What's New
Mental Health and Wellness Fair
This spring was the first-ever Graduate School Mental Health and Wellness Fair in partnership with various campus offices.
Graduate students were encouraged to think about their mental health much like their physical health. Throughout the afternoon, there was an opportunity to connect with the Counseling Center, the Offices of Intercultural Affairs & LGBTQ+ Resource, Military & Veteran Affairs, Student Advocacy & Support, Student Accessibility, Public Safety, Student Health Center, Public Health, International Student Affairs and the Chapel. There was an opportunity to learn relaxation techniques and also to line dance.
HBCU Doctoral Career Pathways Conference
Through a joint collaboration between the Graduate School and the Center for Career and Professional Success (CCPS), this (annual) HBCU virtual event brings together doctoral alumni, recent doctoral graduates, and current doctoral students to explore the diverse career pathways available to those with doctoral degrees.
The event features panels of 75+ doctoral alumni focused on the following: non-profits/foundations, the federal government, biotech/pharma, international/world issues, data science, postdoctoral careers, education, communications/marketing, policy/advocacy, research careers (Social Sciences), research careers (STEM), start-ups/entrepreneurship, academia, health and consulting.
Graduate students, alumni, faculty and administrators are warmly invited to attend.
Website: gs.howard.edu/docpathwaysconference
Alumni speaker interest form: here
Conference registration: here
New for 2024 | Conference Sponsorship
Doctoral Alumni Hosts Conference
Earlier this month, doctoral alumni Dr. Michelle Dovil hosted the National Science Foundation's (NSF) Full STEAM Ahead 2024 conference in New Orleans, Louisiana - also entitled the Full STEAM Ahead: Powering Connections Among Different Generations of Geoscientists and Social Scientists.
The conference included 50 participants from across the nation, and various countries. It was an opportunity for early career professionals and graduate students to engage in a meaningful conversation about promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in academia and the workplace.
"Growing up in the inner city of Miami, I loved science, math, and language arts. My parents' commitment to education led me to participate in enrichment programs directed towards black and brown youth and gave me the skills I needed to excel in the sciences. I had no intention of pursuing a doctoral degree. However, in my senior year at the University of Florida, I had the opportunity to take a Women’s Studies course with one of the few Black female professors on campus, Dr. Stephanie Evans, who served as a faculty mentor, encouraged me to participate in the Ronald E McNair program. I vividly remember talking with Dr. Evans, who asked me, "Why I wanted to join the program for research experience, but not pursue a doctoral degree?" I replied without hesitation, "People like me don't get PhDs," recalls Principal Investigator Dovil, Dovil, who also identifies as an Afro-Latina, gender-fluid, queer academic.
Dovil kicked off the conference with a Mardi Gras-themed welcome and networking reception. The keynote was delivered by Dr. Vernon Morris, who spoke at length about his experiences as a Black Geoscientist.
"The creativity that we bring as marginalized, isolated, or "othered" individuals is vital to science, creativity, and scientific creativity- whether it's in the physical sciences, social sciences or the humanities that marginalization is a type of self-empowerment if you flip that
challenge it into an opportunity," said Morris.
The attendees also participated in a day dedicated to mental health and wellness that included sessions on Being Enough, Breaking the Silence of Academic Trauma, Microaggressions, Identity outside of Academia and the Workplace, mindfulness affirmations, and a fantastic screening of Dr. Kendall Moore's "Can We Talk!" Film. The keynote that day was provided by Dr. Kandis Boyd, who shared her journey to becoming a BIPOC female scientist, and the value of preparing yourself mentally for careers in Steam.
“Your passion and your personality are perfect for your purpose. Your authenticity will create the steam space not only for today but for tomorrow and for next generations to come," said Boyd.
Overall, the conference was a powerful reminder that authentic conversations, intentional convenings, and a centering of the stories and needs of BIPOC scientists are essential for true advocacy and allyship.