Bridging the Gap: Academia in Action (partnership with UNICEF, USA) - Application Deadline
Nearly 60% of U.S. doctoral graduates build careers beyond academia, yet traditional training rarely prepares scholars for high-impact roles in government, NGOs, policy, and industry. Bridging the Gap: Academia in Action is a five-session seminar series designed to equip PhDs with the real-world skills, sector insights, and career tools needed to make research matter in diverse settings.
This dynamic series will run for five one hour-long sessions in January 2026, via Zoom (4:00–5:00 pm ET) covering essential topics including writing for general audiences, translating academic skills, navigating organizational cultures, and establishing impactful research questions. All program dates may be found below.
Program Benefits:
Cohort experience with motivated scholars across disciplines
Practical assignments producing portfolio-ready deliverables (research brief, sector resume)
Direct engagement with practitioners in policy, non-profit, and applied research
Peer networking with future leaders
Who Should Apply: Harvard Griffin GSAS PhD students, candidates, and recent doctoral graduates seeking to transition research to public, policy, or industry impact and develop skills for non-academic career paths.
Application Requirements:
Current resume or academic CV
Brief statement of interest (approx. 1-2 paragraphs) explaining how this program aligns with your professional goals
Please include one thing you’re most curious or uncertain about when it comes to entering the nonacademic job market.
Submit materials in Crimson Careers.
Key Dates & Program Schedule
Application Opens: November 21, 2025
Application Deadline: December 12, 2025
Selection Notification: Week of December 15, 2025
Program Begins: January 5, 2026
Session 1: Monday, January 5 — Writing and Communication for a General Audience
Session 2: Wednesday, January 7 — Understanding the Landscape: Career Paths & Impact Beyond Academia
Session 3: Monday, January 12 — Translating Your Skills and CV
Session 4: Wednesday, January 14 — Navigating Organizational Cultures
Session 5: Tuesday, January 20 — Establishing Impactful Research Questions
Co-hosted by the Mignone Center for Career Success, Harvard Center for International Development and UNICEF USA. The program will be led by Dr. Anne Day Leong, Senior Director, Research, Evaluation and Research Partnerships, UNICEF USA.
Please direct any questions to Caroline Rende, Associate Director, Graduate Career Exploration at cjrende@fas.harvard.edu