By Jeremy Craig
As the U.S. becomes more diverse at large, diversity among professionals in academia is not yet keeping pace — including professors and senior academic leaders. It’s not just in academia, either. Diversity in professions such as medicine and law suffer, too, especially in top positions.
The pathway to become a member of senior academic leadership may require individuals to earn their bachelor’s degree and go on to pursue a graduate degree, typically a Ph.D. for many university positions.
One way to help address the lack of diversity in more senior positions is to catch curious students in college and turn them on to their potential to succeed in graduate school and beyond.
Georgia State, known for helping undergraduate students from all backgrounds succeed, and an institution serving an increasing number of graduate students from racial or ethnic minority backgrounds, is elevating its focus on student success in graduate and professional degree programs.
One new approach is housed in the Center for the Advancement of Students and Alumni (CASA), recently established to help encourage and support students from underrepresented populations to enter advanced degree programs that can lead to academic and professional careers.
These career paths can result in leadership positions in academia and other sectors.
“We are working hard to support our academically strong, driven and incredibly diverse students’ progressions from undergraduate programs into Ph.D. programs, medical schools or law schools around the nation,” said Lisa Armistead, associate provost for graduate programs.
Just as Georgia State has led nationally at the undergraduate level, this work falls in line with another one of the university’s strategic goals.
“While certainly more persons from racial or ethnic minority backgrounds are pursuing graduate school than ever before, Georgia State aims to foster a more diverse generation of leaders in academia and beyond. This program will encourage promising students who might not otherwise pursue graduate or professional degrees,” said Risa Palm, provost and senior vice president for academic affairs.
CASA is striving toward this goal in multiple ways.
Just as Georgia State has become a leader in using predictive analytics to identify problems among students at risk for academic challenges, CASA is exploring the use of predictive analytics to identify potential among students who might have the curiosity and motivation to succeed in graduate school or a professional program.
CASA and the Office of Graduate Programs are working to develop an Early Identification System, analyzing multiple types of data to determine predictors of progress to and through advanced degree programs like Ph.D.’s.
This includes descriptive data about alumni who went on to graduate school and earned their graduate degrees already, using institutional data about their demographics and academic profiles, in addition to information gathered during interviews and focus groups with faculty and alumni.
These analytics may assist faculty and others in spotting high-potential students to invite for participation in CASA programming. Interested students will also be able to nominate themselves to participate in the center’s programming.
CASA programming includes professional development workshops, support for standardized tests used for graduate admissions, assistance in developing strong applications to advanced degree programs, alumni panels, workspace and walk-in hours to ask questions and gain advice from faculty and staff. CASA leaders are also happy to help students find offices on campus to help with financial aid questions and academic advising. These services are made available to students and alumni.
This summer, programs include a day-long kickoff event for students, a STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) Book Club, career panels and information on the steps to apply to graduate programs. Other summer sessions will help boost confidence, create a professional profile for social media and other outlets, and develop a mindset that looks forward to a challenging and successful career in a variety of ever-changing professional environments.
“Students are eager for this kind of mentoring about their professional possibilities. Our workshops are already inspiring more students to consider pursuing advanced degrees,” said Kyle Frantz, director of CASA and professor of neuroscience. “Individualized timelines, with short-term deadlines and long-term goals, are helping students see the concrete steps they need to take.
“And alumni are responding, too, both to continue their own progressions and to come back to assist the next generation,” she said. “We are thrilled to be in position to help diversify the professional workforce around the nation.”