Each year, the Office of Undergraduate Research collaborates with the OUR Program Partners and the Graduate School to offer a Grad School Mini Expo to our student participants. The goal is to help expose students to the idea of grad school, different types of grad school options, tips for applying, and what to do after grad school. This event is for any undergraduate student interested in grad school, no matter where you are in the process (from “I didn’t think grad school was for me” to “I know which programs I want to go into”).

Graduate School Mini Expo 2026

Thursday, June 25

Thank you to our presenters:

• Keynote speaker: Dean Darryl Butt, Graduate School
• Choosing Between Graduate School and a Career in Industry - Laura Cleave, USuccess Career Coach 
• Funding Graduate School -  Matthew Plooster, Graduate School
• Graduate School Application panel
  • Dr. Bethany Buck, Associate Professor, Chemistry 
  • Dr. Meghan Dovick, Director, Professional Science Masters 
  • Dr. Julie Gee, Associate Professor, Nursing 
  • Kelsey Drewry, Program Coordinator, School of Medicine   
  • Dr. Taylor Sparks, Professor, Materials Science & Engineering
•   'How to Thrive as a Graduate Student' panel
  • James Mineau, PhD Candidate, Atmospheric Sciences
  • Anayansi Ramirez, PhD Candidate, Human Genetics 
  • Beatriz Trejo, PhD Candidate, Education, Culture & Society 
  • Elena Yee, PhD Candidate, Nutrition & Integrative Physiology 
  • Dara Zwemer, PhD Candidate, Psychology
• Interviewing Skills - Dr. Johanna Purdy, General Internal Medicine
• Personal Statements -  Dr. Jay Jordan, Writing & Rhetoric
• Resumes & CVs - Laura Cleave, USuccess Career Coach