On Thursday, Oct. 10, DU’s Office of Graduate Studies hosted a graduate fair featuring for the first time a question and answer session about the value of pursuing a PhD, entitled “Demystifying the Quest for a Ph.D.” The fair was held in the Ricketson Law Building.

“Pursuing a Ph.D is scary, but it’s one class at a time. In the end it’s worth it,” said Wendy Bolyard, director of graduate enrollment management at the Office of Graduate Studies.
Bolyard also said only about one percent of the U.S. population holds a doctoral degree.

In addition to encouraging attendees to pursue a Ph.D, Bolyard said the graduate student fair primarily aimed to showcase the graduate and professional programs offered at DU. For example, the event featured DU Unmanned Systems Research Institute (DU²SRI) research team from Dr. Valavanis’ group in the Daniel Felix Ritchie School of Engineering and Computer Science with some displays of their work with unmanned aerial vehicles.

The event also included breakout sessions and speakers. One session addressed the value of pursuing an advanced degree, with topics such as the importance of a graduate degree in relation to opportunities in the workforce, potential income and expanding one’s ability to think critically being communicated to prospective students throughout breakout sessions. According to Bolyard, in a 2012 report from the National Research Council noted that graduate education is imperative to the strength and prosperity of the U.S..

The fair also featured various tips about financing a graduate education. These included information about the federal loan and work study options available to graduate students, which are similar to those available to undergraduate students.

“Obviously it’s a huge investment,” said Joel Cuthbertson, graduate admissions counselor for the office of graduate studies. “[But] according to the U.S Department of Labor, 2.5 million more jobs are projected to require advanced degrees by 2018.”

The session about graduate financing was led by Chris George, assistant vice chancellor for enrollment and director of financial aid. George addressed many common questions that arise when it comes to borrowing money for financing a graduate education.

“Loans are not evil, but excessive borrowing is. Students should not borrow more than your first year’s salary,” said George.

According to Cuthbertson, there are about 1,000 more graduate students at DU than undergraduates. There are many resources for DU graduate students, including one-on-one career advising. The career center also hosts a number of career fairs available to graduate students as well as undergraduates.

“We want students to be able to match the names and faces of their programs at the fair, but also [students are encouraged] to follow up with any other questions that they may have,” said Bolyard.