About

The Graduate Career Consortium (GCC) is an international organization comprised of higher education professionals leading career and professional development for graduate students and postdocs since 1987.

Who We Are

As of 2020, the GCC has over 450 members at 185 institutions and organizations across the US and Canada. Almost half of the members are housed within a graduate division or college, about 1/3 in a campus-wide career center, and 10% in postdoctoral affairs offices. 65% serve both PhD students and postdocs, and 66% work with local employers. 

In addition to our annual conference and regional meetings, the GCC impacts international conversation regarding the career and professional development of graduate students and postdocs through various committees and initiatives. This includes, but is not limited to:

• The weekly, member-generated Carpe Careers column in Inside Higher Ed 
• ImaginePhD - a career exploration and planning tool for the humanities and social sciences that was conceived, created, developed, and launched by GCC members
• An annual Virtual Career Fair that connects employers across many sectors to an audience of graduate students and postdocs 
• and various committees to engage GCC members in a community of best practices for diversity, mentoring, career outcomes, and benchmarking

Learn more about the GCC including our goals for the next 5 years in our strategic plan, as well as the benefits of being a member!
 

GCC Executive Committee Statements

6/04/2020: Graduate Career Consortium Condemns Racial Violence, Commits to Change
7/28/2020: Graduate Career Consortium Condemns Anti-Immigrant Rhetoric and Policies
3/23/2021: Graduate Career Consortium Condemns Recent Anti-Asian Violence
6/18/2021: Graduate Career Consortium - Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Action Items
 

GCC Executive Committee, August 2021 - July 2022

	President Annie Maxfield, M.S. (she/her/hers), Director, Graduate Career & Professional Development University of Texas at Austin president@gradcareerconsortium.org
	Past-President Briana (Bri) Konnick, Ph.D. (she/her/hers), Director of Career Development The University of Chicago, Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering pastpres@gradcareerconsortium.org
	President-Elect Derek Attig, Ph.D. (they/them/theirs), Assistant Dean for Career and Professional Development University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign preselect@gradcareerconsortium.org
	Treasurer Eric Vaughn, M.Ed. (he/him/his), Director of Career Services University of Rochester, School of Medicine & Dentistry treasurer@gradcareerconsortium.org
	Secretary Pallavi Eswara, M.S. (she/her/hers), Director, Office of Postdoctoral Affairs The Pennsylvania State University secretary@gradcareerconsortium.org
	Communications Chair Chris Smith, Ph.D. (he/him/his), Postdoctoral Affairs Program Administrator Virginia Tech communications@gradcareerconsortium.org
	Conference Chairs Bill Lindstaedt, MS Assistant Vice Chancellor, Career Advancement, International and Postdoctoral Services & Mike Matrone, Ph.D. Associate Director, Office of Career and Professional Development University of California San Francisco
Past Presidents
	Past President (2018-2021) Natalie Lundsteen, Assistant Dean for Career and Professional Development, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
	Past President (2017-2020) Mike Matrone, Associate Director, Office of Career and Professional Development, University of California San Francisco
	Past-President (2015-2018) Amy Pszczolkowski, Assistant Dean for Professional Development, Princeton University
	Past-President (2016-17) Alexis Thompson, Assistant Dean, Graduate Student Development and Postdoctoral Affairs University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
	Past President (2015-16) Christine Kelly, Director of Career Development Claremont Graduate University
	Past President (2013-14) Victoria Blodgett, Assistant Dean, Postdoctoral Affairs Dartmouth College

 

History of the GCC

The GCC began in the summer of 1987, when April Hamel, Associate Dean of the Graduate School at Washington University in St. Louis (WUSTL), visited other universities to survey the career services they were providing for their PhD students. Dean Hamel, together with Mary Heiberger and Julie Vick at the University of Pennsylvania, decided to organize an informal group of people who worked with doctoral students on career issues to convene periodically and share ideas. The organization now hosts an annual conference organized by the membership as well as works together on joint ventures. In 2014, the GCC incorporated and reached the 220 member mark.
The GCC is a volunteer organization representing over 400 members in 2018.