About GCCSO
Services
The Graduate College Career Services Office (GCCSO) assists University of Illinois graduate students with decision making and planning for career paths both within and beyond the academy. We offer:
- A centralized resource for graduate students from all disciplines
- Services focused especially on the needs of graduate students in the humanities, social sciences, fine arts, and other areas in which students are not presently served by dedicated, discipline-based career services offices
- Advising, special programs, resources, and referrals to help students with career choices and with the job search itself.
GCCSO staff also consults with directors of graduate studies to develop programs that supplement the department's role in the professional development of students pursuing academic careers.
Advisory Committee
The Career Advisory Committee, which includes faculty, staff, graduate students, advises the GCCSO on the changing nature of graduate education and career opportunities.
The final report of the Career Advisory Committee in 2003 can be downloaded as a pdf.
Graduate Career Consortium
The GCCSO staff are active in the Graduate Career Consortium (GCC) whose members provide career services to graduate students at research institutions nationwide. In March 2009, the University of Illinois hosted the first Midwestern regional meeting of the GCC.
Staff
Rebecca Bryant, Ph.D.
Assistant Dean and Director, Graduate College Career Services Office
As Assistant Dean and Director, Rebecca Bryant provides leadership for numerous programs to serve graduate student career and professional development at Illinois. She also oversees doctoral committee and thesis deposit processes in the Graduate College Thesis Office, and has led college efforts to implement electronic thesis deposit (ETD) at Illinois. She previously served on the University of Illinois's UI Integrate Project, leading the design and implementation of pre-registration processes. Bryant attended Butler University and the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM), and earned her PhD in musicology from the University of Illinois.
Alexis Thompson, Ph.D.
Assistant Director, Graduate College Career Services Office
Alexis Thompson joined the Graduate College in May 2008. In the Career Services Office, she presents career development workshops, coordinates the Career Exploration Group and meets with students to discuss their job searches. She received her doctorate in chemistry from the University of Illinois and her undergraduate degrees from Trinity University in San Antonio.