Maria Feiler

About

Maria Feiler is a PhD Candidate in Interdepartmental Doctoral Program in Anthropological Sciences (IDPAS). She joined ECLP during Fall 2024 while navigating uncertainty about what she wanted her career to look like after completing her PhD. She was looking for both a supportive community and practical guidance on job searching, presenting her experience to potential employers, and staying accountable to her professional goals.

Through ECLP, Feiler found that career preparation also required learning more about herself. Identifying her own interests, skills, and qualifications helped her become more confident communicating her background and the value of her experiences to people beyond her immediate academic field.

“If you want to gain the skills you need to secure your future and gain some companionship along the way, ECLP is for you.”

Skills Gained

Informational interviewing
Networking
Understanding and evaluating job descriptions
Developing an elevator pitch
Communicating academic experiences and transferable skills to broader audiences

Putting ECLP into Practice

Using the elevator pitch she developed through ECLP, she secured an invitation to give a talk as part of the NYIT Anatomy Department seminar series.

The experience also strengthened her confidence approaching networking conversations and explaining her professional background to people working across different fields.

Favorite Part

For Feiler, one of the most valuable parts of ECLP was the discussion among participants.

“I often got good advice from the group leaders, but the thoughtful responses I got from my fellow classmates were amazing. All of us have different skills and perspectives, so I really appreciated their feedback and encouragement.”

Advice to Future Participants

"You get what you put in. If you show up to the sessions and participate, you'll pass and get the credit. If you spend the time outside of class to watch the videos, do your own research, and bring quality materials to the session, you'll dramatically increase your own preparedness for your future. If you are an active participant, listen thoughtfully, provide feedback to and integrate feedback from your peers, you'll build up your communication and collaboration, allowing you to apply ECLP skills even more effectively. This course can be a turning point for your professional journey or just a checked box on your resume and transcript; you get to choose."