Office of Graduate Professional Development
Learn how to collaborate, lead, and work effectively as part of a team to accomplish significant tasks.
Being an effective leader and having the ability to manage yourself and others are fundamental skills needed during your time as a graduate student and beyond.
The Office of Training and Organizational Development offers many resources, including the following:
Developing a funding plan for your studies and research is an important part of your graduate training. Funding may be available through your graduate program, the university, or an external funding agency.
On-Campus Funding
External Funding
It is highly encouraged for graduate students to seek external funding during graduate training. In addition to financial rewards, external fellowships can provide greater academic freedom, enhance your CV, and demonstrate your ability to secure funding.
The David and Wanda Brown Center for Leadership and Service offers:
Resources for more volunteer opportunities:
The International Center (UFIC) also promotes international collaboration for graduate student research through the Research Abroad for Doctoral Students (RAD) program. Funding for travel related expenses are available for students in two tracks: STEM and social sciences and humanities.
Collaboration:
Creating and leading collaborative efforts in research and service builds leadership skills and your network of mentors and peers. Collaboration with other scholars to develop and execute research agendas provides unique opportunities to include multiple perspectives on a project. Here are some tips to help increase your collaborative efforts:
| Semester | Workshop Title | Presenter | Recordings, Transcripts, and Materials |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall 2023 | Leading in Tough Situations: Managing Up, Down, and Across as a Graduate Student | Dr. Jeanna Mastrodicasa | |
| Fall 2023 | Leading Effectively from the Middle: A Guide to Communication and Influence | Dr. Hannah Sunderman and Dr. Jonathan Orsini | |
| Fall 2022 | The Key to Finding a Great Mentor: Be a Great Mentee! | Dr. Roger Fillingim |
The Key to Finding a Great Mentor: Be a Great Mentee! recording |
| Spring 2022 | Successful Strategies for Preparing Fundable Grant Applications | Bess Gail de Farber |
Successful Strategies for Preparing Fundable Grant Applications presentation |
| Spring 2022 | Introduction to the Science of Team Science | Wayne McCormack, University of Florida College of Medicine | |
| Fall 2021 | Thinking Beyond Thinking: Using Critical Thinking to Improve Learning | Dr. Nicole Stedman, Graduate School Dean and Associate Provost |
Thinking Beyond Thinking Workshop Recording |
| Spring 2021 | How to Find and Evaluate a Postdoc Position | Dr. Lily Lewis, Office of Postdoctoral Affairs and Dr. Sharonda Harris, College of Medicine |
Postdoc Positions Workshop Recording |
| Spring 2020 | The Role of External Funding in Educational Research and Building Collaborations with HBCUs Workshop Recording | Dr. Caesar Jackson, North Carolina Central University | HBCUs Funding Workshop Recording |
| Fall 2019 | Graduate Funding Opportunities with the UF Center for European Studies | Corinne Tomasi, Center for European Studies | Funding CES Workshop Recording |
| Spring 2019 | Gen X to Gen Z: Navigating Generational Differences in the Workplace | Dr, Lindsay Lynch, College of Education | Generational Differences Workshop Recording |
| Spring 2019 | Leading from the Middle: Leadership Style and Strategy for Young Professionals | Dr. Lindsay Lynch, College of Education | Leadership Style Workshop Recording |
| Spring 2019 | Networking and Building Professional Connections for Graduate Students | Allie Simon, Career Connections Center | Networking Workshop Recording |
| Course Title | Course Number | Department | Course Description | Instructor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mentoring for Career Development | EDA 6370 | Education | Assists graduate students in their careers in any field through the discovery of how mentoring, a commonly accepted support structure in business, industry, medicine, and academia, can enhance their professional development. In addition, students will gain knowledge to become mentors or lead mentoring programs. | Linda Searby |
| Proseminar | LNW 6935 | Classics | ||
| Leadership Development for Extension and Community Nonprofit Organizations | AEC 5454 | Agricultural Education & Communication | Application of concepts related to developing leaders for organizing and maintaining extension and community nonprofit organizations. | |
| Organizational Leadership | AEC 6411 | Agricultural Education & Communication | Leadership will be examined as it relates to agriculture and life science based organizations and will provide a knowledge base for effective leadership. Topics will focus on: organizational leadership, culture, structure, relationships, change, conflict and issues within agriculture and life sciences that can impact organizations. | |
| Methodology of Planned Change | AEC 6300 | Agricultural Education & Communication | Processes by which professional change agents influence the introduction, adoption, and diffusion of technological changes. Applicable to those who are responsible for bringing about change. | |
| Development of a Volunteer Leadership Program | AEC 6426 | Agricultural Education & Communication | Explores contemporary and emerging topics in agricultural education and communication. | |
| Grant Writing | LEI 7933 | Tourism, Hospitality & Event Management | Advanced Special Topics in Recreation, Parks, and Tourism | |
| Grant Writing | MMC 6936 | Mass Media and Communication | Special Topics in Mass Communication | |
| Grant Writing for Population Health Research | PHC 7727 | College of Public Health and Health Professions | This course provides practical instruction in the grant process, with a specific focus on National Institutes of Health (NIH) procedures. It provides the student with experience in writing parts of the grant application and in reviewing other's grant applications. It also contains a Mock Grant Review session to assist students in understanding the process and content of grant review. | |
| Graduate Student Professional Development | ALS 5934 | Environmental Horticulture | Presentations and group discussion of topics essential to enhance awareness, personal satisfaction, and professional success of graduate students | Hector Perez |
| Project Team Research | ALS 6031 | Agroecology | Hands-on experience in addressing a real-world problem faced by an agricultural industry partner. Production of a detailed plan, project design, and preliminary data for evaluating and solving the problem. Offered every term. | |
| Professional Ecologist: The Other things we need to know | WIS 6934 | Wildlife Ecology and Conservation | This course covers topics such as time management, project management, leadership, budgeting, personnel management, teaching, and wellness. | Miguel A. Acevedo |