All Sessions

This is a monthly in-person event designed to provide
insights, advice, and knowledge to you as an emerging academic. Each
event features a faculty member discussing topics pertinent to starting
an academic career focusing on research. You will get to hear from
faculty about their career trajectories and how they navigated their
transition from trainee to faculty member. You will also have an
opportunity to network with the faculty member as well as other
trainees.
Aims and Objectives:
To provide a platform where trainees can learn from faculty experiences and knowledge.To address and discuss pertinent issues and topics relevant to the biomedical/medical field and life sciences.To foster networking and community-building opportunities among trainees and faculty.To
promote a culture of continuous learning and improvement, equipping
trainees with the necessary skills and information for the faculty
profession needed to transition into academia.

The Ginsberg Center offers multiple workshops to support students and staff who are working with communities through courses, student organizations or independently. Learning in Community (LinC) is an educational workshop and training series focused on supporting those interested in community engagement, social justice, democratic engagement, advocacy, activism and philanthropy. Sessions address one or more of the following areas:

Principles and Practice of Ethical Community Engagement
Democratic Engagement
Leadership for Social Change
In addition to our LinC Workshop Series, groups can also request individual workshops. For more information, or to submit a request for one of the below workshops, please visit our website: https://ginsberg.umich.edu/linc

Come and discuss various topics about cultural norms and events in the United States! Refreshments will be made available, and you can speak with fellow international (and potentially some U.S. students!) about each topic.

Learning some travel basics for an upcoming global program

The American Red Cross lifeguard training and certification are imperative to the process of getting hired on as an official Red Cross lifeguard. Our detailed blended learning training includes both testing of hands-on skills as well as comprehension on written tests. The certification, which includes First Aid, CPR and AED training, is valid for two years upon completion and is accepted nationwide. Allow approximately 6 hours to complete the online portion which must be completed prior to attending the first day of the course.
**There is no fee for current Michigan Recreation employees. The fee for non-employees is $290. Please use this link to complete payment.**

This session is part of the 2025-2026 Generative AI tutorial series hosted by the Michigan Institute for Data & AI in Society (MIDAS)
About: This session explores how researchers can critically and effectively use generative AI tools to support and enhance the literature review process. Participants will engage hands-on with models such as NotebookLM and Perplexity to assess their ability to identify, summarize, and synthesize scholarly information. Through guided exercises, attendees will evaluate each tool’s strengths and limitations, reflect on issues of accuracy, bias, and validity, and develop a more rigorous and informed approach to integrating GenAI tools into their scholarly discovery and review workflows.

AC100


Learn about the various funds that make up the university's general ledger. This is an introductory course on Fund Accounting and Chartfields at the University of Michigan.

Agenda:

Chartfield Structure Overview

Income Statement and Balance Sheet Overview

Expenses/Revenues Overview

PLEASE NOTE: There will be no classes scheduled for June and July, due to peak year-end processing for the Accounting Customer Service team.

AC200

Learn about Revenue and Expense types and Journal entries at the University of Michigan.

Agenda:
Revenue Types
Expense Types
Journal Entries


PLEASE NOTE: There will be no classes scheduled for June and July, due to peak year-end processing for the Accounting Customer Service team.

Building on the introductory session in October, this webinar is designed for research administrators who have already begun exploring generative AI tools. Don Lambert, Director of Emerging Technology at ITS, will lead this deeper dive into practical applications of AI in research administration.


In this session, you will:
Examine real-world use cases of generative AI in administrative workflows.
Learn strategies for integrating AI tools effectively and responsibly.
Explore advanced features and campus resources that can enhance productivity and efficiency.


Whether you’re just beginning to explore AI or are looking to advance your skills, this session will provide practical examples, best practices, and expert guidance tailored to research administrators.

In this program, any student part of a student organization can come to learn more about different leadership skills to help lead a student org!

Designed to help with frequently requested topics by students across disciplines, these workshops aim to provide support and guidance as you navigate your academic and professional growth at the University of Michigan. Differing from UROP’s ongoing Skill-Building Workshops, the Student Success Workshops focus on improving overall student success, rather than specific research project skills. Workshops are open to any undergraduate student at UM.

This series will guide participants through essential steps of career exploration: self-assessment, researching career options, and networking. You will gain valuable insights into your strengths, values, priorities, and aspirations, and learn actionable strategies for career discovery. By blending guidance, hands-on assessments, practical frameworks, and networking skill-building, this series supports you in making informed decisions and finding career paths that fit your interests. Through this series, you’ll develop the clarity, confidence, and connectivity needed to navigate your career exploration process and pursue fulfilling opportunities

Learning Objectives
By the end of this series, you will be able to:
Identify and articulate your unique strengths and talents through the CliftonStrengths assessment, and apply them to your professional journey.
Define your “Career Compass” by clarifying your values, skills, life needs, and mission, using these as guideposts for career exploration and evaluation.
Discover and utilize effective resources for researching career fields, analyze job descriptions for fit, and develop strategies to organize and assess your current skills.
Build and maintain professional relationships using best networking practices, conduct impactful informational interviews, and create a compelling professional brand.

Sign up for a two-hour work session, followed by a hot lunch with colleagues. The Faculty On-Campus Work Retreats offer a quiet space to work with other scholars and artists, and an opportunity for you to prioritize your research and creative work by committing to one or two work sessions before teaching, service, and email take over the semester. Lunch, after the work session, is a chance to share interests and work with other colleagues, to learn about each others’ research, to grow professional and social networks, and to experience the University as a collective.
The Work Retreats are open to all ~7,600 members of the Faculty Senate, including tenure-track professors, lecturers, research faculty, clinical faculty, librarians, archivists, and curators. The series was developed by the Faculty Senate Office, is supported by the Office of the Provost, and is co-sponsored by Librarian Mary Lawrence.

Bring your questions about internships! During this session, Rackham and University Career Center staff will answer your questions about doing an internship as a doctoral student, and provide an overview of the guidelines and application process for Rackham's Doctoral Intern Fellowship Program.

Topics we will cover include:

How to talk to your advisor about making an internship a part of your graduate trainingAnswering questions about Rackham’s Doctoral Intern Fellowship ProgramStrategies for looking for internshipsThe benefits of doing an internship as a doctoral studentHow to make the most of an internshipTips for writing cover letters and resumes for internshipsOther questions you have about doctoral internships


The second half of the session will include a panel of past Rackham doctoral intern fellows, who will talk about their experiences with internships and how they integrated them with their graduate studies.

Hey Honors Students! Do you love reading? We hope you will join us in reading and discussing any, or all, of our 2025-2026 Honors Reads selections!
This past summer, the Honors Program read The Volcano Daughters, which repeated the mantra “The Word Makes the World.” This curious phrase inspired us to consider how writing and storytelling not only reflect culture and individual experience, they actively shape it. Through this theme, we hope to:
Explore how authors channel history, identity and lived experience through words.
Discuss how texts and the act of writing can expand our perspectives and foster understanding.
Fall Term Selections (Registration required, links below):September 23rd, 5-6PM: She Would Be King by Wayétu Moore
October 16th, 11AM-12PM: Plato and the Tyrant by James Romm
November 12th, 3-4PM: The Correspondent, by Virginia Evans
December - none...classes end early on Dec 8.
Winter Term Selections (Registration required, links will be available in December):January 21. 4-5PM: Based on student vote, we will be reading Twist, by Colum McCann
February 9, 3-4PM : Kitchen, by Banana Yoshimoto, Megan Backus (Translator)
April TBD: focus will be on poetry!


How does it work?Review the options and select the book or books that you want to read.Register to attend the relevant discussion.Read the book in advance of the discussion and come prepared to share your reactions. What questions or insights did the book provoke?Book discussions will (generally) last 50 minutes.Who can attend?Honors students at all levels are welcome.There is no limit to the number of sessions you can attend.Does it count toward the Sophomore Honors Award (avialable to current second year students or new transfer students) or the new Junior Honors Award (available to 2025 first year students)?2nd year Honors students and new transfer students to the Honors Program are eligible to earn engagement points towards the Sophomore Honors Award. Earn 1 point/book read for a maximum of 3 points.New first 1st year students to the Honors Program may count each Honors Reads participation as a "breadth engagement experience" toward the Junior Honors Award requirements. Reading the book and participating in the discussion are required in order for this activity to be eligible toward either the SHA or the JHA.Questions?
Email Denise at dguillot@umich.edu

Course Description: Hosted by Michigan Housing’s Community Connections and Engagement Department, this dialogue series is offered to new and seasoned Student Life staff as a professional development opportunity. The series emphasizes reflection, connection, and intentional practice to support a culture of belonging.

Over 6 weeks, participants are guided from self-awareness to action through three modules:
Inclusion on Purpose: Self reflection and inclusive practices skill-building
Strengthening Communities: Recognizing barriers to access and belonging
Belonging in Action: Applying inclusive principles in everyday work

Learning Outcomes: At the conclusion of the series, participants will be able to –
Implement inclusive strategies in leadership, supervision, collaboration, and interactions with students and colleagues.
Cultivate relationship-building skills that enhance connection and a sense of belonging within the diverse University of Michigan community.
Assess policies, practices, and office operations through an inclusive perspective.

This program is for advisors of different student organizations!

Come enjoy a sweet treat and make new friends while testing out U-M's
new conversation game, The Pluralism Playdeck.
The Pluralism Playdeck is
a low-key scaffolded card game designed to allow university students to
practice the interpersonal skills they need to engage in compassionate and
honest conversations about hot-button issues across ideological and
demographic differences. You'll learn about yourself. You'll learn about
others. You'll develop a skill set that will serve you well in both
social and professional settings.

Are you interested in learning how to effectively connect with colleagues and prospective employers? Do you want to learn how to discuss your research with those outside of your field? If so, this integrative workshop will help you develop a strong pitch that can be used in networking opportunities. Come and a) learn about the process of networking, b) develop and practice your pitch, c) reflect on when (and when not) to bring your research up in your pitch, and d) understand University Career Center networking and career development resources. Brought to you by the University Career Center, in partnership with Rackham Graduate School.

What if a set of photos could completely transform how you
understand your purpose, the experiences of others, and the value of humanity?
With over 5 billion pictures taken globally every day, Photovoice uses this
powerful medium to foster deeper connections and understanding between
participants. In this 90-minute interactive session, you’ll use photographs to
reflect, share your story, and engage in meaningful dialogue with others.
Whether you're looking to explore your own journey or connect with diverse
perspectives, this innovative experience is designed for everyone. No
photography skills are needed—just bring your curiosity and an open mind! Come
capture more than just a moment—discover the stories behind the images!
Join us for a vegetarian dinner and a unique style
of conversation each fourth Thursday of the month. At Photovoice
dinners, you will share simple phone photographs of your own making to express
your thoughts on meaningful topics like religion, politics, and belonging. A
facilitator will guide your table through the process of sharing, asking
questions, and understanding everyone's experiences. Receive more information
about the monthly topics by signing up here.

Looking for ways to get involved on campus this semester? Come meet student organizations at the UMSI Winter Student Org Fair! You’ll have the chance to ask questions and hear about opportunities for professional development, social events, and project teams this semester.

Join us in the Leinweber Dow Room on Thursday, January 22nd from 6:00-7:30 PM.

We can’t wait to see you there!

An effective personal statement lives at the heart of your medical or professional health school application. Your personal statement allows you to tell your story to an admissions committee and share who you are and why you make a wonderful addition to a medical or health professions program. This workshop focuses on how you can get started writing a winning statement. You will learn how to focus on the passions, values, relationships, community service, clinical work, and other life experiences which led to your interest in health care. This workshop is designed to get you writing and reflecting on the story you want to tell on your application. Come to the workshop ready for getting started on an early draft.

The Center for Global and Intercultural Study (CGIS) has partnered with four internship provider organizations that maintain portfolios of placements around the world, offering the chance for undergraduate students to participate in quality International Internships over the summer. This info session will go into detail about the program for one of these providers, Sage Corps.
Sage Corps Internships sends college students to work with startups. Students can work full-time alongside CEOs, CMOs, and CTOs to build real solutions to real problems. They provide opportunities for specializations including, but not limited to, business strategy, data analytics, graphic design, marketing, software development, and UI/UX design.
These internships combine a full-time internship with an integrated academic seminar (earning 3-6 total credits) to provide professional exploration and specific skills development over the course of 8 weeks during the summer. You’ll learn to contextualize real-world experience while learning about local business culture, intercultural communication, professional development, and linkages between local and global industry trends.
Sound interesting? Come join us virtually to learn more!

Join us for the 2026 Student Life Professional Development Conference - Anchored in Purpose: Evolving Work, Steadfast Mission! This conference is dedicated to recentering ourselves in the midst of increasing change in complexity at work, enabling future opportunities for us and our students, growing our community to meet the ever evolving needs of higher education, and expanding our reach to ensure maximum impact. Participants will engage in dynamic discussions, workshops, and networking opportunities aimed at creating a resilient, equitable, and inclusive future.
Our Pre-Conference (Monday, January 26, 2026) includes half or full day Sessions and Workshops. The Conference Day (Tuesday, January 27, 2026) includes 50 Minute Breakout Sessions, Lunch, and 75 Minute Extended Sessions in the afternoon.
This year's conference encompasses four focus areas:
Strengthening Our Roots: Professional skill building (core skills, best practices)
Growing Our Community: Networking, collaboration, and building inclusive spaces
Anchored in Purpose: Leadership, mission-driven work, and ethical decision making
Expanding Our Reach: Innovative approaches, emerging student needs, and new programs
REGISTRATION DEADLINE: January 9, 2026.
There is a $25 charge for Student Life staff and graduate students to attend the conference and a $50 charge for non Student Life staff per day.

Organizational Excellence organizes and facilitates Empowering Blue, a program where the U-M community can learn about ideas and best practices for continuous improvement. Our mission is to empower the U-M community to take action by sharing ideas and best practices to make their work better and easier.

How do you keep your research projects moving forward without missing important details? Do you wish you had an easier way to tackle large projects step by step? This Rackham Graduate School workshop gives you clear strategies and practical skills for organizing and managing your academic projects. Learn tools for tracking progress, identifying risks, and setting clear goals. Try out technology that helps you deliver results on time and within budget. Build a project charter to guide your work and map out your team, timelines, and challenges.


This workshop is open to all master’s students, doctoral students, and postdocs at the University of Michigan.

If you have any questions, please reach out to rackhampdeworkshops@umich.edu.

Leadership program for Club Officers!

This is a zoom training that covers the fundamentals of Business Objects and the steps to navigate in Business Objects to perform basic, intermediate and advanced tasks in BO. Please bring your own laptop and power adapter to in-person training.
Please Note: There is a minimum of 10 registrations for each class (you can find the number of seats available out of 40). If the minimum number of seats is not reached we will email you in advance.

This workshop series helps graduate students and
postdoctoral fellows build the professional skills needed to succeed in
today’s competitive job market. With a focus on biomedical and life
sciences, and biomedical engineering, you will gain the strategies and
confidence to pursue careers in academia, industry, or beyond. Through
interactive sessions that blend presentations with hands-on activities,
you will practice proven approaches to job applications, networking,
interviewing, and career planning, so you can stand out to employers and
take the next step with confidence.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this series, you will be able to:
Craft strong application materials that showcase your research expertise and transferable skills using the W.H.O. method.Build connections and network effectively with a strong elevator pitch and an optimized LinkedIn profile (Headline-About-Experience format).Succeed in interviews by applying the S.T.A.R. method and approach salary negotiations confidently.Design a strategic job search with S.M.A.R.T. goals and plan long-term career growth through an Individual Development Plan.

A series of workshops, panels, and presentations to help the Michigan Public Health community grow in their leadership skills and abilities.

This workshop is open to all graduate students seeking guidance on cover letters and resumes for positions beyond tenure track roles. It also meets the needs of those applying for internships, including those applying to the Rackham Doctoral Intern Fellowship Program. The process of synthesizing your academic experiences into strong application materials for jobs and internships beyond academia can be challenging but rewarding. This workshop is a hands-on opportunity for graduate students to learn how to effectively develop a resume using the foundation that they have laid with information from their CVs. Additionally, this session will include tips for writing compelling, tailored cover letters and thinking strategically about how these two documents complement each other.

This workshop is designed for master's students, doctoral students, and postdoctoral fellows. For faculty and staff, please contact rackhampdeworkshops@umich.edu to see if we can accommodate your attendance. Brought to you by the University Career Center, in partnership with Rackham Graduate School.

Developed for the Black Curatorial Institute (BCI)
Facilitator: Dr. Kelli Morgan

Wednesday, January 28, 2025
1:00 - 2:30 pm; Tribute Room (1322)

Practicing Equity is an interactive seminar designed for educators, artists, and cultural workers committed to building inclusive, community-centered teaching and research practices. The session integrates foundational texts from Black Feminist scholars and curators, alongside various community-centered exhibitions, to connect critical theory with actionable professional practice. Additionally, it outlines a methodology and approach to scholarship that reimagines possibilities for spaces of learning. Rooted in the Black Curatorial Institute’s Community Impact and Connection to Practice core pillars, this curriculum encourages participants to see teaching, research, and curatorial work as both an ethical responsibility and a transformative form of care.

This event is presented by the Eileen Lappin Weiser Center for the Learning Sciences in partnership with the University of Michigan Museum of Art (UMMA). Light snacks will be provided.

Register to secure your spot.

The First-Gen Community Dinner is an opportunity for first-generation college students to connect with each other and learn more about the First-Gen Gateway. There will be a featured resource at this event that is dedicated to supporting first-generation students and staff will be available to answer any questions you might have.

The SMTD Accessibility Initiative, through the Office for Faculty Development, is pleased to partner with the Disability Equity Office to present the Accessbility in Action workshop for SMTD faculty and staff.

We want to make our events accessible to all participants. CART captioning services will be provided for the panel conversation. If you anticipate needing additional accommodations to participate or would like help filling out the RSVP form, please email Cherice Chan at chericec@umich.edu.

The Interdisciplinary Science and Policy Initiative for Research Engagement (InSPIRE) is a student-run workshop for graduate students interested in engaging with science and technology policy issues.

Join us in the Assembly Hall at Rackham Graduate School for an evening of powerful storytelling. Rackham graduate students will take the stage and tell stories that weave together their lived experience, scholarly work, and reflections on this year’s MLK Symposium theme.
2026 MLK Symposium Theme:
“Unbowed and Unbroken: The Enduring Struggle for Justice”
This year’s symposium explores the enduring pursuit of justice through the lens of perseverance, courage, and collective resolve. Drawing inspiration from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s theological roots and his reflections on the Civil Rights Movement, the theme echoes his 1967 address, “Where Do We Go From Here?”, in which he reminded us that the journey toward justice is marked by both profound challenges and unwavering hope.
To be unbowed and unbroken is to honor the sacrifices of those who came before us while refusing to yield to injustice today. It is a commitment to move forward with defiant hope—confronting discrimination not with resignation, but with determination and belief in the possibility of meaningful change.
Through storytelling, reflection, and community, this event invites attendees to engage deeply with these ideas and consider how justice, resilience, and hope continue to shape our collective path forward.
Event Agenda
5:30 p.m. – Doors Open & Reception
6:00 p.m. – Program Begins
We hope you’ll join us for this meaningful evening of stories, dialogue, and connection.

Are you a current Ph.D. student considering a postdoc as your next step? In this workshop, a collaboration between the University Career Center, Rackham Professional Development and Engagement, and Office of Postdoctoral Affairs, staff will cover all that you need to know about preparing to transition from a Ph.D. to a postdoc. We will cover the pros and cons of doing a postdoc, the different types of postdocs, how to prepare to search and interview, as well as how to prepare yourself for the professional transition.

Join us for a hands-on cooking class led by a chef! Start the new year by learning how to prepare delicious and healthy meals. In this class, we’ll make Quinoa-Stuffed Peppers paired with Curried Hummus (vegetarian meal). This class is perfect for both beginners and seasoned cooks! All supplies will be provided.

Are you an international graduate student interested in pursuing an internship? We’re here to help! This informal information session will feature international graduate students who’ve gone through the Rackham Doctoral Intern Fellowship Program, as well as staff from the International Center, University Career Center, and Rackham.
We’ll cover general information for applying for internships as a graduate student and advice for obtaining curricular practical training (CPT)/optional practical training (OPT) to conduct an internship. While primarily geared toward Ph.D. students, master's students will also benefit from attending.

The Arts Initiative and the Center for Campus Involvement host an annual Student Arts Org Summit, a large gathering of student arts org leaders to learn about resources, connect with peers, enjoy some food, and earn money for their organizations. The University has an incredible 250+ student organizations engaging in the arts, whose members come from all degree programs across the University and play a huge role in the Michigan arts ecosphere.

Please join the Department of Germanic Languages & Literatures for a series of film screenings (shown in German with English subtitles). All films are held in North Quad 2435 with pizza served at 6pm and films beginning at 6:30pm, unless otherwise noted.

Transferable skills are highly sought after by employers. These are skills that can be readily adapted to and applied in many different types of careers. Effectively communicating your transferable skills can help you stand out in the job market. The problem is, sometimes it's difficult to recognize those skills in yourself.
During this interactive workshop, you will:

Identify transferable skills developed through research, coursework, and collaboration.Practice articulating these skills in conversations with peers.Learn to decode job postings to identify which skills employers are really looking for.

The graduate school offers a series of meetings designed to orient faculty members who have recently taken on the role of chairing a department/program or directing the graduate program in their department/program. These sessions, hosted by Rackham associate deans, focus on various aspects of your role. We provide opportunities to discuss and learn how you can partner with Rackham and what Rackham resources you can rely on while carrying out the work of your role.

Speaker: Jon Wargo, Associate Professor, Educational Studies, Marsal Family School of Education

Thursday, February 5, 2026
12:00 - 1:00 p.m.

Tribute Room - 1322
Marsal Family School of Education Building
610 E. University Ave, Ann Arbor, MI 48109

Professor Jon Wargo shares insights from his project with Shakespeare in Detroit’s Summer Youth Conservatory—a program providing hands-on learning experiences culminating in a youth-led production of a classic Shakespeare play.

In his presentation, Professor Wargo explores how youth participants in a dramatic arts conservatory cultivated new relationscapes through the embodied processes of ‘feeling-with’ as they learned to play a part. Drawing on theoretical insights from affect studies and interaction analysis, Wargo re-enters video data generated from two ‘felt’ event sequences during rehearsal: animal work and stage combat. Through this dual lens and approach, he investigates how Manning's (2012) concept of “thinking-in-motion” functioned both as an artistic technique and a sentient mode of relational understanding. In doing so, Wargo seeks to extend conversations surrounding the performing arts’ place in the learning sciences while advancing the affective tapestry through which we might embroider and understand ensemble learning.

This project and event is supported by the Eileen Lappin Weiser Center for the Learning Sciences.

Bring your lunch and your curiosity! Light snacks will be provided.

This workshop is open to all graduate students seeking guidance around interviewing for positions beyond tenure track roles, which can differ greatly from the academic job search process. It also meets the needs of those applying to internships, including those applying to the Rackham Doctoral Intern Fellowship Program. The workshop will focus on preparing graduate students to navigate the interview process, and to effectively answer questions by strategically articulating strengths and skills. We will also discuss a framework for answering behavioral interview questions. This event is intended to be interactive, therefore a recording will not be available.
This workshop is designed for master's students, doctoral students and postdoctoral fellows. For faculty and staff, please contact rackhampdeworkshops@umich.edu to see if we can accommodate your attendance. Brought to you by the University Career Center, in partnership with Rackham Graduate School.