UF GPS: 2026 NASPA Award Winner Going Strong!

Source: https://graduateschool.ufl.edu/articles/2026/news-2023052401/30-01.html Parent: https://graduateschool.ufl.edu/

Nationwide limelight shines on UF’s annual transition-to-dissertation event as that graduate student support initiative enters its third year.

Posted: January 30, 2026

Graduate Pathways to Success (GPS) — a University of Florida Graduate School initiative designed to transition doctoral students into the dissertation phase of their degree program — received national honors this year from NASPA (National Association of Student Personnel Administrators), a U.S.-based organization for student affairs professionals in higher education.

Spearheaded by Assistant Director Kimone Simmons and the Graduate Student Success team, this year’s day-long GPS event on Wednesday, January 28, 2026 drew 78 Grad Gators to the Reitz Union on the UF campus. Opening with remarks from Dr. Nicole Stedman (UF Graduate School Dean), it featured a keynote address — Finishing Strong: Resilience, Persistence, and the Doctoral Journey — by Dr. Antonio Faciola (UF Department of Animal Sciences Associate Professor). His talk shared insights on the interplay between mentorship and successful dissertation completion. GPS attendees then took part in morning workshops and breakout sessions that focused on time management, research resources, dissertation formatting, career preparation, and mentorship.

Left to right: Dean Nicole Stedman delivers opening remarks; keynote speaker Dr. Antonio Faciola shares expertise and experience; writing mentor Dr. Vernetta Mosley discusses strategies for authoring dissertations.

After a catered lunch, the afternoon continued with a Faculty and Postdoc Panel Discussion highlighting administrators, faculty, and postdocs Dr. Jack Causseaux (UF Warrington College of Business), Dr. Swapna Kumar (UF College of Education), Dr. Nancy Padilla-Coreano (UF McKnight Brain Institute), Dr. Adrian Roitberg (UF Department of Chemistry), and Dr. Emily Setton (UF IFAS Whitney Lab). A Networking and Resource Fair followed, introducing attendees to a wide range of academic, career planning, personal wellness, and student engagement resources available on campus.

The after-lunch panel discussion with UF faculty, postdocs, and doctoral students covered a full gamut of educational and career topics.

Capping this year’s GPS was a special writing workshop: Finding Your Lane: Developing a Confident, Authentic Research Voice. Facilitator Dr. Vernetta Mosley — author, editor, writing coach, and founder of Cultivate the Writer — covered writing strategies, AI use, and practical tips to help the audience find and maintain their own scholarly voice amid the multitude of published sources and established experts encountered during the dissertation process.

Given the cohesive breadth and depth of GPS offerings, it’s not hard to see why this award-winner has attracted national attention. To learn more and keep an eye out for next year’s, click here: Graduate Pathways to Success. To download a PDF copy of this year’s GPS program handout, click here: GPS 2026 Program. Have questions? Email our Graduate Student Success team at grad-success@ufl.edu.