Roundtable: Placement: Alt-Academic and Non-Academic Careers for Political Science PhDs

Session Submission Type: Roundtable

Brief Overview

Many graduate students and recent PhDs are interested, and in some cases compelled, to pursue a career outside of the academy. However, graduate programs often focus exclusively on preparing students for the academic job search, leaving them in the dark as to how they might leverage their training and skills in a different recruiting environment. This roundtable will explore some of the career options in government, think tanks, nonprofits, consulting, or academic-adjacent positions. Panelists who have successfully transitioned or worked in these fields will share their journeys, the skills they found most valuable, and how best to prepare for and pursue a non-academic job.

Section

• Professional Development / Professional Development

Chair

• Sarah Whalen, University of Miami

Participants

• Stephen Michael Wrinn, University of Notre Dame

• Kristina M.W. Mitchell, Texas Tech University

• Greg Bovitz, Columbia University

• Vanessa M. Perez, University of South Florida-Main Campus

• Analia Gomez Vidal, AGV Services LLC

• Robert Creamer, Democracy Partners