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Weekly Digest Feb. 2

June 11, 2026

To Graduate Students, Graduate Faculty, Graduate Support Staff, & Directors of Graduate Education | Week of February 2, 2026

 

Below are this week’s updates from the Graduate College, sharing upcoming deadlines, career and professional development opportunities, internships and fellowships, and events to support graduate success. Please follow the links provided for more information.

🗓️ Action Items & Deadlines

  • Graduation Requirements & Deadlines (All Graduate Students): Graduation requirements are available on the Graduate College website, and graduation deadlines are posted more than a year in advance. Early planning is strongly encouraged to ensure all requirements and deadlines are met for the intended graduation semester. ➡️ Learn more here
  • Spring 2026 Graduates – Upcoming Deadline: February 6 - Last day to apply for program completion without the $20 nonrefundable late application fee. Academic plans must have been fully approved in Workday by December 19, 2025, and the Expected Completion Date (ECD) should be May 15, 2026. ➡️ Apply for program completion here

🧰 Resources & Reminders

  • Grad Mixer Wednesdays: Join us in the Student Innovation Center Room 4237. The theme is "Strategic Career Planning for Graduate Students: Your Roadmap to Success." The events, hosted by the Graduate College Career Services Team, will offer attendees tips and strategies to prepare an effective plan to jumpstart their career planning while in grad school.
  • Career Conversations: "Maximizing Career Fair Opportunities” - This interactive workshop focuses on strategies for preparing for career fairs, engaging effectively with employers, and maximizing follow-up opportunities that support career advancement.
  • ISSO Practical Training for International Graduate Students: This ISSO session is focused on Career Fair preparation. The ISSO team will discuss employment‑related immigration basics, such as work authorization types, along with best practices for navigating Career Fair conversations as an international student.
    • Date: Wednesday, February 4, 12:00-1:00 p.m. (4237 Student Innovation Center)
  • Industry Experts Panel Discussion: This panel discussion features industry representatives and recruiters sharing real-world insights, career guidance, and perspectives on the skills employers seek across industry roles. The session offers opportunities to learn about career pathways beyond academia and to engage in discussion with professionals from industry.
    • Date: Wednesday, February 4, 1:00-2:00 p.m. (4237 Student Innovation Center) ➡️ Learn more here
  • Express Resume Review Marathon: This rapid resume review session provides concise, targeted feedback from Graduate Career Coaches to support preparation for upcoming career fairs and strengthen resume content and presentation. Registration is not required.
    • Date: Thursday, February 5, 10:00-3:00 p.m. (1137 Pearson Hall)
  • Beyond Graduate School: "How to Stand Out in a Competitive Job Market” - This multi-day Zoom series explores essential job search strategies, tools, and techniques for navigating a competitive employment landscape. Each session focuses on a key aspect of the job search process to support strategic career planning for master’s students.
  • Beyond Professoriate: "How to Identify and Research Non-Academic Employers” - This Zoom webinar is designed for doctoral students across disciplines and focuses on strategies for researching employers outside academia. Topics include understanding why employer research matters, exploring nonacademic organizations, assessing alignment between academic backgrounds and industry needs, and identifying employers that hire international scholars and Ph.D. graduates.
  • Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Program – 2026 Cohort: The Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program is accepting applications for the 2026 cohort. The program prepares qualified undergraduates for graduate school entry, with a primary goal of increasing Ph.D. attainment. McNair Scholars receive support in academic research, graduate school preparation, and personal and professional development. Eligible applicants include undergraduates interested in graduate school or scientific research who will be juniors or above in Fall 2026.
  • Regalia Legacy Award: This award honors the legacy of Dr. Lyn Brodersen Cochran, a distinguished Iowa State alum known for service and academic leadership. This award provides a complete set of Ph.D. graduation regalia to a first-generation Ph.D. student graduating Spring 2026 who demonstrates multidisciplinary scholarship and a commitment to uplifting others in higher education.
    • Eligibility: First-generation Ph.D. student graduating Spring 2026
    • Nomination deadline: February 16, 2026 ➡️ Learn more and nominate here
  • Individual Career Consultations: Individual career consultations are available through the Graduate Career Coaches, offering personalized support for career exploration, resume or CV development, preparation of job application materials, and guidance on job search strategies. These services support graduate students at various stages of their professional development. ➡️ Visit the Graduate Career Services website to learn more and book your appointment.
  • ISU Grad School Fair: Learn about graduate education at Iowa State University, including more than 250 graduate programs supporting academic and professional advancement. Attendees can explore programs, connect with faculty and campus resources, and learn about career pathways. Prizes and complimentary food will be available.
    • Date: Tuesday, March 10, 12:00-3:00 p.m. (Student Innovation Center) ➡️ Learn more here
  • Free Business Attire Pop-Up Shop: This pop-up shop offers free, gently used professional clothing to support preparation for career fairs, interviews, and other professional opportunities.
    • Dates: February 4-5, 9:00-12:00 p.m. and 1:00-5:00 p.m. (Multicultural Center, Memorial Union) ➡️ Learn more here
  • Styled for Success: This free event brings together professional haircuts, resume reviews and career tips from Career Services, professional headshot photos, and a business attire pop-up shop. The event is hosted by ISU Student Health and Wellness. Walk-ins are welcome, with pre-registration available to reserve specific services.
    • Date: Monday, February 9, 10:00-4:00 p.m. (Parks Library, Room 140) ➡️ Register here
  • Writing the Literature Review Workshop Series (Center for Communication Excellence & Parks Library): This two-part workshop series supports the development of effective literature reviews for research projects. Part 1 focuses on locating and evaluating relevant scholarly sources, while Part 2 emphasizes constructing an original argument that builds the case for a research project.
  • Public Speaking Seminar Series: This two-part seminar series supports the development of core public-speaking skills for graduate audiences. Part I: What’s Important to Speaking Success? explores attention-grabbing introductions, clear signposts, and memorable conclusions. Part II: Choosing Organizational Patterns That Make Listening Easy focuses on audience-centered structures that make messages clear and engaging.

 

🤝 Partners

  • Project Management Skills for Emerging Researchers Workshop: ResearchPOST is offering a free, three-session workshop designed to support graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, and early-career research staff in developing essential project management skills for research projects. Sessions cover core project management concepts through lectures, hands-on activities, and group discussions. Participation is limited to 25 individuals.
  • Accelerate to Industry+ (A2i+): "Understanding Compensation and Navigating Your First Offer". This workshop provides an overview of assessing professional value in the workplace and navigating conversations around compensation after receiving a job offer.
  • Engineering Your Future with Caterpillar: This virtual webinar features two Caterpillar professionals sharing career pathways, insights, and guidance for those interested in engineering and innovation careers.
  • Inside Amazon Operations: ”Area Manager Role Overview”. This virtual information session provides an overview of the Area Manager role, including day-in-the-life perspectives from current leaders, interview preparation tips, and a live Q&A focused on careers in Amazon Operations.
  • Software Engineering Networking Night with Collins Aerospace (an RTX business): Collins Aerospace is recruiting entry-level Software Engineers for engineering teams in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. This networking night offers opportunities to connect with engineers, learn about open roles, and gain insight into working at RTX.
  • United States Gypsum Company (USG) Info Session: This information session highlights entry-level Project Engineer opportunities with USG, the nation’s largest producer of construction materials, including the Sheetrock® brand. USG is recruiting mechanical, chemical, electrical, civil, and manufacturing engineers for roles at manufacturing plants across the United States.
    • Date: Monday, February 9, 5:30-6:30 p.m. (2221 Student Innovation Center) ➡️ Learn more here
  • Spring 2026 I-Corps Program (Iowa State University): The Spring 2026 I-Corps program is a five-week, virtual curriculum focused on customer discovery and assessing the commercial potential of research-based innovations. The program supports teams in exploring pathways to market or broader societal impact through guided instruction and individualized coaching.
    • Who should attend: Teams of faculty, postdoctoral researchers, graduate students, and undergraduate students with innovations or ideas
    • Program format: Three Zoom sessions, virtual coaching with experienced instructors, and customer interviews
    • Program start date: February 25, 2026
    • Benefit: Participants who successfully complete the program are eligible for a travel grant of up to $1,000
    • Questions: icorps@iastate.edu ➡️ Learn more here ➡️ Apply here

 

🎓 Internships & Fellowships

  • Oak Ridge National Laboratory – Summer 2026 Internships: Oak Ridge National Laboratory is accepting applications for Summer 2026 Research Student Internships and Technical & Professional Internships. These paid opportunities allow current and recent graduate students to work alongside leading experts at a premier U.S. science and energy laboratory. 
    • Eligibility: U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents with a minimum 3.0 GPA
    • Application deadline: February 26, 2026 ➡️ Learn more and apply here
  • NASA OSTEM Summer Internship Programs: NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement (OSTEM) internships provide practical work experience through hands-on projects alongside mentors who are research scientists, engineers, and professionals across a wide range of disciplines.
  • National Institutes of Health - Summer Internship Program (SIP) in Biomedical Research: The NIH Summer Internship Program (SIP) offers graduate students hands-on research experience in biomedical and health-related fields, including biology, engineering, epidemiology, psychology, mathematics, chemistry, pharmaceutical sciences, nursing, physics, computer science, and bioinformatics.
  • Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development – Summer Internship Program (France): The OECD Summer Internship Program offers master’s and doctoral students the opportunity to gain experience within an international organization focused on economic, social, and policy issues. The program is designed to engage highly qualified students from diverse academic backgrounds.
  • Sumitomo Electric Industries – Global Internship Program: The Sumitomo Electric Global Internship Program offers immersive international experience through placements in R&D laboratories and corporate headquarters in Osaka and Itami, Japan. Internship fields span video content creation, human resources, strategy, and operations. The program covers nearly all expenses and offers strong potential pathways to full-time employment, supporting both professional and cultural development.

🏛 Graduate and Professional Student Senate (GPSS)

  • 14th Annual GPSS Research Conference: Graduate and professional students are invited to present research, creative work, and innovative ideas at the 14th Annual GPSS Research Conference.
    • Theme: Shaping the Future: Graduate Leadership in Research, Technology, and Innovation
    • Date: February 20, 2026. 8:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.
    • Location: Great Hall, Memorial Union
    • Highlights: Poster, creative, and oral presentations; keynote speakers; networking opportunities
    • Awards: Cash prizes up to $750, plus a $300 People’s Choice Award
    • Registration deadline: February 9, 2026 ➡️ Register Here ➡️ Learn more here
  • Professional Advancement Grant (PAG): GPSS is also accepting funding requests from graduate and professional students seeking financial support for conference travel. Applications are considered on a monthly basis. ➡️ Learn more here: Awards Information | Allocations | PAG Program

Questions? Contact the Graduate College at grad_college@iastate.edu or visit us at www.grad-college.iastate.edu