Grad School 101 Provided Insight to Undergraduates through Summer Programming
Undergraduate students from around the country learned the workings of graduate school from current graduate students this summer through the Grad School 101 program. The program is hosted each summer by the State College chapter of Graduate Women in Science (GWIS). The co-chairs of the program worked with Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) programs at University Park to provide a presentation and panel discussion.
“Grad School 101 is everything I wish I had been told when I was applying to graduate school,” said Alyssa Bienvenu, a current Grad School 101 co-chair. “We talk about all the things that students need for graduate school—the application process, choosing a university, choosing a research group, work-life balance, mental health, and finances. Our goal is that students leave the session feeling like they know their next steps and have more confidence in their ability to apply.”
REU programs regularly involve their students in professional development opportunities in addition to their summer research, and Grad School 101 is an essential part of that professional development according to Tiffany Mathews, Co-Principal Investigator for the Chemistry REU. “When I was an undergrad, this didn’t exist. No one talked about funding or teaching. Grad School 101 fills this void in an honest and authentic way.”
The program consists of a presentation given by the two co-chairs followed by a panel of current graduate students or recent graduates. “What makes our panelists so special is that they all come from different professional and personal backgrounds, which allows the undergraduate students to hear multiple perspectives about the graduate school experience,” said Sarah Chapman, a current Grad School 101 co-chair. “Because each panelist has a unique story and relevant advice to share, we try our best to build panels that are not only diverse, but that well represent the undergraduate students in attendance. It's our goal for each undergraduate student in the audience to find at least one person on the panel that represents them in one way or another.”
A typical summer for Grad School 101 in past years has included presentations and panels for five REU programs. Thanks to pushes from past and current co-chairs, this number has been on the rise. The current co-chairs provided Grad School 101 sessions to an all-time high of eleven programs this summer with the help of virtual and hybrid programming.
Graduate Women in Science is an interdisciplinary organization that supports women in science. Membership is open to all individuals who support this mission of inspiring, supporting, recognizing, and empowering women. Visit their website to learn more about membership, opportunities to volunteer, and upcoming events.