Career Communities

Faculty and staff that are committed to intentionally strengthening TU Career Communities and advancing the Career Center’s collective mission, vision, and guiding principles are welcome to apply.

• Grant activities must spotlight one or two essential Career Ready Skills
• Proposals should clearly align with the Career Communities strategic priorities that focus on knowledge, experiential learning, and career connections

Award recipients must agree and will be required to:

• Communicate in all marketing and reporting materials and at the program site: "This Career Communities Initiative is made possible by the support of the TU Career Center"
• Share grant program photos and related media posts
• Track and submit program attendance details, including participant names and TU ID numbers
• Utilize and complete a TU Career Center Capture Sheet for Progress Reflection and Post-Program Insights
• Submit final summary report materials no later than 3 weeks after completion of the funded program activity.
  • The final report must include a discussion highlighting the specific Career Ready Skills of the program, career learning outcomes, and the impact of the grant.
  • The format and delivery date of the report will be decided during the pre-award meeting and specified on the post-award checklist.

If you indicated that this proposed activity would receive additional funding from external or campus resources, please include details in the budget spreadsheet.

• Career Communities Micro-Grant Budget Template (Excel)
• New Template

Note: Proposal requests must not exceed $500. Funding requests ranging from $100 to $500 are welcome. Partial funding for grant activities will also be considered by the review committee.

Applications open August 10 for proposed activities for Academic Year 2026-2027 and will be reviewed in the order in which they are received. Proposals will be accepted and awarded on a rolling basis until funds are exhausted or until the application closing date of December 1.  In addition to this online application, individuals will need to upload a proposed detailed budget outline using a template provided. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

• 2025 TU Career Communities Micro-Grant Award Application Overview (PDF)
• 2025 TU Career Communities Micro-Grant Award Application Form Preview (PDF)
• Career Communities Micro-Grant Award Guidelines (PowerPoint)
• Career Communities Micro-Grant Budget Template (Excel)

The TU MakerFest is a one-day, hands-on innovation conference where students explore the process of turning creative ideas into tangible products and potential businesses. Throughout the day, participants rotate through interactive workshops focused on channeling their inner maker and making their products marketable. This opportunity is a space for students to experiment, collaborate across majors, and explore campus resources that support creativity and entrepreneurship.

Leari Jones (staff)
StarTUp
Fall 2025

Engaging with invited speakers will foundationally help graduate fine art students establish functioning, sustainable careers in the arts and will align and deepen students’ understanding of five key Career Readiness Competencies: Career and Self-Development, Communication, Critical Thinking, Equity & Inclusion, and Leadership.

Jenn Figg (faculty)
Art + Design, Art History, Art Education
Fall 2025

A panel of six recent biology graduates who are working in a variety of jobs including environmental consulting, biotechnology, science communication, and genetic counseling. There will be snacks and time for Q&A from the audience.

Laura Gough (faculty)
Biological Sciences
Spring 2026

Funded by the National Science Foundation, MD HIRES is helping Biology faculty become more inclusive and effective mentors of undergraduate researchers and supporting senior STEM majors in pursuing research opportunities to prepare them for their careers. 

Laura Gough (faculty)
Biological Sciences
Spring 2026

A one-day interactive event aimed at reframing linguistic diversity—accents, bilingualism, and multilingualism—as assets in the workplace rather than barriers. This program will create an affirming space for students from diverse linguistic backgrounds to gain confidence, develop communication tools for professional settings, and explore how their cultural and language experiences enhance their career readiness.

Jony Roman Montalvo (staff)
Center for Student Diversity
Spring 2026

An educational and informational session for APIMEDA students regarding the least chosen career paths and professions in the community, the challenges and successes achieved in those fields. The discussion will be conducted by members of the APIMEDA community who can provide guidance and encouragement to the students.

Atika Syed (staff)
Center for Student Diversity
Spring 2026

Students from the Kinesiology and Health & Physical Education program will have the opportunity to learn to teach water acclimation, basic swimming, and safety in a therapy tank. Facilitated by Adapted Aquatics Instructors from Prince George County Public Schools, this hands-on experience will include methods for teaching safe entry, flotation, and physical therapy techniques for learners with significant needs.

Sean Fullerton (faculty)
Kinesiology, PETE Program
Spring 2026

A panel of 3-5 former student leaders from the TLC (a combination from our tutors, SI leaders, academic coaches, graduate assistants, or student administrative assistants from within the last 3-5 years) will share how they use the skills they gained in their current careers/positions, and anything that they wish they had learned or taken advantage of while they were still a student. Our goals include beginning a program to engage alumni and to help our current students make connections, hearing about how they will be able to apply their skills in their careers.

Liz Scarbrough (staff)
Tutoring & Learning Center
Spring 2026

As program director, I have had some interesting conversations from PRWR 797 Internship students and LinkedIn group members about how they and alumni are navigating workplace conversations focused on changes in the industry. I will be hosting a panel for them to talk about their experiences/current state of their specific organizations to help current students and faculty get better insight into the current workplace landscape.

Sarah Gunning (faculty)
English - Professional Writing
Spring 2026