Dear Rackham students,
I hope you all enjoyed a restful break after the end of the fall term, and I welcome you to what I expect will be a challenging but rewarding remainder of the academic year. As we begin the winter term, I wanted to take a moment to highlight a few upcoming Rackham initiatives and to remind you generally of the resources Rackham offers to support you in your work and studies.
Gear Your Career
Next Monday, January 14, at Palmer Commons, Rackham and the University Career Center will co-sponsor an event where you can grab a few essentials for your job search. You can have a professional headshot taken, sign up to get business cards printed, and consult with a U-M career and professional development expert on your LinkedIn profile.
Rackham Spring/Summer Internship Grants for Bioscience Doctoral Students
These new internship grants will fund a supervised practical experience for up to 12 weeks to provide insights into career opportunities for doctoral students in bioengineering, biological, biomedical, or health sciences programs. Internships can take place in industry or government, academic, or other nonprofit settings. The deadline for applications is February 1.
Mellon Public Engagement and the Humanities Workshop
With support from the Andrew W. Mellon foundation, Rackham is launching a two-year pilot Summer Program in Public Engagement and the Humanities. During this program, humanities faculty and graduate students will collaboratively explore, learn, and practice skills to present their research while aiming to narrow the gap between humanities and general audiences. The deadline for applications is February 1.
Rackham North
Launched last summer, this initiative is designed to connect North Campus graduate students with Rackham staff and student peers through a series of themed, weekly events. The aim is to help graduate students on North Campus take fuller advantage of Rackham programming, workshops, and support. Events typically take place on Thursdays from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m.
Resources for Your Well-Being
Graduate school is a uniquely challenging journey, and Rackham offers substantial resources to help anyone feeling overwhelmed. Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) offers a range of ways for you to find support. In addition to services at their central location (temporarily in the Tappan Auxiliary Building), CAPS has an embedded staff member, Dr. Laura Monschau, dedicated to working specifically with graduate students. On the Rackham website, you can find additional resources, including contact information for Rackham’s Resolution Officer, Darlene Ray-Johnson; details on where to report bias, discrimination, or harassment; and connections to various student communities.
These are just a few highlights of resources available to Rackham students. On the Rackham website, you can also find a diverse array of workshops and events, details about Rackham funding opportunities, and more information for navigating graduate school and enhancing your time at Michigan.
I hope you will take the time to explore these options and take advantage of them, and I wish you all the very best in the term to come.
Sincerely,
Mike Solomon
Dean