May 1, 2025

Application cycle opens

May 30, 2025

Application closes

August 31, 2025

Cohort finalized

October 3-5, 2025

DEEPenn STEM 2025

Tentative Agenda for 2025

How to read this document:

  • DEEPenn only programming
  • DiveIn + DEEPenn programming
  • Meals
  • Session types:
    • OVERVIEW: Powerpoint presentation presented by one of our or MindCORE’s staff
    • WORKSHOP: More interactions from students from above. May involve brief powerpoint then some sort of activity or Q&A from the students
    • PANEL: Moderator + set of volunteers and/or staff to answer some preselected questions from the moderator as well as from the audience

Friday, October 3

Morning Session: Introductions

  • 9:00am – 10:30am: General welcome with light breakfast and mingling
  • 10:30am – 12:00pm: DEEPenn Welcome – Introduction to the program, icebreakers, and Overview of Postgraduate Degrees
  • 12:00pm – 12:50pm: Lunch with graduate student volunteers

Afternoon Sessions: How to apply to graduate school

  • 1:00pm – 1:40pm: Overview of the graduate school application process
  • 2:00pm – 2:50pm: Preparing a research and personal statement
  • 3:00pm – 4:00pm: Preparing a CV and how to request a letter of recommendation

Evening Sessions: Keynote

  • 4:00pm – 5:00pm: Break
  • 5:00pm – 7:00pm: Group dinner and KEYNOTE SPEAKER

 

Saturday, October 4

Morning Sessions: What does being a PhD student actually look like?

  • 9:00am – 9:30am: Light breakfast
  • 9:30am – 10:30am: Graduate Student Panel – From application to grad school life: surviving and thriving
  • 10:45am – 11:45am: Building a mentoring network
  • 12:00pm – 12:55pm: Lab tours with mentors
  • 1:00pm – 1:55pm: Faculty lunch with mentors

Afternoon Sessions: Split by younger (how to gain more research experience) and older (writing workshops) students

  Freshmen – Juniors Seniors
  • 2:00pm – 3:00pm
 How to find undergraduate research experiences WORKSHOP Understanding funding options
  • 3:15pm – 4:15pm
 Is graduate school the route for me? How to gain more research experience now PANEL Introduction to effective writing
  • 4:30pm – 5:30pm
 Imposter syndrome + Backup plans for graduate school workshop Writing workshop

Evening Session: Resource Fair

  • 6:00pm – 8:00pm: Resource Fair
    • Graduate Student Organizations, Career Services, Poster Presentations, and more

 

Sunday, October 5

Morning Session: Career Planning

  • 9:30am – 10:00am: Light breakfast
  • 10:00am – 10:30am: Career Planning Overview
  • 10:45am – 12:00pm: Career Panel: Working in academia and non-academic positions
  • 12:00pm – 12:15pm: Post-workshop survey