Faculty of Art
Hi!
I’m Marjorie Rugunda, the new Communications & Programming Assistant at Arts Amplifier and a second-year PhD student in the Institute for Gender, Race, Sexuality & Social Justice. I’m also an avid reader, professional napper, day-dreamer, and occasional “out-fit repeater.”
When I began my master’s, the word career barely crossed my mind. “Career? I’m in grad school!” was my immediate (and slightly panicked) response when my mum asked what I planned to do with my life a week before classes began. Her point was that it helps to start career conversations early so you can shape your grad experience. At the time I did not want to hear that because…..
Beginning grad school is like joining a book club where everyone’s already read the book and written a dissertation on it but you only made it through the blurb. And returning to campus after summer break? Like opening your laptop to twenty unread emails and realizing ten are from yourself. In the middle of that chaos, thinking about your career beyond campus feels impossible. In fact it almost feels good to not think about career during grad school because it feels like “other peoples” problems …..…Because let’s be honest: in grad school the scariest question isn’t “What’s next?” it’s “So, what’s your research about?”
But once you’ve wrestled your thesis into submission, figured out how to eat at least one vegetable once a week and survived your thesis defense, that question quickly morphs into the next dreaded one: “Do you have a job yet?”
I still remember my own masters graduation day as a blur not from the excitement of it all, but because I was secretly scrolling through Indeed and LinkedIn listings between hugs and photo ops. That anxious “what now?” haze taught me that the fear of the unknown is a lot easier to tackle if you start thinking about possibilities early.
So, how do you start without feeling like you’ve just added another syllabus to your life? Here are a few bite-sized moves I’ve picked up (and wish I’d tried sooner):
- Tap UBC resources early. The UBC Career Centre is a great starting point for low-stakes questions like “What could I even do with this degree?” They offer one-on-one career coaching, résumé/CV help, and regular skill-building workshops. Pair that with Graduate Pathways to Success sessions for professional development and check out Arts Amplifier’s monthly newsletter for career workshops and events, which are perfect if you’re curious about non-academic pathways.
- Talk to interesting people. Spot someone with a job or project that makes you think, Hmm…how did they get there? Sign up for arts amplifiers career conversations. Open to graduate students and postdoctoral fellows in the Faculty of Arts, Career Conversations is designed to help you explore your career questions and connect with professionals who’ve walked a similar path.
- Join the Career Design Studio (Oct 25). Spend a full Saturday in the Arts Student Engagement Hub, exploring life-design tools, career-search strategies, and networking with other Arts grad students and professional facilitators. It’s a hands-on way to brainstorm and think about a professional path in the early stages of grad school.
Wishing all our new grad students a smooth start and a rewarding first term and a warm welcome back to those returning. When you’re ready to take a breather from readings and research, check out Arts Amplifier’s events and career workshops for an easy way to start exploring what comes next.
Written by Marjorie Rugunda, PhD Student at the Institute for Gender,Race,Sexuality & Social Justice, Communications and programming Assistant at the Arts Amplifier.
Published 29 September 2025