Professional Skills Development Series: Unlock Your Potential

This event is open to all FIFSW MSW and PhD students, only.

Unlock Your Potential: A Lunch ‘n Learn for Study Skills and Critical Appraisal of Journal Articles.

Feeling the weight of graduate school, practicum, and everything else on your plate? You’re not alone—and this talk is here to help. Join Sandy Rao as she shares practical tools and strategies to help you thrive (and not just survive!) without sacrificing your well-being.

What Makes This Talk Different?

While much of the conversation around “productivity” is focused on hustle culture, Sandy’s approach is rooted in the values that social workers hold dear: well-being, care, compassion and long-term change (e.g. sustainability). You don’t have to struggle through graduate school or sacrifice your personal time and health to “get ahead.” Instead, Sandy’s approach is about giving you the tools to integrate your personal and professional goals while maintaining your commitment to social justice and self/collective-care.

Sandy draws from a unique set of skills honed through specialized training that most don’t have access to, but which can make a real difference in your academic and professional life:

• Project Management Training from Stanford University: Learn how to manage your workload effectively without feeling overwhelmed.
• Strategic Innovation from Harvard University: Get tools to help you think bigger and approach your studies with creativity and focus.
• Leadership from the Rotman School of Business: Build the skills and confidence to be and feel leaderful and to take accountability and responsibility for your degree.
• Certified Lean Six Sigma Black Belt from McGill University: Discover how to streamline your work, increase efficiency, and reduce stress while maintaining high-quality results.

What You’ll Learn:

In this session, Sandy will cover:

• Deep Work and Focus: Learn how to manage distractions and hone in on the most important tasks using Cal Newport’s Deep Work philosophy.
• Slow Productivity: Forget the hustle culture. Sandy will introduce slow productivity strategies that allow you to be productive without burning out.
• Finding Joy and Creativity in Your Work: Graduate school doesn’t have to drain your passion. Sandy will help you rediscover the joy in what you’re studying and find creativity in your practice.
• Building Sustainability in Your Practice: Learn how to create a long-term strategy for balancing your work as a student with your future career, without sacrificing rest and well-being.

 Why This Matters for Social Work Students

Sandy knows firsthand the unique pressures that social work students face. You’re not just managing coursework—you’re grappling with complex life situations, advocating for minoritized communities, and attempting to integrate your own self/collective-care. This lunch-n-learn will provide you with practical, values-aligned tools that are tailored specifically for social work graduate students, so you don’t have to choose between academic success and well-being. 

Join us for this transformative session and learn how to feel successful on your own terms without sacrificing what matters most—your health, your passion, and your purpose.

Pizza lunch provided

Eligible for CCR credit*

About Sandy Rao
Sandy’s wealth of experience spans mental health accessibility, healthcare leadership, and advocacy for equity-owed populations. Currently completing her PhD and teaching at FIFSW as an instructor, Sandy is passionate about supporting social work students in their journey to becoming practitioners and advocates for social change.