Resources for Current Students

The Political Science Graduate Workshop (PSGW) focuses on personal and professional development for current graduate students in the Political Science Department. The PSGW’s mission is to “foster communication and information-sharing among the grad students and faculty members of the Political Science Department, and to promote professional development opportunities for the grad students.” The topics covered in PSGW range from topics in graduate life (health and balance, financial life) to discipline-specific professional development (publishing, communications). This workshop typically convenes two times per semester each academic year.

The PSGW team also welcomes questions, feedback, and suggestions for future events and community-building initiatives. Please contact the coordinators with any ideas or topics you would like to suggest for PSGW.

2024-2025 PSGW Student Coordinators: Garrett Jones, Yehzee Ryoo, and Larry Czeponis

Fall 2024 Workshops TBA

Spring 2024 Workshops

Wednesday February 21st | 12:00-1:15pm | Ogg (422 North Hall). Topic: Tips and Tricks of Conferences

Wednesday, April 17th | 12:00-1:15pm | Ogg (422 North Hall). Topic: Individual Development Plan Workshop

Fall 2023 Workshop

Friday, November 17th: Picnic Point Bonfire Retreat

Spring 2023 Workshop

Wednesday, March 1st | 11:45am-1:00pm | Ogg (422 North Hall). Topic: Planning for Summer Breaks & Preparing for Prelim Exams

Fall 2022 Workshops

Wednesday, September 28th | 9:30-10:45am | Ogg (422 North Hall). Topic: What I Wish I Knew about Graduate School & the Department 

Wednesday, November 9th | 9:30-10:45am | Ogg (422 North Hall). Topic: Lifecycle of a Publication

Food assistance available for students

Food insecurity can mean skipping meals because you cannot afford them, or it can mean not having enough access to healthy and nutritious food that allow you to focus on your academic and scholarly goals. If you are facing food insecurity, there are free food resources available on campus:

• The Badger Fare Program provides a $75 deposit directly to your Wiscard that you can immediately use to purchase food on campus. The program is offered through the Office of Student Assistance and Support (OSAS) and is available once each academic year to students who are experiencing food insecurity or who have experienced
• The Open Seat Food Pantry supplies students in need with free boxes of food and hygiene products packed and distributed by Second Harvest Foodbank. Fill out the Open Seat food box request by Thursday at noon to pick up your food at Eagle Heights the following Wednesday. Pickup is also available at East Campus Mall on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.

While these are some highlights, there are many other food assistance resources on campus and in the community for all students facing food insecurity or who have experienced an unexpected life event. Please take advantage of them if you need them.

McBurney Disability Resource Center

Partners with students, faculty, and staff to design accessible environments and to provide academic accommodations so that students can engage, explore and participate in the Wisconsin Idea. Whether you are new to campus or are already quite familiar, have a long history of accommodations or are just exploring disability-related accommodations for the first time, we invite you to learn more about the Center and to contact McBurney with any questions you may have.

Gender and Sexuality Campus Center

The Gender and Sexuality Campus Center provides education, outreach, advocacy, and resources for UW-Madison student communities and their allies to improve campus climate and their daily intersectional experiences.

Asian Pacific Islander Desi American (APIDA) Student Center

The APIDA Student Center facilitates an environment for APIDA identifying students that provides academic, professional, and social opportunities that critically engage their identity and build communities of support at UW-Madison.

Black Cultural Center

The BCC serves Black students (including African-American, Caribbean, Afro-Latinx, and African Diaspora) by facilitating opportunities for academic and social support, co-curricular programming, and community building.

Indigenous Student Center

The Indigenous Student Center is a space that serves Indigenous students by providing academic, professional, and social opportunities focusing on collaborative partnerships, programming, and community building at UW-Madison and beyond.

The ISC centers the voices, experiences, and dynamic lives of Indigenous students. The center serves as a space to study, hold programming, and to hang out. The center is home to six student organizations – Wunk Sheek, American Indian Science & Engineering Society, Alpha Pi Omega Sorority Inc. – Lambda Chapter, MadTown Singers, Indigenous Law Student Association, and Tribal Libraries, Archives, & Museums.

Latinx Cultural Center

The mission of the LCC is to facilitate an environment for Latinx identifying students that provides academic, professional, and social opportunities that critically engage their identity and build communities of support at UW-Madison.

Undocumented Student Support

University Veteran Services

Serves military-connected students in three key focus areas: education benefits, student success, and education and advocacy.

Bursar’s Office

The Bursar’s Office provides information and resources on student account billing and payments, refunds, remissions, and loans serviced by UW-Madison.

Student Activity Center

The Student Activity Center is located on the third and fourth floors of the University Square building (333 East Campus Mall). The SAC is the only student-run space on campus. ASM funds, manages, and allocates the space, including offices ranging from 50 to 750 square feet, conference rooms, a rooftop deck, study areas, and a multipurpose room.

International Student Services

International Student Services (ISS) serves UW-Madison students on F and J visas by providing holistic support through advising on immigration, personal, and cultural matters, and by organizing events and activities to support students’ engagement and development within the campus community.

Office of Student Assistance and Support (OSAS)

OSAS is a primary resource for students navigating personal, academic, or health issues to get the help they need, whether that be on campus or in the community. The office also serves as a central location for reporting bias and other student-related concerns.

University Health Services

University Health Services is the UW–Madison student health center. Read more about services offered to students.

Division of Information Technology (DoIT)

Offers help desk user support, computer repair (including certified Apple support), an open computer lab, consultations and trainings, and educational discounts at three Tech Store campus locations.

Multicultural Student Center

The primary mission of the Multicultural Student Center is to collaboratively strengthen and sustain an inclusive campus where all students, particularly students of color and other historically underserved students, can realize an authentic Wisconsin Experience.

Office of Child Care and Family Resources

Offers a range of services for student parents, including subsidized daycare and limited, though free, in-home childcare.

Ombuds Office

Did you know that as a graduate student employee you have access to the services of the UW-Madison Ombuds Office? Ombuds are available to help all employees that are dealing with work related challenges. It is a safe place where you can seek guidance regarding workplace concerns at any time. The Ombuds Office employs five retired faculty and staff who work part-time as a team of consultants. Some of the current Ombuds had ties to graduate students during their careers. Learn more about the office by watching this video.

SAFEwalk

SAFEwalk is a free walking companionship service available to all students, faculty, staff, and UW visitors. To request a SAFEwalk, call or text (608) 262-5000. SAFEwalkers can accompany you throughout campus and to/from near-campus locations! (Service boundaries do not include far west campus, such as UW Hospital and Eagle Heights.)

Graduate School Office of Professional Development

Provides graduate students with professional development opportunities, and assists students in building skills needed to succeed academically and thrive in their career. Students are encouraged to build an Individual Development Plan (IDP), which helps you to reflect, plan, and discuss in order to achieve your academic and professional goals.

On-Campus Resources

Graduate and Professional Student Assistance Specialist: The Graduate School and the Office of Student Assistance and Support (OSAS) jointly support a staff position focused on graduate student needs. Elaine Goetz-Berman serves in this role, which includes support, advocacy, and resource referral for graduate students. Elaine’s approach to working with graduate students centers on her specialized knowledge about the unique academic and personal challenges they face.

University Health Services – Mental Health Services: UHS offers a safe and confidential environment with a variety of support services available free of charge and open to all graduate students living in Wisconsin, including:

• Individual counseling
• Couple/partner counseling
• Stress management
• Psychiatry services

An Access Appointment is the entry point to services at Mental Health Services and is done over the phone. To schedule an Access Appointment, students should call Mental Health Services at 608-265-5600 (option 2) or log on to MyUHS for 24-hour appointment booking. This appointment will last about 20 minutes. If there is a risk of suicide, or a concern about the wellbeing of a student, call UHS 24-hour crisis service* to speak with an on-call counselor at 608-265-5600, option 9. If a situation is immediately life threatening, call 911.

UHS hosts a variety of group counseling opportunities. Students can self-refer and do not need an Access appointment. Call UHS’s desk at 608-265-5600, option #2, to request a pre-group orientation. Here are a few of particular relevance to graduate students:

• Graduate Students Support Group. This group will examine the sources of stress, ways of coping, and the value of peer support in adjusting to the challenges of being a graduate student. Topics will be developed by group members, but may include time management, financial stress, relationship concerns, burnout, isolation, and maintaining balance.
• Dissertators’ Group. This supportive group environment focuses on the emotional, behavioral, and organizational challenges associated with the dissertation process. Participants establish individual weekly research and personal goals and share experiences and perspectives around common themes (e.g., procrastination, careers on or beyond the tenure track, advisor etiquette, and juggling multiple life roles.)
• Students of Color Process and Support Group. This is a group for any student who self-identifies as a person of color. The group will explore ways in which their identity as a student of color affects their academic, personal, and social experiences. Facilitators strive to provide a safe and supportive environment for students of color to explore feelings related to racially oppressive experiences, strengthen self-concept through conversation and connection, and help one another navigate academic and social experiences on campus.
• International Students Support Group. International students experience challenges in the process of adjusting to life in the United States and the academic environment of UW-Madison. These may include, but are not limited to, culture shock, homesickness, social isolation, language and communication barriers, and prejudice and discrimination. This group strives to provide a space for international students to share their experiences and build connections, resilience, and a sense of belonging.

Other group counseling opportunities address LGBTQ support, relationships, depression, anxiety, and other topics. Groups typically meet 1 to 2 hours weekly and may run from 4 to 12 weeks per semester. These groups fill up very quickly, and we encourage students to enroll at the beginning of the semester.

Additional UHS resources Include:

• Grad Resilience* – This is a series of one-hour virtual discussions for current graduate students. Each section presents strategies to navigate a feature of grad culture with the opportunity for participants to share experiences and ask questions. These events are open to all graduate students with an active wisc.edu email address.
• Let’s Talk* – These confidential and informal 20-minute consultations with a mental health provider are available every weekday. For in-person sections, students can just stop by the location. For virtual sections, sign-up is available.
• Wellness Initiatives – UHS’s interdisciplinary program is designed to assist students’ pursuit of healthy mind, body, and spirit. Programs address healthy living, nutritional counseling, mindfulness, exercise consultation, yoga, massage, stress management, and more.
• Sexual Violence Prevention Program – UHS provides an online sexual violence and misconduct prevention program, which all incoming graduate students at UW-Madison are required to complete.
• Survivor Services – Survivor Services provides confidential support to UW-Madison student victims/survivors of sexual assault, sexual harassment, dating violence, domestic violence, and/or stalking. These services are available at no cost. Services include information and referral, individual and group counseling, and advocacy and accompaniments.

Students living out of state may access specific UHS workshops, crisis support, Let’s Talk services, and care management to connect with resources and care in local communities or at UHS. Mental Health Services offers both Telehealth (via phone or Zoom) and in person appointments and services.

Office of Student Assistance and Support (OSAS) – OSAS is a primary resource for students navigating personal, academic, or health issues to get the help they need, whether that be on campus or in the community. The office also serves as a central location for reporting bias and other student-related concerns. Drop-in hours are Monday through Friday 8:30am – 4:00pm, Room 70 Bascom Hall. You can also call at 608-263-5700 or email osas@studentaffairs.wisc.edu.

University Veterans Services – Student veterans transitioning to civilian life face unique challenges. The mission of University Veterans Services is to support military-connected students by fostering personal transitions and pursuit of academic success.

Ombuds Office – University employees, including graduate students, can seek guidance regarding workplace concerns without fear of reprisal and at no cost to them.  

Employee Assistance Office – Graduate students who hold assistantships are eligible to utilize the Employee Assistance Office. This is a confidential resource that provides counseling and consultation at no cost.

Off Campus Resources

Graduate students who hold assistantship appointments may also seek mental health services covered by their health insurance plan*, in addition to UHS services. You can find here resources for navigating off campus mental health care.

Students can find a listing of upcoming internal and external fellowship and award applications here. This page is updated weekly during the academic year.  

External Research Funding

For university sponsored fellowships and a database of external opportunities, start at the fellowships resources webpage. In addition to funding through our program, graduate students are strongly encouraged to apply for fellowships from federal agencies, professional organizations, and private foundations. To aid with this search, the UW–Madison Graduate School recommends reviewing the Fellowship Finder provided by the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC). Please note that this portal is publicly accessible but designed for UIUC students. If you or your advisors would like assistance interpreting the eligibility requirements or selection criteria for fellowships you find there, please contact the UW–Madison Fellowship Officer at funding@grad.wisc.edu.

Each particular fellowship will have its own unique set of benefits and responsibilities. You should make sure you understand the terms and conditions of any fellowship/scholarship for which you are applying: award/stipend amount, tuition coverage (if any), other supplemental funds (e.g., travel funds, research funds, conference presentation funds). Graduate programs and the UW–Madison Graduate School may supplement some externally-funded fellowships. Please talk to your Rikhil and Erin about applying to receive tuition assistance and benefits if you are selected for an externally-funded fellowship.

For guidance searching for external support, the Library’s micro-course on Grants and Funding and the Grants Information Collection are good resources.

For on-campus opportunities, many graduate assistantships and other jobs are advertised in the GradConnections newsletter and posted in the Student Job Center.

Internal Research Funding

Conference Funding

Each student has $500 in conference funding available to them each year. These funds are available to all student conference participation (attending or presenting). To receive your $500 in funds, please send Erin an email. If you are presenting at a conference, we strongly encourage you to apply for Graduate School funds. Students can apply for up to an additional $1,500 in conference funding – application details here.

Summer Research Initiative

Each spring the Political Science Department invite graduate students to submit proposals to fund research and training projects during the summer. Eligible activities include but are not limited to conference travel (including the APSA annual meeting), travel to conduct research, purchase of software or data, and tuition for courses or workshops. Projects in the early phases of dissertation research and those leading to publication will get higher priority. Seniority and standing in the graduate program are also considerations. Budgets may not include direct salary. Calls for proposals will be sent out in the spring.

M. Crawford Young Fellowship Fund in African Politics

The M. Crawford Young Award in African Politics supports graduate students conducting field research on African politics. Preference will be given to international students and to students from underrepresented groups or populations. While the fund will primarily support political science students, students who fit these criteria from other areas on campus may be considered. Calls for proposals will be sent out in the fall. To apply for the award, please send a 1-page description of the field research you plan on conducting and a C.V. as a single PDF to Young__.3h38cugbrmi8xp0o@u.box.com by March 1.

Ronald Rapoport Summer Research Collaborative Program

Funded by a generous gift from the Rapoport Family Foundation, this program aims to foster early-career graduate students’ research and publication by funding summer collaborations with faculty. The award provides graduate students with a $5000 summer scholarship to work on a collaborative project with faculty that is intended to result in a co-authored publication.

PhD students who have not yet advanced to candidacy and faculty in Political Science are invited to submit joint proposals for summer research in the fields of American politics and policy or comparative political behavior. Preference will be given to 1) proposals in the field of political behavior; 2) collaborations involving first or second year students; 3) collaborations where faculty contribute 20% of the award amount. Calls for proposals will be sent out in the spring.

Elections Research Center

The Elections Research Centers provides funding for graduate students for summer fellowships, conference travel, and research. Additional details and application links can be found here: https://elections.wisc.edu/research-funding/.

Experimental Politics Workshop Pilot Grant Competition

Each year, EPW invites grad students to participate in the EPW Pilot Grant Competition. The goal of this competition is to help fund small pilot experimental studies (or follow-up studies). Winners of the competition will receive grants in the range of $250-750, though larger grants are possible. Calls for proposals will be sent out in the spring.

Institute for Regional and International Studies (IRIS)

The IRIS Awards Office manages its own funding opportunities (Scott Kloeck-Jenson Fellowships, IRIS Graduate Fieldwork Awards, Incubator Grants), coordinates the campus component of a number of external programs (Boren Fellowships, Fulbright US Student Program, Fulbright-Hays DDRA, Luce Scholars Program), and assists students in exploring other funding options.

Foreign Language & Area Studies (FLAS) Fellowships

FLAS fellowships are funded by the U.S. Department of Education and administered by UW-Madison’s National Resource Centers to assist students in acquiring foreign language and either area or international studies competencies.

Peer mentorship is a critical component of success in graduate school. A good mentor displays the the following qualities:

Willingness to share knowledge, skills, and expertise

A good mentor is willing to teach what he/she knows and accept the mentee where they currently are in their professional development. Good mentors can remember what it was like just starting out in the field. The mentor does not take the mentoring relationship lightly and understands that good mentoring requires time and commitment and is willing to continually share information and their ongoing support with the mentee.

Provides guidance and constructive feedback

One of the key responsibilities of a good mentor is to provide guidance and constructive feedback to their mentee. This is where the mentee will most likely grow the most by identifying their current strengths and weaknesses and learning how to use these to make them successful in the field. A good mentor possesses excellent communication skills and is able to adjust their communication to the personality style of the mentee. A good mentor will also provide the mentee with challenges that will foster professional development and a feeling of accomplishment in learning the field.

Personal interest in the mentoring relationship

Good mentors do not take their responsibility as a mentor lightly. They feel invested in the success of the mentee. Usually this requires someone who is knowledgeable, compassionate, and possesses the attributes of a good teacher or trainer. Excellent communication skills are also required. A good mentor is committed to helping their mentees find success and gratification in their chosen profession. Overall good mentoring requires empowering the mentee to develop his/her own strengths, beliefs, and personal attributes.

Values the opinions and initiatives of others

A mentor who values others is also someone who works well in a team environment and is willing to share his/her success. A good mentor appreciates the ongoing effort of the mentee and empowers him/her through positive feedback and reinforcement.

Motivates mentees through setting a good example

A mentor is usually highly motivated, dedicated, and has a strong work ethic themselves and by exhibiting these qualities, sets a good example for mentees.

Looks for ways to improve mentoring skills

A mentor strives to improve her or his skills by keeping up with best practices. Fortunately, at UW–Madison there are a number of resources that can help with this. For instance, programs like Delta offer mentor training opportunities. The Institute for Clinical and Translational Research offers resources for research mentors. Finally, faculty such as Prof. Angela Byars-Winston research quality mentoring habits and want to help more people take up these habits. These and many other efforts have led UW–Madison to be a leader of the National Research Mentoring Network.

You can find more resources on mentorship here. The Graduate School also offers Tips for Grads on improving their mentorship practice and the Wisconsin Institute for Science Education and Community Engagement runs a Research Mentor Training each semester.

Department of Political Science Alumni Connections

Current graduate students can access here a list of Department of Political Science alumni who can serve as resources, sounding boards, and a network for students who are interested in pursuing nonacademic careers of various kinds. To access the documents on this page you will need to sign in to your UW Box Account.

Alumni Profile

Jared Knowles is the president of Civilytics Consulting, LLC. He founded Civilytics in 2016 to pursue his passion of providing high-quality public performance metrics for government services. Knowles completed his PhD in political science at UW–Madison in 2015.  Click here to read more of Jared’s alumni career profile.

Non-Academic Job Sample Resume and Cover Letter

Current graduate students can access here a sample resume and cover letter from an alum of our program who is currently working in the private sector. To access the documents on this page you will need to sign in to your UW Box Account.

Career Preparation

Adapted from https://grad.wisc.edu/professional-development/

As you prepare to enter the job market, make networking part of your job search plan. When you attend professional conferences, make meeting new people part of what you aim to get out of the experience.

And if you are exploring career options, consider informational interviewing as a way to both learn about jobs and establish valuable connections that could lead to job offers down the road.

The Office of Professional Development regularly hosts workshops on interviewing, job negotiations, and similar topics, so check the graduate student events calendar for opportunities. Recordings are often available on the Graduate School’s YouTube channel. When it’s time to apply for a job, Writing Center workshops can help with preparing materials – both academic and non-academic – and has on-demand guides for CVs, Resumes, and Cover Letters in the Writer’s Handbook. Beyond Graduate School is a one-of-a-kind online career training platform for master’s students, with on-demand, self-paced learning modules for exploring career options and learning proven job search strategies. Beyond the Professoriate empowers PhD students to make informed decisions about their career path and learn successful job search strategies to navigate the faculty job market and explore professional careers beyond the professoriate.

Leadership Development

The Center for Leadership & Involvement connects students with opportunities to develop leadership capacity and offers a leadership certificate to interested students. The UW–Madison Leadership Framework further articulates ways you can engage in leadership on and off campus.

Career Services

The College of Letters and Sciences’ career services office is called SuccessWorks. SuccessWorks offers:

• individual 30-minute appointments on internship and job search strategies for non-professoriate positions
• drop-in advising for resume review and quick questions regarding internships and careers: Tuesdays & Fridays, Noon – 2:00 pm (when classes are in session)
• career workshops, fairs, and other events, open to all undergraduate and graduate students

Additional Resources

UW-Madison DiscoverPD DiscoverPD helps master’s and doctoral students at UW–Madison advance their academic and professional goals.

UW-Madison Graduate School Alumni Career Profiles

Beyond the Professoriate PhD Career Training Platform Beyond the Professoriate’s Career Training Platform helps graduate students, postdocs, and PhDs successfully transition into academic or nonacademic careers.

Through two programs of study (Academic Careers and Professional Careers), postdocs and graduate students can explore career options and learn job search strategies to secure employment in academia and beyond.

Beyond the Professoriate’s Career Training Platform benefits grad students by:

• Supporting career exploration.
• Providing accessible, well-curated resources for busy graduate students.
• Promoting engaging learning through reflective activities that encourage students to apply what they’ve learned.
• Complementing existing on-campus graduate student career supports.
• Offering recorded seminars, reflective prompts, and assessments that guide the student experience and foster user engagement.

To log in visit Beyond Prof’s Career Training Platform, select University of Wisconsin-Madison, and enter your institutional login information.