Training Sessions

Intro to Excel (Excel Part I)
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Excel: Everything, Everywhere, Not All At Once

In a data-driven world where R, Python, Stata, SQL dominate…why should we learn Excel? Turns out, the world still relies on our good old friend Excel for many things; it’s everywhere! We’ll learn how to organize raw data, analyze, and visualize data effectively with this powerful but underestimated software. The workshop will focus on going over tips and tricks that will enhance your productivity and help you acquire an invaluable asset in your academic and professional journey.

Applying for Fellowships (Part I)
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This session will cover the fine art of writing a winning fellowship application.  It is designed specifically for undergraduate students applying for the Pickering, Rangel, Payne, Truman, Rhodes, Marshall, and any other major national and international fellowship competitions for graduate school fellowships.  This session will be conducted by Dr. Kate Weaver, who has served for several years on UT’s Truman Fellowship committee, as well as the national selection committee for the Rangel Fellowship.  Students should sign up at the Qualtrics survey linked to the right of this page and come prepared with information about the requirements of the fellowship for which they are applying.  A second fellowships session will be held on Oct.11 to review drafts and go over the finer points of interviewing.

Applying for Graduate School
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Thinking about heading to graduate school to get that MA, MBA, JD or PhD?  There’s a lot to know about pulling together a compelling application.  Dr. Kate Weaver will show students the best tricks, from identifying the right graduate school for your goals, lining up your reference letters, writing a killer cover letter and statement of interest and explaining away those few less sparkling grades from your freshman year! Dr.Kate led the LBJ School’s admission process for several years and has read literally thousands of applications – come learn what she has to say about what will make your application stand out!

Intro to R (R Part I)
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R programming language is an invaluable tool for data scientists, researchers, statisticians, and academics alike. Join our Intro to R session, where we’ll kickstart your journey with this powerful language. In this workshop, you’ll learn how to set up R, create basic functions, import and export data from external sources, perform calculations, and craft simple data visualizations. Don’t forget to bring your laptop and follow along – it’s the first step toward mastering the world of R!

Careers in Consulting
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Do you like the idea of a job that makes your parents say “I don’t know, something with spreadsheets” when people ask them what you do? Have you ever wanted to “make a big push to get a deliverable locked by CoB”? Have you ever used the word synergy and not meant it as a joke? If so, then consulting may be the career for you! This edition of IPD’s professional development series will answer basic questions about what consulting is, which firms do it, what the job is actually like, and how recruiting in the industry works. We will use the first half of the hour for a short presentation (what would a consulting event be without PowerPoint?), and the second half for a Q&A.

The Job Search
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It’s challenging to figure out where to start your job search, especially for the first time. This professional development session led by IPD TTL Zhizhen will discuss some common ways to kick off your job search, write effective application materials, and develop networking skills. The session has a specific focus on professional opportunities in social sciences, public policy, and business, but the skills and insights discussed will apply to job-hunting in any field.