SHIFT 2021 Professional Development Conference Brock University
Conference Schedule Wednesday, May 19
9:00 AM
Opening Remarks
9:15 AM
The Energy of Your Life, Career and Leadership of Self: Your Energy, Your Choice
Dr. Suzanne Curtin, Vice Provost and Dean, Graduate Studies, Brock University Dr. Gervan Fearon, President and Vice Chancellor, Brock University
Lesley Calvin Coach, Facilitator, Speaker
11:00 AM
How to Figure Out What Jobs You Want – and Can Get – after Graduate School Jennifer Polk Career Coach, Speaker, Facilitator & Online Community Host
1:00 PM
Resumes & CVs - Showcasing Your Skills and Experiences Kara Renaud, Supervisor, Career Education, Brock University
Conference Schedule Thursday, May 20
Learning Lounge
9:00 AM 10:45 AM
Development Den
Future Forum
Alternative Careers Within & Beyond Academia Virtual Networking 101
1:45 PM
Hi, I'm New Here: A New Employee's Guide to Onboarding
9:00 AM
Courageous Conversations
10:45 AM
Funding Collaborations to Advance Your Career
1:45 PM
Crafting an Influential Story
9:00 AM
Using Hope, Optimism and Curiosity to Unlock Success in Your Job Search
10:45 AM 1:45 PM
Future-Ready Skills & Planning for Success After Grad School Developing Your Leadership Portfolio
Please pick one session for each timeslot
Conference Sessions Wednesday, May 19 Keynote Presentation - Lesley Calvin
The Energy of Your Life, Career and Leadership of Self: Your Energy, Your Choice 9:15 - 10:45 AM - On Zoom Your energy is your currency, personally and professionally. It is introducing you and driving your professional effectiveness before you even say a word. As the leader of your life and the lives of those around you, your actions and behaviours hold the key to your personal, interpersonal, and career success. Through this interactive keynote you will come to understand how something as seemingly innocuous as ‘energy’ can fundamentally define how others view you and how interpersonally influential you are. By the end of this session you will: Understand the Energy Leadership Index (ELI) assessment and self-assess your primary level under ‘normal’ conditions and in the FAST Lane ©. Explore the role of mindfulness in managing emotionally charged situations. Enhance your self-awareness, self-esteem, resiliency, and optimism under stress and change. Understand how emotions, triggers, and behaviours impact your professional networks, influence, and ability to advance your career. Understand the consequences of your conscious and unconscious emotional energy on your life, career, and next steps. Get an introduction to the concept of emotional intelligence at a high level.
Get To Know Lesley Calvin Lesley Calvin is a Leadership Development Consultant, Coach and Trainer. She is also a dynamic and impactful Emotional Intelligence Specialist. As a former Higher Education Administrator and leader of people and departments, Lesley has dedicated almost two decades of her passion-driven career to the personal, professional and leadership development of individuals and organizations. Her mission is to further Positive Forward Motion in the *FAST lane© by addressing the ultimate triple bottom line: personal, interpersonal and professional success. She seeks to fuel productivity, increase buy-in and drive results. Lesley is known for building high-performance individuals, teams and programming.
Conference Sessions Wednesday, May 19 Plenary Talk - Jennifer Polk
How to Figure Out What Jobs You Want - and Can Get - After Graduate School 11:00 AM - 12:00 NOON - On Zoom What are your options for work after your degree? Which positions make the most sense given your education, interests, and skills? How can you have a career that facilitates you living your best life? In this talk, you will learn how to identify jobs you actually want and create an actionable plan to achieve your goals. You will also learn how to: Expand your knowledge of your own interests, knowledge, and skills. Develop a broader perspective on your experience and achievements. Clarify what you most want to do in and gain from your career. Explore job possibilities that connect with your interests, knowledge, skills, experience, and network. Identify career options that align with your goals, needs, and priorities.
Get To Know Jennifer Polk
Jennifer Polk, PhD, is an entrepreneur, career coach, and expert on PhD careers. Since 2013, she’s worked 1-on-1 and in groups with graduate students and doctoral degree holders based in Canada, the United States, the UK, Australia, and elsewhere. Jen has spoken on university campuses and at academic and professional conferences throughout North America on issues related to graduate education and career outcomes for PhDs. Most recently, she was a keynote speaker at the University of California, Berkeley’s Beyond Academia conference, in late February 2020. Jen regularly facilitates professional development workshops (now online) and delivers presentations for graduate students and postdocs.
Conference Sessions Wednesday, May 19 General Session - Kara Renaud
Resumes and CVs - Showcasing Your Skills and Experiences 1:00 - 2:30 PM - On Teams
How do you know when an employer is looking for a 'resume' or a 'curriculum vitae' (CV), when the terms are often used interchangeably? In this informative session, you will learn how resume and CVs are different from one another, when to use each document, and how to tailor your application to the appropriate audience. This session will also address application expectations for government positions and how to modify your documents for applicant tacking systems (ATS).
Get To Know Kara Renaud Kara has devoted her life’s work to supporting the career development needs of students in higher education. She brings her passion for helping others to grow and succeed into every interaction she has with students and staff. In her current role, Kara manages the daily operations and staffing of the CareerZone Resource Centre, and facilitates support services that help Brock students explore career possibilities, articulate their skills and find meaningful work. Kara obtained her undergraduate degree in Sociology from McMaster University, and completed her Master of Education degree at Brock. She also holds a Career Development Practitioner Certification from Conestoga College, and Professional Certification in Event Management from Ryerson University.
Conference Sessions Thursday, May 20 Session # 1 - 9:00 AM - 10: 15 AM Using Hope, Optimism, and Curiosity to Unlock Success in Your Job Search Facilitated By: Marisa Brown
Career planning as a graduate student can be stressful – especially during a pandemic. Consider taking a playful approach to your non-academic job search by learning about creative techniques that will unblock challenges and open new ways of thinking about your career journey. Apply an experimental approach to your career by using mind maps, LEGO and other creative strategies to help achieve your career goals or discover new opportunities.
Courageous Conversations Facilitated By: Holly Bolvari
Conversations, especially difficult conversations, can feel scary but they don’t have to be. In this session, you will learn tips and concepts to help you have meaningful, candid, and clear discussions.
Alternative Careers Within and Beyond Academia: A Panel Discussion Moderated By: Lianne Fisher Panel Members: Jenn Martin, Ketan Marballi & Sharlee Cranston-Reimer
Are you looking for different opportunities to work within a higher education setting? How can you leverage your research and teaching skills for fields and positions in academia and beyond? Join our panel discussion and career talks with Masters and PhD graduates who have made career shifts, pivots and embraced the mindset of versatility.
Conference Sessions Thursday, May 20 Session # 2 - 10:30 AM - 11: 45 AM Future-Ready Skills & Planning For Success After Grad School Facilitated By: Laura Fyfe
Skills like critical thinking, coordination, social perceptiveness, and complex problem solving are more in demand now than ever before. The good news is you probably already have them. The challenge is connecting your university experience to your core skills and competencies in a way that resonates with your future employers. In this session, you will explore the Brock Competencies and learn how to effectively translate your skills into career-ready language, from the classroom to the workplace, and beyond.
Virtual Networking 101 Facilitated By: Faith Pember
Networking can be fun once you break it down into the purpose and your desired result! We will go through the basics and help answer that fundamental question of networking: what do I say to these people? Faith has learned a lot about networking over the last year and a half in her role and wants to share all of her insights with you in a relaxed and interactive way.
Funding Collaborations to Advance Your Career Facilitated By: Amanda Green
Mitacs powers research and development by connecting industry and notfor-profit partners with grad students to solve business and research challenges, both in Canada and internationally. For 20 years, Mitacs has funded cutting-edge research, created job opportunities for graduate students, and helped companies reach their business goals. We are dedicated to helping develop the next generation of researchers to fuel Canada’s knowledge-based economy. In this workshop, Amanda will provide an overview of the Mitacs programs, and answer your questions about: How to apply for funding How to find collaborators to support your research; and How to learn new skills that will help advance your career
Conference Sessions Thursday, May 20 Session # 3 - 1:45 - 3:00 PM Developing Your Leadership Portfolio Facilitated By: Lianne Fisher
Do you have a leadership portfolio? How would you demonstrate to others that you are an effective leader? Reflective practice through the development of a leadership portfolio can help. In this session you will have the opportunity to initiate or extend your reflective practice. We will also discuss the kinds of artefacts and experiences that you can include in your portfolio as evidence of your leadership abilities and qualities – even if you think you don’t have any.
Hi, I'm New Here: A New Employee's Guide to Onboarding Facilitated By: TBD
Starting a new job can be stressful, especially in a virtual environment! Learn tips and ideas on how to effectively join a new organization and prepare yourself for success.
Crafting an Influential Story Facilitated By: Kerry O'Brien
Good stories are more than entertaining; they’re influential. Stories have a unique way of getting people to lower their walls and consider new information. Join Kerry as he explains the science behind influential storytelling, then walks you through a six-step process to make YOUR stories as engaging and influential as possible. Learn to effectively communicate what you have learned and done during your graduate studies, both inside and outside the classroom and why it’s important – especially to employers!
Session Presenters Holly Bolvari Manager, HR Services, Human Resources, Brock University A graduate of Brock University and Niagara College, Holly has over 10 years of experience working in Human Resources. She started her career in HR consulting, offering end to end HR services to small to medium sized businesses. For the past 8 years, she has worked at Brock University in various roles including Job Analytics, Talent Acquisition, HR Advising and Learning & Organizational Development. Holly is an idea person and a culture advocate who focuses on embracing people’s strengths within an organization.
Marisa Brown Career Curriculum Manager, Co-op, Career and Experiential Education, Brock University Marisa is a career education professional with a background in career development and a keen interest in incorporating theory into practice. As a certified Career Development Practitioner, she currently leads career education programming and curriculum for Co-op, Career & Experiential Education at Brock University. Marisa completed her Master of Education in Teaching, Learning and Development at Brock University with a research focus on career programming in higher education and employability skills. She completed her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Guelph and the Career Development Practitioner program at Conestoga College
Session Presenters Sharlee Cranston-Reimer Research Officer, Internal Awards, Office of Research Services, Brock University Sharlee Cranston-Reimer (she/her) completed her PhD in English & Cultural Studies at McMaster University in 2014 and completed a SSHRC PostDoctoral Fellowship in Women’s & Gender Studies at Brock University in 2018. She grew up in Treaty 1 territory in Winnipeg, and now lives on land covered by the Dish with One Spoon Wampum in Hamilton. Her current role is as Research Officer, Internal Awards in the Office of Research Services at Brock, and she will soon be taking over the SSHRC portfolio. She has worked in many different kinds of jobs, from serving in restaurants to being the Acting Sexual Violence Support and Education Coordinator in Human Rights and Equity at Brock. She is passionate about equity, diversity, and inclusion; community building; and coffee.
Lianne Fisher Manager, Educational Development, Centre for Pedagogical Innovation, Brock University Lianne has been CPI’s Educational Developer since August 2012. Whether it’s working one-to-one or in small groups, Lianne helps instructors, TAs and faculty members acquire teaching skills and strategies in developing their own style as teachers. In her words: “How lucky am I that I get to work with individuals who are looking to make a difference to teaching and learning, and develop new and exciting ways of approaching the academic endeavor — it is fun and energizing to be a part of what people do.”
Session Presenters Laura Fyfe Skills Translation Coordinator, Co-op, Career & Experiential Education, Brock University Laura is an anthropologist and researcher with a passion for facilitating meaningful connections between skills, education, and an ever-evolving labour market. Laura completed her Master of Arts in Anthropology from Trent University and her Bachelor of Arts in History and Anthropology from King’s at Western. She moved to Niagara in 2015 and joined the team at the Niagara Workforce Planning Board where she served as a Research Associate and Project Coordinator. In this role, Laura worked with educators, students, and internationally trained professionals to connect job seekers with job opportunities, and curriculum objectives to career competencies and industry expectations.
Amanda Green Business Development Specialist, Mitacs, Inc. Dr. Amanda Green is a Business Development Specialist with Mitacs, Inc. helping the Brock community. Her research experience spans aspects of health, from basic science to community mental health. She has a PhD in Neuroscience from Dalhousie University, and has completed postdoctoral studies in Pediatrics at McMaster University. From start-ups to large companies and not-for-profits, she helps to establish links between academic labs and partner organizations and provides strategic advice on project development and funding. Her goal is to increase academicindustry partnerships; connecting the best talent with cutting edge research to help drive innovation in Canada.
Session Presenters Kerry O'Brien Talent Development Specialist, Shopify Kerry is a world-travelled facilitator and instructor who specializes in facilitator development and public speaking. He’s worked with everyone from teenage hockey players to high-powered software executives to spiritual leaders, and knows how to craft a method and message to reach any audience. Kerry holds a Bachelor of Education in Adult Education from Brock University and Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts and Sciences from the University of Waterloo. He currently works with Shopify developing leaders globally, as well as mentoring facilitators.
Faith Green Student Recruiter, CPA Ontario Faith Pember is a Student Recruiter through CPA Ontario and is proof of the value of networking! Ask her about how she got into her position or any of her previous travels from living in South Korea for two years to traveling solo through Europe. As a recruiter for CPA Ontario she also speaks publicly about the designation, educating and designing interactive events where students can explore all the options at their fingertips.
Session Presenters Ketan Marballi Career Education Specialist, Faculty of Science, Ryerson University Ketan Marballi is a career education specialist for the Faculty of Science working with graduate students and postdoctoral fellows at Ryerson University. He holds a Ph.D. in Cellular and Structural Biology from the University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, where his research focused on the molecular mechanisms of schizophrenia. Through his experiences organizing career development events for different populations of trainees during his doctoral and postdoctoral training, he developed a passion for career advising and very recently made a pivot into this field. He speaks about the strategies he used in an article for Inside higher ed.
Jenn Martin Educational Developer, Centre for Academic Excellence, Niagara Colllege Jenn (she/her) is an Educational Developer with the Centre for Academic Excellence at Niagara College where she focuses on curriculum and technologyenhanced learning. She is involved in a number of initiatives including curriculum design, faculty development, and supporting the development of online courses and open educational resources. In addition to her work at Niagara College, Jenn is an adjunct faculty member in the Faculty of Information and Media Studies at Western University.
Sponsors This conference was made possible with support from the following organizations:
Faculty of Graduate Studies
Co-op, Career & Experiential Education
Conference Prizes Every graduate student or Brock Graduate Studies alumni who attends shift has the opportunity to win amazing prizes! Grand Prizes 1) Enrollment in the Positive Forward Motion Mindset Course, offered by Keynote Speaker, Lesley Calvin (valued at $495) Donated by: Lesley Calvin 2) Enrollment in the Know Your Options Course, offered by the experts at Beyond the Professoriate (valued at $60) 3) 3 gift cards for local Brock alumni-owned businesses, including Breakwall Brewery, Odd Bird, and Trust Beer Bar (each valued at $20).
Session Prizes For each session you attend, you will have the chance to win your choice of one of the following professional development books, in the format of your choosing (Kindle, Audible Audiobook or paperback). What Colour is Your Parachute by Richard N. Bolles Work Your Career by Loleen Berdahl & Jonathan Malloy Designing Your Life by Bill Burnett & Dave Evans Do What You Are by Paul D. Tieger, Barbara Barron & Kelly Tieger Give and Take by Adam Grant Never Eat Alone by Keith Ferrazzi Build Your Dream Network by J. Kelly Hoey