Graduation Made Simple: Tech To-Dos Before You’re Done | Information Technology | University of Pittsburgh
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Graduation Made Simple: Tech To-Dos Before You’re Done

Graduation. The word sends a tingle down a senior’s spine at the mere mention. Commencement is so much more than just walking across a stage. Graduating from the school you’ve called home for four years changes everything about your daily routine and also means finding a job or going to graduate school, moving away from your friends, and so much more.

Once you don that cap and gown and walk across the stage, you’re not going to want to interrupt your celebration of this major accomplishment to take care of a bunch of technical details. So, do your future self a favor, and complete these easy steps in the next couple weeks before graduation to make your life a whole lot easier!

Get the Most out of LinkedIn Learning

As a Pitt senior, I know I still have this on my to-do list. LinkedIn Learning is an amazing online training resource you’ve had access to the entire time you’ve been at Pitt! But I’m betting you still haven’t used it much. LinkedIn Learning offers free courses on almost anything, from software development and communications skills, to interpersonal competencies and job hunting. Taking the courses can give you an edge over other candidates to help you land the job you want.

Pitt IT extends your access to Linked Learning throughout the summer after you graduate. So if you have some time to kills before grad school or the new job begins, or you’re still looking for the right opportunity, take some courses that will boost your career potential.

What to do now:

Link your LinkedIn profile with your LinkedIn Learning account, so you can showcase your new skills for future employers to see. Then complete courses that are relevant to your career interest. Particularly consider a certificate program, as they are especially valued by employers.

Back up Your Files

Once you graduate, you’ll lose access to most nifty Pitt IT perks, including OneDrive. If you’re like me, you probably have a ton of stuff backed up to OneDrive, between notes from past classes, group projects, papers, and just miscellaneous stuff like job applications, resumes, and pictures of your time as a Panther. You’ll need to back up all of the files you want to keep to a more permanent storage location before you graduate.

OneDrive isn’t the only place you could have files that you want to keep after graduation. You may have been doing research using LabArchives or Qualtrics, recorded Zoom or Panopto videos that are saved in Panopto, or submitted papers and assignments through Canvas. Gathering examples of your work into a “brag book” can showcase your skills and talents. You may also want to refer to information or techniques that you covered in your classes in your work life.

What to do now:

Move all of the files you want to keep from OneDrive, LabArchives, Panopto, and other Pitt systems to another storage location. You can transfer them to another cloud service (like a personal Microsoft 365 account or Google account), save it to a thumb drive, or save them to your hard drive. In Canvas, you can download all your assignment submissions and download class content (if your instructor enabled that feature).

Get Last-Minute IT Support

One of the best things about being a Pitt student is the on-demand tech support Pitt offers. The Technology Help Desk will still be there for your alumni account needs, but know that your access to various Pitt services is discontinued after you graduate. So let them help you now. Are you getting a new computer for your new job or grad school? Visit one of our two Drop-In Support locations, where they can help you set up your device. Having a problem with your device? They can trouble-shoot the issue or remove any malware.

What to do now:

Contact the Help Desk at any time via email, phone, chat, or help ticket! Click here to learn how you can get help from Pitt IT.

Visit Pitt IT at Graduation Central!

Graduation Central will take place on Tuesday, April 11, from 10 a.m.–7 p.m. and Wednesday, April 12, from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. at the University Store on Fifth. Here, graduating seniors and their families are welcome to join the fun by participating in games, raffle prizes, and more, all while enjoying live music and getting to talk to different Pitt organizations.

Pitt IT will be there too! Come visit us at the Drop-In Support desk! Stop by, chat with a Tech Ambassador or help consultant, and ask us anything! We can answer questions from, “What kinds of services will I still have access to after I graduate?” all the way to, “How can I download my transcript online?”

What to do now:

Learn more about Graduation Central and what kinds of fun things they have in store for graduating seniors.

Off to Bigger and Better Things!

Whether it’s being sure you back up important files or updating your LinkedIn account with newfound skills, the steps you need to take before graduation should be the least of your worries. Check out our complete Graduation IT Checklist and then review the details on all of the Alumni IT Services available through Pitt IT!

-- By Vivian Zauhar, Pitt IT Student Blogger