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Foundations of Academic Success & Belonging

The Foundations of Academic Success & Belonging Seminar provides structured opportunities for early career doctoral students (pre-A Exam) to establish a sense of community and develop skills foundational to their academic and personal success. While not required, all first-year Graduate School Dean’s Scholars are strongly encouraged to register for this monthly seminar series, especially if a comparable seminar is not available to them within their programs.

Registration

Registration for the seminar opens annually by mid-August and closes in mid-September. 

When, Where, & What

Each seminar session will take place from 5-6:30 pm ET and will focus on a topic relevant to your successful progression through your graduate studies.  

  • Sept. 24, 2026: Launching Your Success in Community 
  • Oct. 27, 2026: Understanding & Navigating Expectations within Your Mentoring Relationships
  • Nov. 12, 2026: Managing Your Budget & Personal Finances in Graduate School
  • Dec. 10, 2026: Caring for Your Wellness Through Reflection & Connection
  • Jan. 27, 2027: Alumni Insights – Strategies for Career Exploration & Preparation
  • Feb. 18, 2027: Communicating Your Scholarship Across Audiences
  • March 25, 2027: Charting Your PhD Milestones with Intention

Each session of the Foundations of Academic Success & Belonging Seminar also includes featured resources participants can leverage as they progress through their graduate studies at Cornell.

On April 15, 2027 we will close out the seminar with a community gathering at the annual Research on Tap, a collaborative event hosted by OISE, Graduate Women in Science (GWiS), and Big Red Brewing. 

Engagement Commitments

To attain the maximum benefits from this cohort-based learning community, participants to commit to the following:

  • Attend all seminars. Excused absences will include significant conflicts such as conferences, lab meetings, personal emergencies, etc. 
  • Connect with fellow participants outside of the seminar through other in-person and virtual activities to build community.
  • Enroll in the Foundations of Academic Success & Belonging Canvas Course to access seminar resources. 

Modality

This seminar is predominantly in person, but we will also have a virtual option to facilitate engagement of scholars who are not geographically in Ithaca on the date of a seminar, or who have significant time or location constraints that would prohibit their engagement. 

Questions

Please contact the OISE Graduate Coordinators for Academic Success and Belonging, Helen Stec (mailto:hs765@cornell.edu) and Alexis Smrekar (mailto:ars462@cornell.edu), with any questions.