Symposium video archives

A goal of the graduate school is to develop intentional initiatives that promote equitable mentoring and professional development experiences. Diverse students experience more isolation and less access to quality mentoring than their non-diverse peers (Girves; Blake-Beard, 2001; Ellis, 2000). This is especially concerning as these relationships are critical for career development, job market preparedness, and subsequent job management (Girves).

Positive mentoring experiences include both career development and strong personal relationships (Vance, 2002). Therefore, graduate school programs aim to provide the competencies and training required to effectively mentor students, with a specific emphasis on mentoring diverse and multicultural individuals. They also strive to create an environment where these positive mentoring relationships can thrive. This includes helping guide, protect, and support graduate students by developing policies, providing resources, and implementing best practices.

This session will provide a discussion about the Graduate School resources produced to remove barriers that hinder success and enhance the graduate experience, especially for underrepresented and marginalized individuals.