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Promising Practices,Strategies andInterventions toImprove Retentionand DegreeCompletion ofSTEM Ph.D. StudentsfromUnderrepresentedGroupsJanet C. Rutledge, Ph.D.Vice Provost and Dean of the Graduate SchoolUniversity of Maryland, Baltimore County
About UMBC Medium size public research university (13,637 students) Graduate: 2,684 (30% Ph.D. students) Undergraduate: 10,953 Will be 50 years old in 2016 Offer 37 master’s degree programs, 24 doctoral degree programsand 21 graduate certificate programsGraduate EnrollmentInternational17%Unknown5%Two or More1%Hispanic3% AfricanAsian AmericanAmerican 13%6%White54%AmericanIndian/PacificIslander1%
Basic Premise Diversity programs can only be successful if the climate forall graduate students is one that promotes: Inclusiveness Academic success Self‐confidence Life balance Professional developmentWith the university as a whole serving as a mentor toshepherd each student
What Makes the UndergraduateMeyerhoff Program Successful? Fully integrated into the academicaffairs infrastructure: Reports to the Provost’s office. Advisory board of STEM departmentchairs. The most productive research facultyserve as mentors and advocates. Faculty are proud of the program andare eager to have brilliantundergraduate students work in theirlabs beside graduate students andpost docs.
Translating the Meyerhoff Successto Graduate Students Funding: Meyerhoff Graduate Program in Biomedical Sciences funded by NIH IMSD training grantPROMISE: Maryland’s AGEPGAANN and IGERT training grantsCGS Ph.D. Completion Project (Phases 1 & 2) and DIMAC ProjectLSAMP Bridge to the Doctorate Institutional transformation: Discussions at graduate program director (GPD) meetings Discussions at President’s Council Discussions with individual department chairs and GPDs
Academic SupportDissertation HouseSummerSuccessInstituteProfessors in TrainingGraduate StudentSuccess SeminarsThesis andDissertation Coach
Community BuildingFriends andFamilyCelebrationofGraduatesPicnicRetreat at Rocky GapFallHarvestDinner
Four Elements of PsychologicalSense of Community Membership: belonging to a community Influence: positive influence on student from others andability to be positive influence and role model to others Integration and fulfillment of needs: members feelrewarded in some way for their participation in thecommunity Shared emotional connection: opportunity to bondthrough shared experiences at retreats, conferences,monthly meetings, celebration of milestonesMcMillan, D.W., & Chavis, D.M. (1986). Sense of community: Adefinition and theory. Journal of Community Psychology, 14(1), 6‐23.
Results502504020030150All Enrollees10050Master Enrollees20PhD Enrollees100Fall Fall Fall Fall Fall Fall Fall Fall Fall Fall Fall'02 '03 '04 '05 '06 '07 '08 '09 '10 '11 '12Change in URM Graduate Enrollment inNatural & Mathematical Sciences andEngineering & IT at UMBC0478FYs 1992‐2002FYs 2003‐2012Change in URM PhD DegreesAwarded in Natural &Mathematical Sciences andEngineering & IT at UMBC
For More Information Website: www.umbc.edu/promise Twitter: @PROMISE AGEP Facebook: facebook.com/promiseagep
About UMBC Medium size public research university (13,637 students) Graduate: 2,684 (30% Ph.D. students) Undergraduate: 10,953 Will be 50 years old in 2016 Offer 37 master’s degree programs, 24 doctoral degree programs and 21 graduate certificate programs
