Graduate school can be a scary concept to grasp for those who are unfamiliar with the process.

It’s an excellent way to boost your credentials in the real world, but many undergraduate students do not know where to start when looking into grad school. Navigating the Seas of Graduate Admissions is a helpful event that gives Shippensburg University students tips and advice in furthering their advancement into the grad school community.

“There’s nothing here on campus helping students find the first steps to figuring out what’s available after your graduate,” Lauren Wilkes, Graduate Admissions Counselor for the school of graduate studies said. “The event itself is really about making sure we’re providing resources to our students.” The free gathering allows students to enjoy food and speak with current graduate students that have already been through the process of getting into a school.

The Career Center and Graduate Admissions office get together in order to create this dynamic workshop for students. There is usually one workshop held each semester in the Tuscarora room at Reisner Dining Hall. Students are greeted at the door by current graduate students and a sign-in sheet. Before the initial PowerPoint presentation, there is a buffet for guests to pick at while presenters get ready to speak about the advantages of attending graduate school and how one can get started.

Patty Gochenauer, associate director of the Career Center, spoke with the students first. She explained that setting up a clean resume and dressing appropriately are crucial for students looking to get into potential universities.

“Always dress professionally,” Gochenauer said with a light smile on her face. “You want to treat a grad school interview as you would treat a real job interview.” The room full of eager undergraduates listened intently as she flipped through the slides of her presentation.

“Our admissions office is really open to meeting with students and helping them through the graduate admissions process,” Britta Troxell, graduate assistant in the graduate admissions office said. Troxell urged potential graduate applicants to stop by the Career Center in order to advance their resumes and help with their personal statements.

The Career Center is located in the CUB room 108. They also offer mock interviews and career exploration for those who are lost in what to do after they graduate college. This event is a perfect way to shape the future of any graduate school pursuit and is a must for those who feel they are lost on the journey.

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