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University of Washington Wins CGS/Thomson Peterson’s Award for Innovation in Promoting an Inclusive Graduate Community

“Committed to Diversity; Connected to Community”

is the theme of winning proposal to be supported by $20,000 award

The prestigious annual Council of Graduate Schools (CGS)/Thomson Peterson’s 2005 Award for Innovation in Promoting an Inclusive Graduate Community has been awarded to the University of Washington Graduate School and GO-MAP (Graduate Opportunities & Minority Achievement Program).  The award is sponsored by the CGS and Thomson Peterson’s, a leading provider of information and advice on graduate admission, test preparation, and financial aid, and a part of the Thomson Corporation.  The award of $20,000 will support the “Committed to Diversity; Connected to Community” Initiative, along with $20,000 in matching funds from The Graduate School.

“The Graduate School is thrilled and honored to receive this prestigious award to support our programs that advance diversity and inclusiveness at the UW,” said Suzanne Ortega, Vice Provost and Dean, The Graduate School.  “With this commitment, The Graduate School will continue to build our programs and _enhance our abilities to attract, foster, and sustain a more diverse and culturally rich academic atmosphere.”

First presented in 1994, this annual award recognizes innovative institutional programs that seek the identification, recruitment, retention, and graduation of minority graduate students.  All 460 CGS member institutions are eligible for the award.  “Once again, this year the CGS/Peterson’s Award demonstrates the deep commitment among American graduate schools to achieving an inclusive graduate community,” said Debra Stewart, President of CGS.  “Congratulations to the University of Washington for submitting an outstanding proposal.  The ‘Committed to Diversity; Connected to Community’ program at UW provides a strong model for many to emulate.”

“By recognizing the best and most creative ideas, we hope to inspire graduate school administrators, educators and students alike to plan and implement programs that will result in more inclusive graduate communities,” adds Mary Gatsch, President of Thomson Peterson’s.  “We applaud UW’s winning proposal that seeks to increase interaction and networking opportunities for students and members of the community.”

 “Committed to Diversity; Connected to Community”

Goals:

1.  To create a wider, more diverse group of mentors for UW graduate students drawn from local businesses and industry, government and non-profit sectors, and other area higher educational institutions.  These community-based mentors will provide UW students with important role models, social support, and networks for pursuing either academic or non-academic careers subsequent to degree completion.

2. To enhance relationships among the UW, the Graduate School, communities and businesses of color, and others interested in advancing diversity and inclusiveness.  We will model partnerships in which the community serves as a vital laboratory for student learning, community interests and needs inform student and faculty research, and communities, both financially and otherwise support the educational aims of graduate students and graduate programs.

Activities:  The “Committed to Diversity; Connected to Community,” (CDCC) program builds on current GO-MAP activities to develop a more comprehensive set of university/community programs and relationships.  We propose the following:

1.  Interdisciplinary Graduate Student Research Seminars will create an interdisciplinary forum in which graduate students of any field can present their work and receive help with content and how to present before a broader audience of students, faculty of other fields, and the general community.  We will expand participation to community partners, which will provide valuable opportunities for students not pursuing traditional academic careers to find mentors in the broader faculty and community who may aid in their scholarly and professional development.

2. Voices in the Community (ViC) Lunches will expand our Voices in Academia (ViA) Lunch series and provide an important informal opportunity for professional socialization and development.  ViC Lunches would be similar in format to ViA Lunch series; A featured community or business leader will lunch with graduate students and discuss topics significant to community and business.  We will cultivate and build on our current community relationships through the Community Advisory Board, Diversity Book Talks, and Mangels lectures to bring these community and business leaders on campus, to bring students to sites in the community, and to build new relationships throughout community and business sectors. Our ViC lunch sites will utilize minority-owned businesses and community organization venues.

3. Committed to Diversity; Connected to Community Seminars and Workshops will expand Diversity Book Talks and Mangels lectures and connect the featured lecturer, student, faculty, and community leaders to issues between graduate education, scholarly work on diversity and inclusion, and issues of relevance to the community.  The seminars and workshops will have an “action plan” that asks participants to think through “next steps” that will generate student and community based solutions to issues around diversity, recruitment, retention, mentoring, etc. and develop relationships among the participants as well as leadership and professional socialization skills for students.  These ideas would then be reviewed during the year-end “Committed to Diversity; Connected to Community Summit” by the Community, Faculty, and Student Advisory Boards in their consultations with the Graduate Dean and Associate Deans.

4. Committed to Diversity; Connected to Community Networking Receptions will also enhance Mangels lectures and Diversity Book Talks and serve several purposes:

• Give opportunities for participants to meet and talk with the featured speaker.
• Give students of color and white students interested in diversity opportunities for professional socialization with faculty, community leaders, and national scholars
• Re-connect with alumni of color
• Give UW faculty opportunities to interact with national scholars of color around common academic and research interests
• Foster a stronger relationship between the Graduate School and UWAA MAP
• Offer numerous opportunities to bring community members into University life

5. A Community Advisory Board will operate independently and in conjunction with existing faculty and student advisory boards to advise the Graduate Dean and Associate Deans on matters relevant to the community, diversity, and graduate education. These community leaders will be chosen from a wide spectrum of organizations and businesses for their leadership skills, their ability to assist in providing professional development opportunities for GO-MAP and other graduate students, and their willingness to help advance the message of graduate education to the larger Seattle and Washington State community; the Board will also recommend and recruit various community leaders to participate in the Committed to Diversity, Connected to Community events, activities, and programs.

6. Committed to Diversity; Connected to Community Webpage will be linked with The Graduate School’s and GO-MAP’s websites, as well as other UW and diversity-related websites, to publicize and inform UW and local communities regarding CDCC events, opportunities for educators and community members to diversify graduate education, and other information related to diversity in higher education.

7. Committed to Diversity; Connected to Community Summit will serve as the culminating event for the year’s CDCC events, activities, programs.  Participants from all of the CDCC events, UW students, faculty, staff, and administrators; students and educators from area high schools, colleges and universities; community members; and any other interested parties will be invited to participate.  A plenary session will feature a keynote speaker to discuss diversity; higher education, highlighting the importance of graduate education; and the role of community in effective and excellent leadership. CDCC leaders will give a short overview of CDCC and review of the year’s surrounding events.  Breakout sessions on diversity, community, graduate education, and leadership, as well as sessions to review CDCC event summaries and evaluations will offer opportunities to discuss and prepare policy and programming recommendations.  These recommendations will be submitted to the Vice Provost and Graduate Dean for her consideration.

About The Thomson Corporation and Thomson Peterson’s: http://www.thomson.com

About The Council of Graduate Schools: http://www.cgsnet.org