15 pm

Remember in the early 2000s when we used to create online pseudonym usernames like “plantlover101” or “sillys0pran0” for internet safety? Fast-forward to 2020, where personal branding is now one of the best tools to market yourself. Long gone are the days where you’ll be advised to hide social media accounts from employers - and why should you? They paint a picture of who you are as a scholar and as a person, too. But personal branding is a scary term. How do you embody a form of corporate personhood without hiding your authentic and multi-faceted self? The answer sounds too good to be true: You don’t have to!

Working from Home with Kids

Jun 8, 2020 7:45 pm

The past several months have presented many of us with new challenges: stress and uncertainty, eroding boundaries between work and the rest of our lives, new and often not ideal workspaces, isolation, and more. Add kids to the mix, and things get even more challenging.

On the Job Hunt: How to Keep Your Options Open

Jun 30, 2020 7:15 pm

In the coming months, facing uncertainty head-on and doing what you can to prepare for multiple possible job outcomes is the best thing you can do for your future self, advises Derek Attig.

Graduate students dressed in theatrical costumes perform on stage

Staying Creative During Quarantine

Jul 6, 2020 3:00 pm

Staying creative during quarantine can be challenging. New work conditions with more, or less, distractions and commitments, fewer in person arts and entertainment opportunities in your community, and an atmosphere of stress and uncertainty can all negatively affect creativity. In this interview, Nic Morse, Digital Media Specialist (and our in house illustrator!) checks in with Vincent Carlson, a PhD student in Theatre at Illinois to chat about what creativity and engagement with the arts looks like for him during COVID-19.

Grading is the Worst & Why Being a URAP Graduate Mentor Is Valuable

Jul 6, 2020 3:45 pm

The Undergraduate Research Apprenticeship Program connects undergraduates who are new to research with experienced graduate students who mentor them through the research process.

Meet Our Fellows: Raquel Escobar, Mellon/ACLS Public Fellow

Aug 17, 2020 12:15 pm

Graduate education prepares you for many ways to positively impact the world around you. For Raquel Escobar, recent doctoral graduate in History, the opportunity to have a broad and active impact on the community comes through a Mellon/ACLS Public Fellowship. The fellowship allows Escobar to marry her scholarly expertise in history, memory and public humanities with a position at the Humanities Action Lab (HAL) at Rutgers University in New Jersey.

Taking Classes Online? These Tips Will Help

Aug 31, 2020 11:15 pm

Online learning has gained a prominent place in our everyday lives since mid-March, when the university switched to a fully online format of instruction due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Whether you are a returning online student or taking some of your first grad school classes online, staying organized and connecting with your peers online can all help you be successful. SAGE member and PhD candidate Olnancy Tzirides provides tips she’s learned from her research and teaching experience in online learning.

Cartoon of Sherlock Holmes searching for answers

Five Questions for a Successful First Year

Sep 14, 2020 3:00 pm

As you settle in, it’s a good idea to start learning more about your program and thinking about what goals you want to accomplish while at Illinois. One of the best ways to understand departmental and professional expectations is to connect with your academic support network.

Meet the 2020 - 2021 SAGE Board Members

Sep 17, 2020 10:00 am

Students Advising on Graduate Education (SAGE) is a student advisory board and leadership opportunity for graduate students at Illinois that fosters active engagement with Graduate College programs and initiatives. SAGE board members enrich graduate student community, build leadership and administrative skills, and strengthen Graduate College services and programs. As we embark on a new academic year, we are excited to introduce our 2020 - 2021 SAGE board!

Ananya Tiwari presenting about SwaTaleem

What Keeps Me Going during COVID: Journey of an International Graduate Student

Sep 23, 2020 12:15 pm

The COVID19 pandemic hit all of us differently. Staying away from home and family has been incredibly hard on all students, but especially international students who may need to go an extremely long time before seeing family. In this post, educational pyschology PhD student Ananya Tiwari shares what keeps her going amid the COVID-19 pandemic while far from home.

Meet Our Fellows: Matthew Boudreau, NCI Pre/Postdoctoral Fellow

Sep 28, 2020 1:15 pm

“All of us, unfortunately, have a personal experience with cancer impacting a friend or family member. It touches a lot of our hearts. I saw the depths of what we could not treat through a life experience of a friend,” Matthew Boudreau, PhD Candidate in Chemistry said. “I think that was the first spark for me to become involved in cancer research.”

Fred: How a Cartoon Mouse Became a Grad Student’s Mascot

Oct 5, 2020 1:30 pm

Graduate school looks different for each graduate student, but all graduate careers come with ups, downs, and all that happens in between. In this post, recent Bioengineering doctoral graduate, Parinaz Fathi, introduces us to an unexpected aspect of her PhD experience, an illustrated mouse named Fred.

"Shoot for the Moon" and Other Lessons I Learned from My PhD

Oct 19, 2020 12:30 pm

Chelsea Yu, PhD candidate in Finance, has learned a lot about herself and being productive through the process of figuring out the best motivational strategies to help support her goals as a PhD student. In this piece, originally published on her LinkedIn page, she explores 9 lessons she's learned during her PhD and how they helped her navigate her way through to candidacy.

Punit Singhvi's Asphalt Concrete Brownie with Hot Fudge Sauce

Nov 1, 2020 5:00 pm

Doctoral student Punit Singhvi reads aloud his award-winning 2020 Image of Research entry and shares his recipe for success.

Courtney Richardson's Transformation of Historical Information

Nov 1, 2020 5:45 pm

Doctoral student Courtney Richardson reads aloud her award-winning 2020 Image of Research entry and shares how she created it.

Student in dark shirt with stars sits on the quad and studies.

5 Ways to Not Get Intimidated & Overwhelmed When Applying to Graduate School

Nov 1, 2020 7:30 pm

University of Illinois bioengineering graduate students share their top five tips for applying to graduate school.

Person in blue sweater sits at desk with pens, paint brushes, and notebook ready to write something.

Three Simple Ways to Ease Into the New Semester

Jan 12, 2021 3:00 pm

I’ve always found the transition between break and the start of the semester to be particularly tricky. Help your body and mind ease into the new semester with these three tips!

Person with compass on campus at the Hallene Gateway.

Creating a Roadmap for Graduate School Success

Feb 9, 2021 5:30 pm

Grad school is stuffed with opportunities. This blog will help you start creating your roadmap in 4 simple steps!

A computer file directory with funny names.

How to Keep Track of Your Stuff or Four Horror Stories in Two Parts

Feb 10, 2021 10:00 am

PART II: My file management horror stories and how they taught me to manage my data like a pro.

A comic about naming and resaving a document.

How to Keep Track of Your Stuff or Four Horror Stories in Two Parts

Feb 10, 2021 10:30 am

PART I: My file management horror stories and how they taught me to manage my data like a pro.

Illustration of a a diverse group of leaders

Leadership Award Winners Share What Inspires Their Service

Feb 18, 2021 3:45 pm

We caught up with the recipient and honorees of the 2020 Graduate Student Leadership Award to ask what inspired them to pursue leadership roles and what is most rewarding about their experience. Their responses are compassionate and inspiring.

Person sitting in a classroom with a laptop, wearing a mask and gesturing with hands.

Starting a PhD During a Pandemic

Feb 23, 2021 4:45 pm

Starting grad school in the middle of a pandemic has not been easy, but the ISE Department has been incredibly supportive!

Students talk to each other about their research posters.

Why You Should (or Shouldn't) Go to Grad School

Feb 24, 2021 5:00 pm

Why go to graduate school? There are a thousand reasons, which is why it's more interesting to discuss why not to go.

Podcast: Your Portfolio Will Never Be Perfect or Done

Feb 25, 2021 4:45 pm

Landscape designer Saloni Chawla (MLA '18) sits down to talk with us about how she landed her dream job and why she considers it a perfect match.

Taking a Break

Mar 11, 2021 5:45 pm

Taking healthy breaks in grad school is essential and doesn’t have to take a long time.

Podcast: A Research Pivot, One Year Later

Mar 15, 2021 3:00 pm

It has been a year of COVID. Grad student podcasters share their funniest Zoom stories and Burning Man expert Caitlin Brooks shares insights on the power of community in times of isolation.

What is Group Therapy, and How Does it Work?

Mar 16, 2021 11:45 am

We ask the Counseling Center's Kamau Grantham 5 questions about the value of group therapy.

Asian woman wearing glasses, with her hand on her chin, looks quizzically at a laptop screen.

What Happens After You Submit a Job Application?

Apr 14, 2021 2:30 pm

You may not see it, but a whole world of people evaluate your job application, writes Derek Attig, who describes all that happens after you push Submit.

People sitting and concentrating at tables with paper and laptops by a white board with the text Writers Workshop Grad Writing Productivity Group.

How Good Writing Habits Lead to Short- & Long-term Payoffs

Apr 28, 2021 1:15 pm

The Illinois Writers Workshop's Carolyn Wisniewski answers 5 questions about the Workshop and shares why writing is an essential part of the research process.

A person sits in their home and works on a laptop and takes notes.

3 Quick Everyday Tips for Surviving & Thriving on Zoom

May 7, 2021 5:30 pm

Zoom fatigue is real. We share a few quick tips for before, during, and after online meetings that you can do to avoid burnout.

Meet Our Fellows: Destiny Williams-Dobosz, NSF Graduate Research Fellow

Jun 9, 2021 4:45 pm

“Why is science so hard for students?” This question has intrigued Destiny Williams-Dobosz, a Ph.D. student in Educational Psychology and NSF Graduate Research Fellow.

Cartoons of adults in a variety of fun activities.

Podcast: Bringing Childlike Approaches to Self-Care

Jun 17, 2021 3:00 pm

Abby shares some techniques to lower stress in elementary school students, such as a 5-4-3-2-1 mapping exercise, that might also work for grad students.

Illustration of a woman with a pencil, guitar, mountains and other thoughts above her head.

Podcast: The Fine Art of Balance

Jun 17, 2021 4:00 pm

Theatre doctoral student Vincent Carlson performs "You and Your Work," a poem he wrote inspired by boundary setting and conflicting ideas about work ethic.

A white cup with purple liquid and a smiley face.

Podcast: You Can’t Pour from an Empty Cup

Jun 17, 2021 5:00 pm

SAGE grad student podcasters interview the Counseling Center’s Kamau Grantham, who gives everyone permission to take care of themselves.

One Story Video: Get to Know Microbiology Ph.D. Student, Katie Frye

Sep 10, 2021 5:00 pm

Meet Katie Frye a Ph.D. student in Microbiology and a COVID-19 SHIELD: Target, Test, Tell team member.

Get to Know Recreation, Sport & Tourism Online Master’s Student, Jay Lopez

Sep 10, 2021 5:00 pm

Meet Jay Lopez, an online master’s student in Recreation, Sport & Tourism. Jay lives and works in Long Beach, California, with his wife, Emily, and their two young children.

Meet Our Fellows: Biniyam Melesse, Fulbright-Hays DDRA Awardee

Nov 1, 2021 4:30 am

For Biniyam Melisse, winning a Fulbright-Hays Doctoral Dissertation Research Abroad (DDRA) fellowship was “a match made in heaven.”

Ethnography: Anthropological Research on Queer Pentecostalism in Brazil

Jan 26, 2022 4:30 am

"I think of anthropological method as the art of being in relation with others, and ethnographic description as the art of writing those relations. It’s a difficult art, stepping into other people’s lives and describing the relations you think you see."

Thesis Summer Reading List

May 16, 2022 11:30 am

A few years ago, we asked campus experts to recommend books for students who are working on their theses. In this year’s installment, their recommendations include books with writing tips, career exploration strategies, and stories to help you escape work to find balance. Here are their suggestions!

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