Building a Career in Foundations and Philanthropy (Hum & SS Pathways)

What can a career in foundations and philanthropy look like for someone with a graduate degree in the humanities or social sciences?

There are tens of thousands of grantmaking foundations in the United States, varying in size and pursuing diverse and compelling missions. Together, they offer a wide range of opportunities for PhDs interested in putting their research, analytical, communication, and other transferable skills to work beyond academia.

Learn from our expert panelists about the range of careers available in philanthropy and foundations, what their work looks like day to day, and how PhD training can translate into this field. Our panelists will share their own career paths, discuss the skills—including research, writing, critical thinking, project management, and communicating complex ideas to different audiences—that are valuable in the foundation world, and offer advice for graduate students and postdocs interested in exploring similar opportunities.

We will also have a Q&A session where participants will have a chance to speak directly with the panelists.

Our Panelists:

• Nilofar Gardezi (PhD UC Berkeley, English) Program Director at the Dean & Margaret Lesher Foundation.
• William F. L. Moses (MA Yale, International Relations) Managing Director for The Kresge Foundation’s Education Program

This event is open to graduate students and postdocs across the social sciences, humanities, and related disciplines who are interested in careers in philanthropy and foundations.

About the Series: PhD Pathways is a monthly speaker series designed to support GSAS students and postdocs in exploring a broad range of career paths. Each session features alumni and professionals highlighting how PhD training can translate into meaningful, impactful careers across a wide array of sectors.