Best Proffer Podcasts (2024)

1
Season 3 Episode 9: On Becoming a Strategic Communications Specialist (with David Ebube) 28:21

24d ago28:21

28:21

Have you ever wondered what it's like to attend graduate school virtually? In this episode, David Ebube walks us through his routine as he juggles a career as a strategic communications consultant and a master's in Sustainable Development at the University of Sussex. David is passionate about advancing Africa's fashion economy. Having transitioned …

1
Season 3 Episode 8: Empowering Women in Academia: A Guide to Creating and Taking up Space (with Hope Eze) 37:55

2M ago37:55

37:55

Many people suffer from anxiety when starting something new, especially when in the company of equally good peers. This episode features Hope Eze, a humanities PhD student at the University of Alberta. Her research focuses on the literary depiction of food insecurity in Africa, particularly the possibility of achieving food sovereignty through sust…

1
Season 3 Episode 7: Spreading Excellence from UNILAG to SciencesPo (with Vincent Eke) 51:17

2M ago51:17

51:17

Studying abroad can be challenging, especially when faced with language barriers. In this episode, Vincent Eke shares his remarkable journey from being a zealous undergraduate at Unilag to becoming a graduate student at Science Po in France. The key takeaway from this episode is the significance of preparing for life after undergraduate studies ear…

1
Season 3 Episode 6: Let's Have a Non-Academic PhD Chat 30:20

4M ago30:20

30:20

Today, we're taking a trip down memory lane to the second half of our conversation with Dr. Allen and Dr. Lauren, the authors of PhDone and minds behind Dissertation Editors. This engaging conversation features the non-academic aspects of getting a PhD - impostor syndrome, unhealthy competition with one's classmates, work-life balance, lessons from…

1
Season 3 Episode 5: I'm getting a PhD. Here's why you should get one and everything you should know 47:07

5M ago47:07

47:07

Are you considering a PhD and wondering if that’s your right trajectory? In this episode, Emeka Nwankwo, an associate lecturer at Manchester Metropolitan University and a PhD candidate in Digital Politics, sheds light on the various aspects of getting a PhD. He discusses maintaining work-life balance, finding graduate school funding, and tackling d…

1
Season 3 Episode 4: Securing a Fully-Funded Graduate School Scholarship: Tips and Insights from Payne Fellow, Kyla Denwood. 46:28

6M ago46:28

46:28

Searching for graduate school scholarships is daunting. There’s the uncertainty of rejection or failure and the hope of the ultimate prize of success. That’s why we have invited Kyla Denwood, who has secured a fully-funded graduate school scholarship with the enviable opportunity of choosing between Harvard, Georgetown, and Johns Hopkins. Kyla is a…

1
Season 3 Episode 3: Graduate Students Proffer Solutions to Africa’s Agricultural Issues - Insights from the Geneva Challenge 2022 Winners 1:02:27

7M ago1:02:27

1:02:27

There’s more to being a grad student than lectures and problem sets. Sometimes, an opportunity presents itself where you get to work on practical solutions to world problems. Today, the gist is with Ayanfeoluwa Akinbola, Chimwemwe Chibuye, Chidinma Uka, Eric Atiemo, and Rodrigue Birka (AKA members of Team Africa), who were named as finalists in the…

1
Season 3 Episode 2: Breaking Down the Dissertation Writing Process: A Step-by-Step Guide for Grad Students 40:15

8M ago40:15

40:15

The worry never seems to end when it comes to graduate school. Yesterday, you were overwhelmed by graduate school applications; after that, you worried about getting a study visa. Now you're here, staring at your laptop screen as you try to decipher what's in a Ph.D. dissertation anyway. If you're in this position or planning for the future, this e…

1
Season 3 Episode 1: A High Flier's Guide to Graduate School Success and Empowering One’s Community 1:18:06

9M ago1:18:06

1:18:06

One day, you’re sitting in one of the best law firms in Ikoyi, Lagos, Nigeria, living up to your dreams of contributing to cases that spark your heart. The next minute, the spark seems to start diminishing, there’s a global pandemic that literally has everyone at a standstill. Today, we are catching up with Imade Iyamu, an MBA candidate at Columbia…

1
GLADIATORS, READY!!!!! 33:15

9M ago33:15

33:15

This week, with the clock ticking ever more rapidly, and that festive countdown very much on, we talk about those organised people who, having been ready for Christmas since approximately mid August, like to remind the rest of us about that by asking in faux concerned tones 'And are you all ready for Christmas?', when they know full well the answer…

1
Netflix and Chill...? 38:15

9M ago38:15

38:15

This week we are talking about Christmas films, and I think it's safe to say we have some Views on these (how unlike us). We discuss an unusual take on Love Actually, and Gill watches The Holiday for the very first time, and develops an unhealthy obsession with Jude Law's cow, while Jo points out several more practical flaws with his life than his …

1
Bad Traditions 36:02

10M ago36:02

36:02

OK, so we started recording this episode with the very best intentions to talk charmingly about our delightful family Christmas traditions, the importance of traditions, and of creating your own new ones. But somehow, we almost immediately went wildly off topic and starting talking about the times we really did not bring our A game as parents (or m…

1
The Gift Guide Episode! 40:15

10M ago40:15

40:15

Here it is, folks! The episode you've been waiting for all year- yes, it's Gill and Jo's 100% infallible*, expert** Gift Guide, in partnership with Laylo Wine, to buying presents for all the difficult people in your life, from the husband who insists he 'doesn't want anything' but really does, to the weird colleague who always stands just a little …

1
The 5-9pm Club Night! 36:16

10M ago36:16

36:16

This week, we come up with LITERALLY the best idea ever, in the form of a club night for menopausal women, including places to sit down, good snacks, and a dress code including slippers, elasticated waists and NO BRAS. Unfortunately, our topic for this week was not 'coming up with an idea for an awesome club night', instead the theme was supposed t…

1
Season 2 Episode 13 (Season Finale): Banter with the GSB Team 54:16

10M ago54:16

54:16

It's the perfect moment to give you a sneak peek into the inner workings and the people shaping Grad School Buddy. A team that is tirelessly working to provide everything you need to navigate graduate school. Exciting things are coming in season three; we can't wait to share them with you! So, stay tuned for the content heading your way. Click the …

1
Gainful Employment. 38:39

10M ago38:39

38:39

This week we received an email from a PR company suggesting a guest for the podcast that got us thinking about the many and varied jobs we've ever had in our lives. This got us thinking how very lucky we are that we are able to sit and chat and drink lovely Laylo wine and call it work, but we have had many jobs in the past that were a great deal le…

1
The One Where We Traumatised Our Producer... 31:19

11M ago31:19

31:19

This week...well, where do we start with the recap? Jo has a distressing Teams call, which may or may not have featured maurading bosoms, Gill is providing a little stability in this chaotic world by taking umbrage at the Patriarchy and then...Jo tells Gill of a practice she has recently become aware of, and it all goes downhill from there! As Jo s…

1
Life Lately and Laylo! 33:58

11M ago33:58

33:58

This week, we're having a general catch up on what's been going on in our lives, including sharing some very exciting news about our new partnership with Laylo wine,. We also chat about Gill's visit to a university open day leading her to be surprised that universities are full of children for some inexplicable reason, Gill's new book Why Mummy Dri…

1
The Spooktacular One! 36:35

11M ago36:35

36:35

This week, although we're a little early, we're talking Hallowe'en! Jo loves it, Gill hates it, for she is a Hallowe'en Grinch, as has been mentioned before. We also chat a bit about our irrational fears, including Gill's insistence that her fear of the Kingston Bridge in Glasgow is NOT irrational, and Jo's fear of ... holes...you'll have to listen…

1
World Menopause Day 34:23

11M ago34:23

34:23

This week we are talking all things menopause and perimenopause, comparing notes on our HRT, and some of our favourite 'menopausal moments'- except we struggle to remember what they are, because menopause! We also talk about Gill's GP's continuing obsession with offering to prescribe her lube, Jo's vet falls in love with her, and we express some do…

1
A Good Hobby 34:18

12M ago34:18

34:18

This week we are talking hobbies, in a futile attempt to get ourselves a proper Hobby, as we feel that you are not a proper grown up until you have A Hobby. We talk about what qualifies a hobby as a hobby, and Gill is very firm in her views of what is and is not A Good Hobby. Jo shares a non-hobby related wardrobe malfunction which leads us to pond…

1
Conspiracy! 35:21

12M ago35:21

35:21

Regular listeners will be already be aware that Gill is firmly convinced that the EVIL that is Pumpkin Spiced Latte is nothing more than a conspiracy by Big Cinnamon, so this week we thought we'd talk about a few more of our favourite conspiracies. Are birds real? Who shot JFK? Does Paul McCartney even exist? We have all the answers! Well, we have …

1
Breakdown! 40:20

12M ago40:20

40:20

This week, we're chatting about the little things that tip you over the edge- the things you feel you should be able to deal with as a competent adult, but actually make you want to cry, and shout you need a proper grown up for this! Inspired in part by Gill's car actually breaking down and Gill almost breaking down as a result, and Jo's encounter …

1
Filth! 38:31

1y ago38:31

38:31

This week, we are not, alas, discussing scurrilous scandal, but rather the alarming statistics about the large number of people who only wash their towels four times a year! We attempt a highly scientific poll on how often you, our listeners, and Gill and Jo clean things, with occasionally surprising results. Jo shares Chicken Flannel with the nati…

1
The Autumn Edit 33:42

1y ago33:42

33:42

It's not actually an 'Autumn Edit', unless you count our autumnal cocktails and Jo's blackberry and apple pies, but we are attempting to talk all things autumn, now September is upon us and Jo has betrayed Gill with pumpkin spice lattes, even though regular listeners will know Gill thinks such things are nothing more than a conspiracy by Big Cinnam…

1
Doubtful Antecedents 41:37

1y ago41:37

41:37

This week we've been doing a spot of genealogy and so we're talking families, history and skeletons in the closet. Gill has discovered her ancestors are not who she thought they were at all, and reveals a fairly sordid tale of infidelity and illegitimacy, involving considerable judgement for her newly found great grandfather, and on Jo's side, it's…

1
Back to School! 38:31

1y ago38:31

38:31

Hurrah and Huzzah! Another summer is survived, and the schools have returned! We attempt to have a grown up and adult conversation about this, but deviate onto potatoes, pink beds and pastie suppers. Jo shares a tale of the mysterious Oxfam shop Sock Man, Gill explains why she loved her children's nursery teacher more than her children, and we do a…

1
Matchmakers and Mops 36:32

1y ago36:32

36:32

This week it is all about the ROMANCE, because you may not have been aware, but August is National Romance Awareness Month, which is definitely a real thing and not something Gill found when she was randomly googling things looking for inspiration for a topic! So we thought, why not get a little romantic (not like that!) and have a chat about the m…

1
Bad Feminists and Floor Pies 36:48

1y ago36:48

36:48

This week we are talking about the dreaded topic of Acting Your Age, or rather our apparent inability to actually do that. Jo shares a truly terrible tale about her recent wheely bin experiences, and Gill, whilst almost too stunned and appalled by the wheely bin scenario to speak, reveals her inappropriate reaction after her recent encounter with a…

1
This Time Next Year, Rodney... 34:26

1y ago34:26

34:26

This week, we decided instead of choosing a topic to talk about, we'd simply freestyle like the irrepressible wild spirits we are, and definitely not because we couldn't think of think of a topic. After an...unusual start, where Jo imitates the noise she thinks dolphins make, and Gill discusses the etiquette of matching your table mats to your froc…

1
Joanna Lumley and Litter Trays 34:56

1y ago34:56

34:56

This week we are HOME ALONE! Well, Jo is, Gill explains how her beloved husband thwarted her plans by deciding not to go away for work and instead to 'spend time' with her. Jo confesses to some dubious eating habits, and Gill explains what an 'empty' is, for the benefit of any non-Scottish listeners. We also dwell happily on the joys of solitary TV…

1
Cathedral Bells and Combine Harvesters 36:26

1y ago36:26

36:26

This week, we're talking Imposter Syndrome, following Jo's minor breakdown after attempting to advise teenagers at a Careers Evening and explain the podcast to them (easier said than done), there is some speculation about several hot vets, and we wonder why imposter syndrome seems to affect women much more than men. Also, Jo's famous nest of pants …

1
Fleeces, Feminism and Fighting. 36:21

1y ago36:21

36:21

This week we're talking about Caitlin Moran's newest book 'What About Men?' and her assertations that feminism has 'gone too far' and it is down to women (and more specifically Caitlin Moran) to solve the (very real, often terrible) problems faced by men today. We are unconvinced by any of this, and take some umbrage with many of her statements. Gi…

1
Adult Colouring and K-Holes 43:08

1y ago43:08

43:08

This week we are celebrating the little known holiday of National Etch-A-Sketch Day, and talking about all the toys we wished we'd had as children and never got, like the Mr Frostie we both longed for with all our hearts, and of course, the game to end all games- Mousetrap. We also discuss the favourite toys we did have, and ponder with horror some…

1
Season 2 Episode 12: Should Tech Bros Get Graduate Degrees? (with Ikechukwu Valentine Oleka) 55:58

1y ago55:58

55:58

Have you ever wondered if experienced software engineers should take a break from their careers to pursue a Master’s degree? Valentine Oleka, who has been in the tech industry for almost a decade, offers insights on his decision to do just that by enrolling in a Master’s program in Intelligence Systems and Robotics. His love for computers and the i…

1
Robots VS Sheep 31:22

1y ago31:22

31:22

This week, Jo and Gill explore the brave new world of AI- alas, some sterling research about it from Jo results mainly in Gill being very confused about what it’s for and saying ‘but I could do that’. Jo enjoys an AI inspired cocktail and Gill decides it is all too much and just talks about farm animals instead!…

1
Miracle Gro and Go Carts 35:21

1y ago35:21

35:21

This week it is BARGAIN week (what do you mean every week is bargain week on this podcast- rude)! Gill challenges Jo to do a Home Bargains Haul, Jo does not quite enter into it in the spirit Gill had hoped, but she does provide a useful comparison test of Home Bargains mini Echo Falls vs Tesco Garage mini Blossom Hill wines, and we chat about our b…

1
Bum Bags and Boxed Wine 33:44

1+ y ago33:44

33:44

This week we are talking SUMMER! We have lovely summer drinks, there is some concern about whether or not Gill was naked as we recorded, (spoiler- she most certainly was not, Gill is a professional, who would never podcast with no clothes on), and why men feel the need to remove their tops as soon as the temperature even thinks about creeping up. W…

1
Sancerre, Scones and Socks 36:23

1+ y ago36:23

36:23

It's our extra special Guernsey Episode, where Jo and Gill go on a very important work trip that was in no way a jolly and definitely not a holiday! If you missed our Instagram and Facebook Live from Guernsey, or even if you were lucky (!) enough to be party to it, join us to hear about the rest of our trip- from Gill's attempt to drown Jo in treac…

1
Swiping Right and Shrubberies 42:53

1+ y ago42:53

42:53

It's the AMA Episode (Ask Me Anything) with a selection of questions sent in by you, our lovely listeners! We discuss pretty much everything you can think of, including wedding crashing, alfresco sex, avocadoes, one night stands, fish curry, the legalities of various means of dealing with in-laws, dessicated coconut, and of course, cocktails, dogs …

1
Loathing and Lilt 35:38

1+ y ago35:38

35:38

This week we are discussing a topic extremely close to both our hearts- namely grudges and revenge. Jo tells a heart breaking story of victory being snatched from her eager youthful hands in a book quiz, and Gill reveals why there is a boy out there called James who wronged her when they were seven and who she would definitely still punch if she sa…

1
Season 2 Episode 11: A Detailed Guide to Finding Internships and Jobs (with Andrea Ocando) 1:02:38

1+ y ago1:02:38

1:02:38

Younger Andrea, from Caracas, Venezuela, would be proud of who today’s guest grew up to become. Hers is a story of consistency, strategy, and holding on to a childhood dream nurtured by months spent role-playing at the Model United Nations. She takes us back to high school to explore what this experience meant and how it influenced her college and …

1
Russian Spies and Sausage Sellers 35:07

1+ y ago35:07

35:07

This week it is the Hangover Episode, where we finally answer our most frequently asked question, which is of course- what exactly happened in Brighton? We also talk about some of our other most notable drunken moments and painful mornings, and we have some brilliant contributions from all of you too!…

1
The Headmaster's Cup and Car-tinis 32:42

1+ y ago32:42

32:42

This week, we attempt to give some helpful advice for any parents who have children going through exams at the moment- however the best advice we can come up with is 'Have a stiff drink', so we quickly move on to discussing our own illustrious (in Jo's case) and less illustrious (poor Gill) results, before Monty Don becomes the hot topic and to Gil…

1
Fury, Feet and Flatulence. 35:18

1+ y ago35:18

35:18

Welcome to the Rage Episode! This week, we're all about the Meno-Rage, the Road-Rage, and the general Outrage of being middle-aged women who are tired of taking the shit the world throws at us! We also explore a new potential career for Jo, discuss an unexpected menopause side effect, and Gill attempts to give dubious dating advice based on her own…

1
Turquoise Gloves and Tiaras 35:29

1+ y ago35:29

35:29

Welcome to our very special (early) Coronation episode! We had high hopes of suggesting wholesome tasteful and patriotric Coronation themed activities, but we spend most the episode wondering if, in fact, our remarks might land us firmly in the Tower for treason. Gill also has to explain to Jo how swans work, Jo's doubtful trouser situation is call…

1
Kids or Pets? 43:22

1+ y ago43:22

43:22

This week, to celebrate National Kids and Pets Day, we are comparing our children and our beloved animals, to see which are better. I think you all know the foregone conclusions, but we rate them on topics such as Smells and Cleanliness; Obedience; Cost; Embarassment and Usefulness.By Gill Sims Jo Middleton

1
Season 2 Episode 10: Never Say 'It's Too Late' with Carrie Reilley 50:35

1+ y ago50:35

50:35

Hey guys, here’s the “Never Say it’s Too Late” to go to graduate school episode you’ve been asking for. Today, Grad School Buddy meets up with Carrie, a detective in New York who decided to go to grad school almost two decades after getting an undergrad. In this episode of the podcast, she talks about moving from New York to Washington, DC, getting…

1
The Mental Load 32:21

1+ y ago32:21

32:21

This week, we are having a bit of a chat about the dreaded Mental Load, and why it almost always seems to fall on women? There is some ranting (especially about people who describe fathers as 'babysitting' their own children), there is some science, and there is (obviously) some railing against the Patriarchy (sometimes we wonder if we should have …

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