Thrive, Don’t Just Survive #1: Sustaining Motivation in Graduate School

What's a better way to start off the school year than with a brand new mini-series! GradCast is teaming up with Learning, Development and Success, out of Western Student Experience, to talk to experts on campus who support graduate students in doing research, writing theses, and have all the tips and tricks to succeed in grad school! 

In our first episode, hosts Chrishma Perera and Ryan Baxter chat with Aldean Ellis, a Learning Specialist, to dive into motivation. He defines motivation, key factors that shape and sustain motivation and practical strategies for navigating periods of low motivation or feeling stuck. Aldean will be hosting an Own Your Future workshop about sustaining motivation on November 11 through Western Connect. 

Own Your Future complements the doctoral curriculum by focusing on the often-overlooked skills and attributes of PhDs that contribute to their success within and beyond their studies. Own Your Future makes professional development meaningful and makes the advantages of participating transparent and explicit. Here is the list of events!

Recorded on August 5, 2025

Produced by kirstyn seanor and Maria Khan

Theme song provided by FreeBeats.io (Produced by WhiteHot)3