Undergraduate students from across the nation have the opportunity to gain important information related to graduate school through a collaboration between The Graduate School and campus programs – even if the programming can’t be in person this year.
The Summer Undergraduate Pipeline, an initiative of The Graduate School’s Diversity and Student Success (DSS) program, is hosting a professional development seminar series through an online channel. A dozen UNC-Chapel Hill summer undergraduate research programs are promoting the series to students affiliated with them, meaning that close to 140 students can access the sessions.
During previous years, undergraduate student participants would now be on the UNC-Chapel Hill campus, working with research mentors and staff, attending seminars and participating in the culminating event of a 10-week experience: the Summer Undergraduate Pipeline Research Symposium. On-campus activities had to be canceled for 2020, due to COVID-19 precautions, but a virtual platform ensures that the Summer Undergraduate Pipeline continues this year.
“While we enjoy and value the opportunity to interact with the students in person, we did not want the current circumstances to prevent our team from offering these seminars that prove critical in the successful transition to graduate school,” said Kathy Wood, DSS co-director. “We’re excited to explore this new form of delivering information and building community.”
Seminar topics include preparing to apply for the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship, writing a personal statement, building community in graduate school and creating a resume or curriculum vitae (CV).