CO U N CI L O F G R AD U AT E S T U DE N T S

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Press Release
Contact: Stefan Fletcher Phone: (517) 353-9189 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 5:00 P.M. EDT, November 20, 2013 COGS PARTNERS WITH THE GRADUATE SCHOOL TO INSTILL PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT GRANTS

EAST LANSING, MI - - The Council of Graduate Students (COGS) partnered with Michigan State Universitys Graduate School to further support academic and career development opportunities for MSU graduate and professional students.

The COGS Professional Development Grant will award $300 grants to assist advanced degree students who are looking to attend, participate, or present at programs or events that enhance their skills. Deadline for Spring 2014 semester applications (for program dates 1/6/14 - 5/11/14) is 5:00 p.m. on Friday, January 10, 2014. This program is intended to support graduate/professional student attend events or engage in activities that enhance their professional development. Up to $10,000 in such grants will be awarded per year with funding being provided by the MSU Graduate School

COGS President Stefan Fletcher stated, "The Professional Development Grant Program is another example of COGS supporting the endeavors of advanced degree students during their tenure at MSU. We are very pleased to partner with the Graduate School on this initiative moving forward.

Dean of the Graduate School Karen Klomparens added: The Graduate School is pleased to be a partner in this initiative. These professional development grants will be very useful for graduate students. They will permit a wide exploration of skills and competencies needed for a wide variety of career trajectories. Our MSU grad and gradprofessional students will have access to national discussions about professional development.

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The Council of Graduate Students (COGS) is the official student governance organization that represents the 11,000+ graduate and professional students at Michigan State University (MSU). Our mission is to improve and advance graduate education in order to ensure the vitality of intellectual discovery. COGS accomplishes its mission through advocacy, innovative research, and the development and dissemination of best practices. Supporting education is critical to achieving the highly skilled workforce needed for the U.S. to compete effectively in the global economy.