2024 Annual Conference

The 2024 Graduate Career Consortium Annual Conference is now open for registration!

We welcome all GCC members, and future members, to register for this annual event in Philadelphia from June 25-28, 2024. The GCC Annual Conference is an important opportunity for members to connect and share new ideas, learn best practices, and offer mutual support. At this year’s conference, we also want to encourage members to celebrate the impact of their work on the populations you serve, on your colleagues, and on your own professional growth and identity. As the conference theme suggests, when you “Love the work you do; Innovate the work you love”, there are numerous opportunities to share new ideas, form new collaborations, and gain new skills and knowledge that will energize you.

The conference program, schedule, events, and the two keynote speakers have now been finalized, and you can find all the details below. When you are ready to register, you can visit our conference registration pages.

Click here to register for the 2024 Annual Conference

If you have questions about the conference, please email info@gradcareerconsortium.org

Our Theme for 2024: Love the work you do; Innovate the work you love!

This optimistic and empowering conference will highlight the importance of celebrating the numerous positive impacts our work has on the lives of graduate students, postdocs, faculty, and campus stakeholders. It will also be an opportunity to showcase and discuss innovative programs, resources, campus relationships, and data collection approaches that effectively meet the evolving needs of graduate students and postdocs within academia. As the birthplace of new ideas, and famed for being the City of Brotherly Love, Philadelphia provides the perfect venue for GCC members to lean into their joy as they share successes, accomplishments, and new ideas with our community of practice. Join us for an enriching experience that will reignite your passion, enhance your skills, and effectively position you for the next roles in your own professional and career path as you innovate your own narratives, identity, and professional brand.

2024 Annual Conference Registration & Details

Conference Dates:	June 25-28 (conference begins at 6pm ET on 6/25 and ends at noon ET on 6/28)
Pre-conference Date:	June 25
Location:	Hilton Philadelphia at Penn's Landing ($239/night)

General conference agenda
The 2024 Annual Conference will feature two and a half days of member-generated sessions, networking opportunities, keynote addresses, an enhanced presentation showcase/poster session, social events, volunteer opportunities, and more. It will be an exciting opportunity to develop as professionals in the field, build community, and learn about new ideas and best practices in the field. You can find a very broad overview below, and a more detailed list of all member generated sessions here.

Tuesday 25th June

Pre-conference workshop for new professionals
Volunteer opportunity at The Wardrobe (see details below)
Conference welcome reception
Communities of Practice dine-arounds

Wednesday 26th June

Keynote presentation: Susan Francia, MS/MBA - Winning at Biotech from an Olympic Perspective
Member generated sessions
GCC Regional meet-ups
Conference reception on-board the Moshulu (see details below)

Thursday 27th June

Keynote presentation: Elaine Richardson, PhD - Doing the Work You Love When Institutions Do Not Love You Back
Member generated sessions
Presentation showcase
Dine-arounds
Networking at the Ballpark – block of GCC seats at the Phillies v. Marlins game + fireworks! (see details below)

Friday 28th June

Updates from GCC leaders, and GCC 2025 Annual Conference details
Member generated sessions
Conference wrap-up
Volunteer opportunity at The Wardrobe (see details below)
Explore Philadelphia

Keynotes

Join us for our two conference keynotes on Wednesday and Thursday of the conference. You can find full details of the keynote speakers here: https://gradcareerconsortium.org/2024_annual_conference_keynote.php

Wednesday

26th June
Susan Francia, MBA/MS
2008, 2012 Olympic Gold Medalist

Talk title: Winning at Biotech from an Olympic Perspective
Susan loves to inspire people with her Olympic stories of success and failure as well her mother's journey to winning the Nobel prize.

Thursday 27th June
Dr. Elaine Richardson aka Dr. E
Professor of Literacy Studies, The Ohio State University

Talk title: Doing the Work You Love When Institutions Do Not Love You Back
Dr. E’s work focuses on the empowerment of Black women, girls, gender-expansive people of color, and overall community wellness.

Click here to register for the 2024 Annual Conference

Registration Type	Cost
Regular Registration (through 6/11)	$895

Registration includes multiple receptions and meals, including:

Breakfast on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday
Lunch on Wednesday and Thursday

Registration for the in-person conference is open only to GCC members, nonmembers who are presenting sessions with GCC members, and conference sponsors. If you are interested in becoming a GCC member, please visit our membership page. If you have questions about registration, email info@gradcareerconsortium.org.

Pre-conference workshop

Pre-Conference Workshop for New Professionals: In addition to the regular conference program, you are invited to register for one of the GCC’s most highly recommended professional development events, the “New Graduate Career Professionals Workshop" on June 25, 2024. This all-day pre-conference workshop is open to new GCC members, professionals who are new to working with graduate students and postdocs, and any GCC member wishing to build community as part of a full day of interactive programs and events. All are welcome, whether you are:

new in your career-development role
attending your first GCC conference and seeking colleagues
returning for an immersive day of information and connections
seeking concrete suggestions for advising/coaching, resources, and programs for graduate students and/or postdoctoral scholars; or
launching your own path as future leaders within the GCC and beyond

The day is packed with information, resources, potential mentors, . . . and fun! Join us! The Pre-Conference Workshop for New Professionals will cost $150.

Social events, volunteer opportunities, and exploring Philadelphia

Volunteer at The Wardrobe (https://careerwardrobe.org/)
Tuesday June 25th or Friday June 28th, 2024
As GCCers convene for our annual conference in the City of Brotherly Love, take the opportunity to learn more about one of the amazing non-profits serving Philadelphia citizens by volunteering for a shift with The Wardrobe, which works to eliminate clothing insecurity by outfitting people for life or work. The mission of The Wardrobe is focused on addressing clothing insecurity: “For people experiencing barriers to employment and independence, clothing insecurity is real. It can mean not having anything to wear or not having the right thing to wear. Both are barriers to advancement. The Wardrobe provides a stable source of well-maintained and displayed clothing that is suitable for any need, from casual to workwear.”
A limited number of 2-hour shifts are available to volunteer on a GCC team on Tuesday or Friday. During your shift, you will work alongside a GCC team processing and sorting clothing donations as well as packing wardrobe boxes for individual clients. The Wardrobe is located in Philadelphia and is a 25-minute walk or 7-minute car/Uber/Lyft ride from the conference hotel. If you are interested, let us know as part of the conference registration process.

Conference reception on-board the Moshulu (http://www.moshulu.com/)
Wednesday June 26th (6:30-8:30pm ET)
Our main conference reception will be held on-board the historical Moshulu - permanently moored steps away from the conference hotel. Read about the amazing history of the ship here, and then join your colleagues for a restorative reception on the Delaware River as part of your conference networking. And don't worry, this ship doesn't move, sway, or rock - but it does offer some wonderful opportunities for selfies, city views, and sunsets!

SOLD OUT! Stealing Bases and Building Bridges - Networking at the ballpark!
Phillies v. Marlins night out - Thursday June 27th, 2024, 6:20pm ET
Tickets are sold out for the Phillies game. If you would like to be added to a waitlist in the event that tickets become available, please email Dianne Hull (dhull@upenn.edu)
Make connections with your GCC colleagues at the ballpark! The GCC has reserved a block of seats in section 414 for the Phillies v. Marlins game at Citizens Bank Park. Your partners, families and +1s are invited to join in the fun – and this game includes an incredible post-game fireworks show! Citizens Bank Park is 14 minutes away from the conference hotel by car/Uber/Lyft. Please indicate if you are interested in attending the baseball game when completing your conference registration. The GCC Conference committee will contact you after you have registered to confirm your attendance and collect payment. A limited number of tickets are available for conference attendees as well as any family members or friends who are joining you! (No refunds are available after May 5th for tickets purchased). Cost to attend: $37

Exploring Philadelphia
Take a look at our curated, 2-page list of attractions and experiences close to the conference hotel that highlight some of the wonderful things to do in the Philadelphia area (and even across the river in New Jersey). Whether you are considering arriving before the conference starts, or lingering a little after the conference ends, we know that you will find plenty to entertain, educate, and enrich you during your visit. Click on the images to learn more!

2024 GCC Conference Scholarship

Recognizing that many of our colleagues are experiencing budgetary restrictions and that systemic inequities across higher education contribute to differential access to resources available to support the professional development of GCC members, the GCC is offering a limited number of scholarships to partially cover the cost of registration for the in-person conference. The funds received as part of this scholarship can be used to cover any costs associated with attending the Annual Conference. Please apply by following this link. The deadline to apply for a scholarship is Monday April 15 by 5pm Eastern Time.

Mid-Career Professionals Workshop (4th June, 2024)

For GCC members interested in additional professional development opportunities prior to the Annual Conference, please consider the Mid-Career Professionals Workshop: Building Your Skills and Resilience in Times of Rapid Change. This half-day virtual workshop is designed for GCC members with experience. You are invited to build your capacity in career coaching by leveraging ChatGPT, as well as building your capacity for resilience through self-care, reflection, and a change mindset. Join us Tuesday, June 4, from 12:15 to 4:15 pm ET over Zoom.

In the first half of the workshop, we will learn about “ChatGPT for Career Coaches: Scale Up Your Coaching” with Jeremy Schifeling, co-founder of the Job Insiders and author of Career Coach GPT: The Complete Guide to ChatGPT Resume, Cover Letter, Interview, and Job Search Success. ChatGPT is a chance to fundamentally reshape your service to hundreds or thousands of students and postdocs, leveraging your existing coaching expertise in concert with this new technology to dramatically scale up your impact.
In the second half of the workshop, we will address “Self-Care, Reflection, Resilience, and a Change Mindset” with Dr. Donna Dopwell, who will help us identify strategies to build self-care activities, reflection, and resilience by engaging a change mindset. Dr. Dopwell is Assistant Professor and Director of Social Work at Tennessee State University, and she will lead us through activities that can help us build resilience while we cope with rapid change in our work environment.

This workshop will be full of strategies and interactive exercises to help you build capacity and resilience in your work. The Mid-Career Professionals Workshop will cost $150. Registration for this event is separate from the annual conference registration, and can be completed on the GCC website.

THANK YOU TO OUR ANNUAL CONFERENCE SPONSORS!