Northern Illinois University is hosting its seventh annual Graduate and Professional School (GPS) Fair on Tuesday, September 29, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Duke Ellington Ballroom of the Holmes Student Center. The fair is free to all and is intended to help students and community members get a head start on their graduate and professional school searches.
“On the continuum of student career success, pursuing a graduate or professional degree is often the next logical step for entry or advancement in the workplace. That is true because the great promise of graduate education is that it prepares the next generation of thought leaders, innovators, and practitioners for those roles,” noted Bradley Bond, dean of the Graduate School and associate vice president for Graduate Studies.
NIU graduate and professional programs are well represented at this year’s GPS Fair, including the Graduate School, the Colleges of Education, Health & Human Sciences, Law, and Liberal Arts & Sciences, the Department of Public Administration and the NIU MBA program.
“The Graduate and Professional School Fair is an opportunity for everyone who is interested in earning a master’s, doctoral, or professional degree to get information about institutions and programs,” said Joyce Keller, associate director in NIU Career Services and coordinator of the event. In addition to NIU advanced degree programs, attendees will have the chance to talk face-to-face with graduate and professional school representatives from over 90 programs throughout the United States. The fair includes exhibitors from law, technology, health, business, education, sciences, social sciences, and humanities programs, among other areas of study.
Although attendees do not need to dress professionally or bring copies of their résumés, it is recommended that they prepare by reviewing the list of schools and programs scheduled to attend the fair. The growing list of exhibitors for this year’s GPS Fair is available at www.gpsrecruit.niu.edu.
Students are encouraged to consider advanced degrees early in their college careers. Gathering program information will help students plan for admissions requirements and funding. Students are invited to visit Career Services to discuss how graduate and professional programs may help them advance toward their career goals and further develop their interests, priorities, and talents.
To schedule an appointment with a Career Services staff member to discuss graduate school planning, students may call (815) 753-1641 or email careerservices@niu.edu. Additional information about the Graduate & Professional School Fair is available at www.gpsrecruit.niu.edu.
