The Graduate School’s Diversity and Student Success program participated in the recent Promising Practices in Supporting Graduate and Professional Students Symposium.
The national event, held on the Washington University in St. Louis Danforth campus, invites thought-leaders from private and public universities to share promising practices that benefit graduate and professional students. UNC-Chapel Hill was one of 81 institutions nationwide invited to participate in the Oct. 12-14 event.
The Graduate School was invited to share how its Diversity and Student Success program created a centralized campus-wide program to support graduate student recruitment, retention and graduation.
Maria Dykema Erb, co-director of Diversity and Student Success, presented a poster on the program, featuring information on efforts led by Erb and Kathy Wood, who also co-directs Diversity and Student Success, and Brian Rybarczyk, who directs academic and professional development for The Graduate School.
Diversity and Student Success aims to contribute to timely degree completion of underrepresented graduate students through academic, professional development and community outreach activities. The five Diversity and Student Success initiatives serving graduate students are:
- Carolina Grad Student F1RSTS, for first-generation students;
- Global Grads, for international students;
- Initiative for Minority Excellence (IME), for students of color;
- Military-Affiliated Grads, for students who are active-duty, veterans or who are serving in the National Guard or Reserves; and
- Queer Grads for LGBTQIA+ students.