It’s the Graduate School’s mission to ensure our students have the community, resources, skills, and wellness strategies to maximize their graduate educational experience. With that in mind, we created GOLD: Graduate Opportunity & Leadership Development, a professional development series featuring more than 80+ workshops and events for students. These workshops are designed around six competencies: inclusive excellence, research, teaching, communication, wellness, and career success. These workshops are free for all students and are presented both in-person and online. The Graduate School utilizes EventBrite to manage workshop registration.
In addition to the professional development workshops, the graduate school also operates a GOLD Canvas Community. Here, students can find resources on completing their individual development plan (IDP), opportunities for scholarships and research, and past workshop recordings/presentation materials.
GOLD is easy to complete! There are five steps and they do not have to be done in order.
Step One: Create & Submit your Individual Development Plan
An Individual Development Plan (IDP) helps graduate students and postdoctoral researchers: assess current skills, interests, and strengths; make a plan for developing skills to meet academic and professional goals; and communicate with supervisors, advisors, and mentors about evolving goals and related skills. The IDP is a document to be revisited again and again, to update and refine as goals change or come into focus, and to record progress and accomplishments.
Step Two: Select & Attend GOLD workshops
The Grad School utilizes EventBrite to post and manage our GOLD workshops. Check out our spring 2025 offerings and sign up soon!
Step Three: Present your research or creative project at a conference or local presentation
We know you are working hard, and we want to hear about your research! This step can be accomplished by presenting at national or state conferences or by presenting at local events like the Ball State Student Symposium, Three Minute Thesis Competition, or other Ball State presentation event.
Step 4: Explore and utilize campus resources
Ball State offers incredible resources for our students beyond the classroom. Check out services from the Career Center, Counseling Center, Rec Center, and more today!
Step 5: Earn your digital badge! Students who get to this step will receive a certificate at the Graduate Student Recognition Ceremony and will be entered to win an iPad.
Students who are interested in getting involved with GOLD can sign up here or send Emily Karas an email at ekaras@bsu.edu. Additionally, students can register and attend GOLD workshops. More information can be found here.
Curious what other students have said about GOLD? Check it out:
“This event was truly outstanding! The facilitators excelled in their knowledge, presentation, and ability to engage the audience. The lunch was truly exceptional!”
“I learned more about scan, skim, and deep dive reading, which will help me a lot. I also enjoyed hearing from the lunch participant offices. I wasn’t aware we had a librarian at Bracken as grad students and I’m half way through my degree. This knowledge would have helped me a lot the last couple of semesters.”
“This workshop significantly deepened my understanding of resumes and CVs, equipping me with effective techniques to showcase my skills and open new employment opportunities.”
“Receiving a take home planner and dry erase weekly schedule. Very helpful!”
By the numbers:
72% very satisfied with “usefulness of event’s tools/resources”
85% very satisfied with “facilitator’s knowledge”
77% very satisfied with “relevance of workshop”
GOLD can make a difference in your academic journey. Join us today!
Questions? Email Emily Karas, ekaras@bsu.edu
