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Supporting Diverse Graduate Students

Rackham Graduate School has a history and tradition of valuing the diversity of our students as an essential dimension of excellence in graduate education. Our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Strategic Plan emphasizes four domains in which we are focusing our efforts:

  1. Recruitment
  2. High-Quality Academic and Professional Environment
  3. Retention
  4. Service, Partnership, and Collaboration

Rackham provides funding to graduate programs and sponsors numerous activities aimed at recruiting an outstanding and inclusive student body. We seek to provide intellectual, social, emotional, and financial support so that students from groups that are historically underrepresented in higher education or in their fields feel welcome and thrive in their studies.

Recent DEI Posts

Three women posing in front of a the U-M “block M” sign at a conference.

SROP Participants Shine at National Academic Conferences

With financial support from Rackham, Summer Research Opportunity Program students presented at two national academic conferences in the fall 2023 semester. Three students went on to secure research awards.

A group photo at the 2019 DEI Certificate end-of-year celebration.

Environmental Justice and DEI

Rackham alum Rebeca Villegas applies skills learned during Rackham’s Professional Development DEI Certificate Program to her work advancing environmental justice at the National Wildlife Federation.

A graphic of two women helping each other climb a mountain.

Supporting Equity Through the Job Search

Rackham Professional and Academic Development Program Lead Deborah Willis writes about vetting prospective employers for commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Dean Michael J. Solomon

Our Resolve to Confront Racism

In an open letter to the graduate student community, Rackham Dean Mike Solomon decries recent examples of racism and violence, and pledges Rackham’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Rackham Building

Announcing the 2019 Ma Scholars

Karl C.K. Ma made a $2.5 million gift to the Rackham Graduate School in 2017 to support students from Asia who wish to pursue careers in public service.

Upcoming DEI Events

Recruitment of Diverse Graduate Students

Barbour Scholars

Among the oldest and most prestigious awards granted by the University of Michigan, offering funding to female students from Asia and the Middle East since 1917.

Go to Barbour Scholars

Bouchet Honor Society

The Edward Alexander Bouchet Graduate Honor Society recognizes outstanding scholarly achievement and promotes diversity and excellence in doctoral education and the professoriate.

Go to Bouchet Honor Society

Building Bridges to the Doctorate

The Building Bridges to the Doctorate program attracts a diverse student body into doctoral education—especially students from historically underrepresented groups—and fully funds students’ master’s educations.

Go to Building Bridges to the Doctorate

Rackham Research Exchange

The Rackham Research Exchange focuses on increasing diversity in mathematics, physical sciences, computer science, engineering (MPCSE) and related disciplines.

Go to The Rackham Research Exchange

Michigan Humanities Emerging Research Scholars Program (MICHHERS)

The Michigan Humanities Emerging Research Scholars Program was launched in 2015 to increase opportunities for students interested in pursuing doctoral degrees in the humanities.

Go to Michigan Humanities Emerging Research Scholars Program

The Rackham Merit Fellowship (RMF) Connection

The Rackham Merit Fellowship Connection is a program designed to assist and cultivate community among newly admitted RMF doctoral students.

Go to The Rackham Merit Fellowship (RMF) Connection

Summer Research Opportunity Program (SROP)

Rackham’s Summer Research Opportunity Program offers outstanding undergraduates underrepresented in their field of study the opportunity to conduct research on our campus during the summer.

Go to Summer Research Opportunity Program

Promoting Diversity in Graduate Education

Faculty Allies for Diversity in Graduate Education

The Faculty Allies for Diversity is a group of faculty members who work within their programs and in collaboration with Rackham’s diversity initiatives on recruitment, admissions, climate, retention, and completion issues.

Go to Faculty Allies for Diversity in Graduate Education

Faculty Allies and Student Ally Diversity Grants

These two funding opportunities—the Rackham Faculty Allies Diversity Grant and the Student Ally for Diversity Grant—provide support for diversity innovations in graduate programs.

Go to Faculty Allies and Student Ally Diversity Grants

Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs)

Minority Serving Institutions are institutions of higher education unique in their mission to serve minority populations. Through Rackham’s MSI coordinator, the school seeks to promote the strategic development of partnerships between the University of Michigan and MSIs in an effort to attract, recruit, and retain a highly qualified, diverse graduate student community.

Go to Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs)

Rackham DEI Professional Development Certificate

This new, innovative certificate program is designed to prepare graduate students to work in a diverse environment while fostering a climate of inclusiveness.

Go to Rackham DEI Professional Development Certificate

Rackham’s Faculty Committee on Mentoring (MORE)

The MORE committee engages with faculty and graduate students to foster mentoring conversations; the committee has engaged with 678 faculty members and 405 graduate students and has added a new module, “Mentoring Across Difference.”

Go to Rackham’s Faculty Committee on Mentoring

Engendering Respectful Communities

Engendering Respectful Communities (ERC): Preventing Sexual and Gender-Based Harassment for Graduate Students is a program created and facilitated by U-M’s Sexual Assault Prevention and Awareness Center (SAPAC), in partnership with Rackham Graduate School and the U-M Educational Theatre Company (ETC).

Go to Engendering Respectful Communities