CERIC welcomes new Graduate Student Engagement Program members

January 14, 2026 

CERIC is pleased to welcome a new cohort of 21 graduate students to its Graduate Student Engagement Program (GSEP). The program supports full-time and part-time master’s and doctoral students whose academic work aligns with career development by connecting them with CERIC’s research, learning and knowledge mobilization initiatives. 

Some highlights of the 2026 group: 

• 9 master’s students and 13 PhD candidates 

• University location: 54% Ontario; 32% Western Canada; 9% Quebec, 5% Eastern Canada  
• Area of study: 41% education, 23% psychology/social work/sociology, 14% art, design & humanities, 14% science, 9% global affairs 

CERIC also announced the recipients of the Graduate Student Engagement Program awards for Cannexus26. The Cannexus26 GSEP award winners are: 

• Ruohan (Alicia) Tian, MA student, interdisciplinary art, media and design, OCAD University 

• Tanya Bilsbury, PhD student, applied science, Saint Mary’s University 

• Noah Arney, PhD student, education, Okanagan School of Education, University of British Columbia 

These year’s GSEP winners wrote about issues shaping current and future career development practice. Their submissions examined how career development professionals can respond ethically to political polarization, how disrupted post-secondary pathways call for stronger integration of career education, and how national systems could better support skills recognition and lifelong learning. The award recipients’ work, along with submissions from other Graduate Student Engagement Program members, is available on CERIC’s GSEP Corner.  

This award is presented annually to select graduate students with an interest in career development. It includes free registration to virtual Cannexus, Canada’s Career Development Conference, and up to $1,000 to support travel and participation. for Cannexus in person. Cannexus offers opportunities for networking and professional development while promoting the exchange of information and innovative approaches in career counselling and workforce development. 

Eligibility for the award is based on participation in CERIC’s Graduate Student Engagement Program, which includes the submission of a one-page article on a career development topic. GSEP invites full-time and part-time master’s and doctoral students in Canada whose academic research explores career development or related topics to get involved. Members of GSEP connect with peers from across the country, engage with sector experts and access resources that support their academic and professional development in the career development field. 

 The next round of applications for the Graduate Student Engagement Program opens in summer 2026.