Conference Topics and Takeaways

Graduate students of color interested in the professoriate as a career path will learn:

• Positioning yourself as a scholar in your discipline.
• Develop your curriculum vitae.
• Academic job search – surviving the job talk, interviews, and the art of negotiating a contract.
• Academic work-life – balancing teaching, research and service.
• Navigating race, ethnicity, gender and sexuality in the academy.
• Mentorship in the academy – creating and sustaining mentoring networks.
• Preparing to teach in a culturally diverse classroom.
• How faculty become involved in community engagement.
• Engaging in collaborative and interdisciplinary research
• How to not only survive but thrive as we seek to enhance the faculty pipeline.

Graduate students also present their scholarly research and coordinate roundtable discussions on issues relevant to them as they continue pursuing their graduate degrees.

Conference Takeaways

• A behind-the-scenes view of faculty life and expectations of faculty.
• Success strategies for developing oneself as a scholar.
• Skill development for interviewing, teaching, and networking.
• Honest discussions about the challenges of being a faculty of color at PWI institutions.
• Opportunities to interact with other graduate students of color from institutions throughout the state.
• Opportunities to interact with faculty in a relaxed environment.

“Networking with other fellows and faculty committed to the advancement of minorities in academia was great! Having the opportunity to share with them one-on-one during the meet and greet, as well as learning from peers’ questions during sessions was priceless. Lodging assistance was extremely helpful.”

- 2019 conference participant