A4.01 - Skill-building Workshop: Navigating Professional Spaces: A Mentorship-based Approach to Conference Preparation

Brief Abstract Summary: Discover how intentional mentoring can empower public health graduate students to make the most of professional conference experiences. This session introduces Conferencing 101, a skill-building workshop designed to fill gaps in traditional graduate training. The initiative focuses on five essential areas: networking, session etiquette, conference navigation, crafting a personal pitch, and using a facilitator-designed workbook. Presenters will share student activities and practical tools that support professional growth. Attendees will leave with a replicable framework to enhance graduate student readiness and strengthen the health education pipeline through hands-on mentoring.

Detailed abstract description: Professional conferences are often pivotal moments in the academic and professional journeys of graduate students. These events offer opportunities to engage with cutting-edge research, network with leaders in the field, and begin shaping a professional identity. For students in public health, conferences provide a vital space to connect theory with practice, explore emerging issues, and build relationships that can influence future career paths.

Yet, for many graduate students, especially those early in their programs or who do not receive effective and tailored mentorship by a faculty member, conferences can feel intimidating, inaccessible, and overwhelming. Without intentional preparation and support, students may miss out on the transformative potential of these experiences. Specifically, they may struggle to navigate unfamiliar environments, hesitate to initiate conversations, and/or feel unsure about how to present themselves professionally. These barriers can limit engagement and reduce the long-term benefits of conference participation.

To address this gap, faculty, staff, and student affairs professionals at Texas A&M University developed Conferencing 101, a 2-hour training designed to prepare public health graduate students for successful participation in professional conferences. This engaging session introduces the foundations of the training, shares lessons learned from its implementation, and offers a practical framework for replication.

This session is designed for faculty, student affairs professionals, and conference organizers who want to better support graduate students in professional settings and strengthen the health education pipeline. Attendees will gain access to a multifaceted, replicable approach to preparing students for conferences. During this hands-on session, participants will utilize a sample workbook to walk through the six main components (networking, session etiquette, conference navigation & personal branding) that aided students’ confidence attending a professional conference.

After reviewing the six main components primarily guided by Area Eight of the Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) competencies. Facilitators will review the logistics of developing and implementing the training including funding, recruitment and mentorship, scheduling the training and evaluating the outcomes. Aligned with implementation science strategies, participants will then have an opportunity to brainstorm how they can scale out and tailor this training to their specific context.