In 2020, we were witnesses and participants in profound discussions of justice, equity, diversity and inclusion.

On Thursday, February 4, the Graduate College hosted its second Graduate Student Town Hall to address questions concerning a variety of topics submitted by students. Questions were answered by panelists Elizabeth Wentz, vice provost and dean of the Graduate College, Cassandra Aska, deputy vice president and dean of students, and Tamara Underiner and Enrique Vivoni, associate deans of the Graduate College.

Applications are now open for the Graduate College’s new round of Knowledge Mobilization Spotlight Grants. 

The first round of $100 grants were awarded in November to 10 students who developed innovative ways to continue and expand their research despite setbacks caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

This round, the Knowledge Mobilization Initiative is seeking graduate students and postdoctoral fellows to share their innovations related to recent developments and discussions concerning social justice.    

Black History Month is the annual celebration of achievements by Black Americans and a time for recognizing their central role in U.S. history. This year’s theme, established each year by the Association for The Study of African American Life and History, is “The Black Family: Representation, Identity, and Diversity.” While former President Gerald Ford officially recognized Black History Month in 1976, Carter G.

Being an engineer has always made sense for Katreena Thomas. She has always been good at math and science, her mother encouraged her to pursue engineering by enrolling her in STEM camps and classes, and she always loved the idea of being a problem solver.  

However, during her undergraduate education, and in subsequent years working in the engineering field, Thomas learned that there are “problems that can't be solved with math and science because they are problems about people.” 

Yesterday, October 12, was Indigenous People’s Day. In the 1970s, several U.S. states began to recognize the systemic inequities that resulted from the conquest of the North American continent by recognizing indigenous People’s Day as a counter-celebration of Columbus Day. Arizona State University remains committed to the goal of creating opportunities for all graduate students and postdoctoral fellows.

If you’re a doctoral student preparing for a career after graduation, there are a number of workplace issues graduate school may not have prepared you for, like dealing with microaggressions, bias and/or discrimination or the lack of a supportive community. 

Crafting a Diversity Statement

Many graduate students preparing for career entry understand the importance of a well-crafted teaching philosophy or research statement. In last week’s Grad15 mini-webinar, Graduate Student Support Resources director Amanda Athey shared some tips and strategies on creating another piece in your job-hunting arsenal: the diversity statement.

The time you spend during graduate school can be some of the most rewarding as well as the most challenging times in your life. It is an opportunity to create lifelong friendships and learn skills that translate into a strong career. It is also a time when you can be challenged the most intellectually, emotionally and often financially. There can be incredible uncertainty about how your hard work and learning will translate into a long term career under the best of circumstances.