The Educational Testing Service and Council of Graduate Schools recognized UNC for its work with minority students through the Diversity and Student Success program last week.
First awarded in 2009, the ETS/CGS Award for Innovation in Promoting Success in Graduate Education: From Admission through Completion is worth $20,000 over the span of two years, and must be matched by $10,000 from the winning institution. It is bestowed upon a school with promising efforts in either beginning or furthering graduate education, with an emphasis on programs with a special interest in diversity and inclusion.
In UNC's proposal, Dean of the Graduate School Suzanne Barbour collaborated with the Director of Diversity and Student Success Kathy Wood to highlight the DSS program, which focuses on helping graduate students from underrepresented groups make connections and form community.
“You go into your department, and you’re the only one of your culture — this can be very isolating,” Barbour said.
Carolina Grad Student F1RSTS, Global Grads, Initiative for Minority Excellence, Military-Affiliated Grads and Queer Graduate and Professional Students are the five initiatives within DSS aimed at promoting diversity and inclusion. The Summer Undergraduate Pipeline program is an initiative aimed at recruitment.
Wood said she founded DSS in August 2014 when she had a research grant to work with students of color.
“Undergraduates get a lot of attention through student affairs, as they should," Wood said. "Graduate students don’t get the same services, yet they still needed things. We said: ‘Let’s define diversity broadly, and let’s build initiatives around that.’”
Over the years, new groups were given homes in DSS according to students’ needs, Wood said.
Each initiative hosts at least one professional development and one social event per semester, but there are usually many more than just the required two, Wood said.