1. Close the Gap A NSF Funded Workshop offered in Collaboration with Texas A&M’s Office of Graduate and Professional Studies and Career Center
Ice Breaker!!!
First Round (3 min): Find another person with the same number (not focusing on color of paper ) - learn 2 things about your partner (major, favorite place of travel, etc)
Second Round (3 min): Then form groups of four with same color paper (don’t worry about numbers ). Learn all names and 1 more interesting thing about each person.
Third Round: Quickly introduce ONE person from your group of four to the rest of the session attendees and give one interesting fact. Each person can only be introduced ONE TIME.

2. Close the Gap A NSF Funded Workshop offered in Collaboration with Texas A&M’s Office of Graduate and Professional Studies and Career Center
Natalie Zgabay M. Ed ‘15
Professional Development Coordinator
Office of Graduate and Professional Studies
Dr. Leonard Bright
Assistant Provost
Office of Graduate and Professional Studies

3. Brown Bag Initial Meeting
HOWDY & WELCOME!!
Presentation Agenda
What is the Close the GAP Program?
CTGP Goals
Upcoming Events
Pre-Program Activities
Program Activities
Other Requirements
This is the meeting you are sitting in now as we give you an overview of everything that will be offered throughout the 6 month program.

4. What is “Close the Gap” CTGP?
The National Science Foundation has identified 7 competencies that are required in order to make a successful transition from graduate level education to the workforce and allow them to better prepare for “what comes next.”
This is the universal question – what comes next?
I have been in the academic culture my entire academic career, how do I prepare for the job market/real world aspect. What do I do now that I have the degree?
7 competencies include:
Critical thinking and problem solving
Oral/written communication skills
Ability to work in teams
Information technology application
Leadership
Professionalism and work ethic
Career management skills

5. CTGP Goals
Our goal is to implement a program designed to “close the gap” between the discipline-specific training and the wider set of transferable skills needed by STEM doctoral students’ future employers (Academic or Industry).
This program is unique in its personalized approach focusing on the gaps each student identifies up front that he/she needs to fill for the career(s) of his/her choice.

6. What is Professional Development (PD)?
Training outside traditional, discipline- based graduate coursework.
Helps bridge the gap between graduate education and the workforce.

7. Upcoming Events CTGP Events: 12/8/16 Brown Bag Initial Meeting
Pre-Assessment
1/11 & 1/13/2017 Aggie Boot Camp with Dinner at conclusion
2 Field Trips and Field Trip Preparation for both (Industrial-March/May and Academic-February/April Available)
Career Fair – in Spring 2017 (2-5 hr min)
Post Assessment
CapStone Activity (use $1000 award to complete activity)

8. Pre-Program Requirements
Close the Gap Program
Pre-Program Requirements

9. Individual Development Plan (IDP)
The IPD is a tool to personalize this program to each student’s unique career/professional development needs.

10. Pre/Post Assessment
You will receive an invitation to complete an assessment that is associated with this program.
Before the Aggie Bootcamp
At the conclusion of the program
While we encourage you to participate, your involvement is completely voluntary.

11. Business Cards Confirm your business Card information:
Name, title and contact information

12. Industry Preferences
Confirm your industry preferences. We will use to select the industry field trips.

13. Program Activities

14. Aggie Bootcamp
Wednesday, January 11, 2017 and Friday, January 13, 2017
Location/Agendas: TBD
Full day of activities and speakers.
Lunch provided.
Friday wraps up with an Etiquette Dinner at Hilton-College Station.
These days are mandatory as per the requirements of the program.

15. Field Trips Industrial Field Trips (CC) Academic Field Trips (OGAPS)
Corporate/Industry choices
Proposed Locations: Houston and Austin
Academic Field Trips (OGAPS)
Academic Institutions (public and private)
Proposed Locations: Rice University/St. Edwards/other similar locations

16. Career Fair
There are multiple career fair opportunities throughout the Spring 2017 semester.
Career Fair
Attend one, preferably within your discipline or something that might be especially interesting to you.
Attendance requirement – take a selfie with a speaker or presenter with the career fair logo in the picture somewhere, as well as posting it on social media and tagging the event. Also, be able to show an agenda/itinerary of the career fair.

17. Close the Gap Program
Other Requirements

18. G.R.A.D. Requirements
Must attend 6 of these events, in addition to all other CTG required events
Earn CTE credits
G.R.A.D. Aggies

19. Professional Development Options
Campus Option
Face-to-face workshops
eCampus to complete quizzes
Each workshop and completed quiz = 1 Professional Development Unit (PDU)
6 PDUs earns a Certificate
Basic, Intermediate, Advanced
Virtual Option
For Distance Students
Solely enrolled in courses online
Workshop Videos
Similar Format
Certificate Program

20. Capstone Activity The final requirement of the program.
Using the $1000 grant funded stipend, complete a PD/Teaching activity to share your learning experience.

21. Now What Do I Do? Assessment Survey
IDP Link (
Program Checklist/Planner
Business Cards
Industry Preferences
Media Release Form
Assessment Survey
Complete the Pre-Assessment and the Post-Assessment
IDP Link (
Program Checklist/Planner
As you complete each event, be sure to receive a signature or stamp on the Attendance Page of Planner from the facilitator to show attendance.
Each Planner has room for notes and calendar pages to keep track of dates and events
Each student is responsible for keeping up with the planner and making sure to get all the stamps/signatures.
Business Cards
Need preferences for Name, , Department, etc
Industry Preferences
Choose top 4 industries to focus on for field trips: Engineering, Petroleum, Biomedical Sciences, etc
Media Release Form
Need each student to sign this form for picture/video release

22. Contact Information
If you have any questions, please contact us at:

23. Questions? Comments?