Hello, October!

October is a busy point in the semester, and it can be easy to focus only on what’s immediately in front of you. This month, consider choosing one thing to invest in yourself—whether that’s strengthening a skill, exploring what comes next, connecting with a resource, or making time for your well-being.

We’ve gathered opportunities from across Mizzou to help you do just that. Pick what’s useful to you, and don’t feel like you have to do it all.

Want the Three-Minute Thesis® Experience—Without Competing in 3MT®?

You don’t have to compete in Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) to take advantage of the training! This October, the Graduate School’s Research Communication Workshop Series brings together experts in journalism, theatre, and public speaking to help graduate students communicate complex ideas clearly, tell compelling stories about their work, and become more confident presenters.

Oct. 7 | Communicating Your Research Through Storytelling
Learn from journalism professor Amy Simons how to borrow techniques from journalists and storytellers to capture attention, cut through jargon, find common ground with your audience, and make the significance of your research clear.

Oct. 14 | From Research to Story: Writing for an Audience
Join Theatre Ph.D. student and dramaturg Reagan Venturi to explore what theatre and playwriting can teach us about research communication. Practice using hooks, narrative structure, vivid imagery, and memorable endings to shape complex ideas into a story audiences can follow and remember.

Oct. 21 | Sharpening Your Public Speaking Skills
Build your confidence as a speaker with Dr. Caroline Waldbuesser, Mizzou’s Course Director for Public Speaking. Learn practical strategies for eye contact, vocal delivery, reducing filler words, pronunciation, and effective practice and rehearsal.

These workshops are highly recommended for Mizzou 3MT® participants, but all graduate students and postdocs are welcome. Attend one session or join us for the full series. Snacks and beverages provided at each session.

Improve Your Research Communication Skills →

Online Workshops through Mizzou Libraries

Whether you're new to Mizzou or want to make better use of the Libraries, start with a graduate-student introduction and then build your research skills with workshops throughout October. All workshops are online. 

• Managing Citations: Advanced Zotero —  Oct. 7, 1–2 p.m.
• Predatory Journals: The Dark Side of Open Access — Oct. 19, 1–1:45 p.m. 
• Copyright for Authors — Oct. 22, 1–1:45 p.m.
• Maximizing Your Research Identity and Measuring Research Metrics— Oct. 28, 1–1:50 p.m.

Explore Mizzou Libraries Workshops →

More from Mizzou Libraries

• Open Journal Finder Helps Identify Publishing Options
• Read, Recharge, and Refocus with the Wellbeing Collection
• Chat with the Librarians Wherever You Are
• Mizzou Libraries Reading Challenge

Explore External Funding

Interested in finding external funding for your research or scholarship? The Graduate School offers resources and workshops to help graduate students and postdoctoral scholars explore funding opportunities, identify potential sponsors, and better understand the external funding landscape.

New! External Funding SharePoint Site

The Graduate School has launched a new SharePoint site with information and resources to support you throughout your external funding journey. To request access, email Dr. Liz Bent at benteo@missouri.edu.

Explore Upcoming Workshops

The Scholarly Impact Series offers workshops throughout the semester to help you learn about potential funding sources and strengthen your approach to seeking external support. Upcoming sessions include:

• External Sponsors for Humanities and Interpretive Social Sciences Scholars: National Endowments and Beyond! — Oct. 6, 3–4 p.m. 
• External Sponsors for Biomedical Researchers: NIH and Beyond! — Oct. 23, 10–11 a.m.
• External Sponsors for Life Science Researchers: NIFA, NSF, and Beyond!— Nov. 10, 3–4 p.m.
• External Sponsors for Engineers: NSF and Beyond! — Nov. 17, 4–5 p.m. 

View Grant Workshops & Register →

Writing Center Support

One-on-One Graduate Writing Support

The Writing Center offers free one-on-one writing support for graduate students, in person or on Zoom, for everything from coursework and proposals to application materials, theses, and dissertations. Prefer written feedback? Submit a draft anytime through the Online Writery.

Schedule a Writing Appointment →
 

Find Your Writing Community

Need dedicated time to write? The Writing Center’s GradsWork drop-in sessions provide space to work alongside other graduate students, while six-week GradsWrite groups offer a more structured, facilitated approach for students working on extended projects.

Explore Graduate Writing Programs →

TA Training Series

There’s one session left in the TA Training Series this semester! Open to all TAs, GIs, and postdocs, this session will help you strengthen your teaching through reflection and continued growth as an educator.

• Growing as an Educator: Reflective Practices for TAs, GIs & Postdocs — Oct. 9, 1–2:30 p.m. | Grad Hub

View the TA Training Series & Register →

Meet With a Graduate Career Coach

Thinking about what comes after graduate school? Graduate career coaches offer free one-on-one support on career exploration, resumes and CVs, job-search strategies, interviewing, and other career-related topics. Appointments are available in person or on Zoom through MU Connect.

Schedule a Career Coaching Appointment →

Online Career Resource: Beyond the Professoriate 

Beyond the Professoriate gives Mizzou graduate students access to career training, resources, and webinars designed specifically for advanced-degree job seekers. This month, explore The Key Difference Between Academic and Nonacademic Hiring — and What It Means for Your Job Search on Oct. 7 and Going Beyond Subject Matter: How to Identify Skills Employers Want on Oct. 21. Both webinars begin at 11 a.m. and are offered online.

Can’t attend live? Webinar recordings are posted to the platform to watch on your own time.

Explore Beyond the Professoriate →

Free Professional Headshots & Resume Review for Graduate and Professional Students

Oct. 9 | 3–5 p.m. | MU Student Success Center

Elevate your professional presence with free professional headshots and personalized resume reviews designed specifically for graduate and professional students. Update your professional photo, strengthen your resume, and gain valuable feedback from career experts to help you confidently prepare for job applications, networking opportunities, internships, and career advancement.

Register for the Event →

Your Leadership Blueprint

Oct. 30 | 1–2:30 p.m. | Grad Hub

Your leadership starts with knowing what you bring to the table.
Designed specifically for graduate and professional students, this interactive workshop will help you build your personal leadership blueprint by exploring your strengths, identifying the values that guide you, and connecting both to how you lead and work with others. Walk away with a clearer understanding of what makes you you as a leader, and how to put it into action.

Perfect for student organization leaders, aspiring leaders, or anyone looking to build leadership skills and greater self-awareness—no formal leadership role required. Food will be provided!

 Led by Dekarte Lynch, Assistant Director of Leadership Programs in Student Affairs and Novak Affiliate Faculty. 

Register for Your Leadership Blueprint →

Help Shape Graduate Student Wellness Programming 

What kinds of wellness events, workshops, and activities would you actually attend? We’re exploring new ways to support graduate student well-being and want to hear what sounds useful to you—and when you’re most likely to participate. 

Online students: We want to hear from you, too! Many of the programs we’re considering could be offered or adapted for online participation. As you respond, consider whether you’d be interested if the activity were offered in a format that worked for you. 

Take our quick 2-minute pulse check survey and help shape future Graduate School wellness programming.

Take the Pulse Check →

Graduate Student Yoga

Take a break from your day and join fellow graduate students for yoga! This beginner-friendly session is a chance to step away from your work, get moving, and recharge with gentle movement and mindful breathing.

The session will be led by Brittany Sue Hines, Health Educator with the Wellness Resource Center and certified yoga instructor. No previous yoga experience is needed—just come as you are! Yoga mats will be available upon request.

After yoga, stick around for snacks and drinks, and one lucky attendee will go home with a new yoga mat!

Join Us for Yoga →

Build Your Financial Know-How

The Office for Financial Success (OFS) is hosting a series of workshops this October to help graduate students build practical financial skills—from saving and investing to managing credit, budgeting, and evaluating a job offer. Upcoming sessions include:

• Saving and Investing — Oct. 7, 12:30–1:30 p.m. | Tate Hall 110
• Credit Card Confidence — Oct. 19, 12–1 p.m. | Wellness Resource Center
• The Ultimate Budget Challenge — Oct. 21, 1–2:30 p.m. | Wellness Resource Center
• Making Sense of the Job Offer — Oct. 26, 3–4:30 p.m. | Wellness Resource Center

View Financial Workshops & Register →