Professional Development Hub at MLA 2024
The 2024 Professional Development Hub—online and at the convention—is your one-stop shop for all things professional development offered by the MLA. It will be open in the Pennsylvania Convention Center (room 201) on 4 January from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and on 5 and 6 January from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Come by and meet the Academic Program Services and Professional Development staff.
Online and on-site you’ll find
- a curated list of convention sessions according to theme, interest, and career path
- special sessions for graduate students
- discussion groups tailored for your professional needs
- offerings focused on discerning diverse career pathways
- sign-ups for one-on-one mentoring
- information about special networking events and meetups
Professional Development Sessions
Check out sessions dedicated to all areas of professional development—teaching, writing and publishing, leadership, and more—designed to help you find community and make the most of your MLA convention experience.
Events of Interest to Graduate Students
Whether publishing a first journal article, discovering career pathways in languages and literatures, or seeking mentorship, we offer events that put graduate students at the center.
Discussion Groups
Sponsored by the MLA Academic Program Services and facilitated by members of the Association of Departments of English (ADE) and the Association of Language Departments (ALD), these intimate groups provide an opportunity to connect in conversation about professional issues.
- Setting Mid-Career Priorities
- Rage, Grief, Acceptance, Hope: Processing and Planning Change in the English Department
- Use of Inclusive Language in Our Classrooms and Programs
- Leading When Leadership Does Not Look like You
- When Leaving Academia Might Be the Right Move
Diverse Career Pathways
Learn more about careers within and beyond academia—what will you do with your degree in languages and literatures?
- Beyond the Professoriat: Career Pathways for Job Seekers in Languages
- Beyond the Professoriat: Career Pathways for Job Seekers in English
- Careers in English at Community Colleges and the Job Search
- Group Mentoring for the Career-Curious: Ask Us Anything
One-on-One Mentoring
The Professional Development Hub hosts one-on-one mentoring focused on your career goals. Sign up for a thirty-minute slot with a mentor on Friday or Saturday; mentees may choose to be counseled on academic careers or on diverse career pathways for humanities PhDs. Mentoring is generously provided by members of the Association of Language Departments, the Association of Departments of English, and the Modern Language Association.
Networking Events and Meetups
Keep conversations going at the convention and beyond with networking events for the MLA community.