PLAN, Manage Your Professional Development as a Graduate Student
Posted Monday, February 09th, 2009
“Michigan’s academic excellence presents itself in a student experience that draws on a diversity of ideas, beliefs, ethnicities and personal backgrounds. Ours is an environment that shapes our students and is shaped by them.” - Mary Sue Coleman
In keeping with the University’s educational mission and commitment to diversity, Rackham is pleased to host the 2009 CIC Summer Research Opportunities Program (SROP) Conference, July 24-26, 2009. The conference’s theme, “Passport to the Ph.D. - Preparation for Global Citizenship,” will engage participants in active pursuit of graduate school. As the host institution, we are given this unique opportunity to showcase to more than 450 underrepresented college juniors and seniors our superb facilities, outstanding faculty, departments, and highly capable graduate students.
The Committee on Institutional Cooperation (CIC) graduate schools have historically served the needs of underrepresented students and continue to make their mark in the number of doctorates that are awarded annually to African American and Latino students. Based on recent statistics from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (U.S. Department of Education), CIC schools ranked high in the Ph.D. completion rates of underrepresented students for the 2006-07 academic year of selected 24 peer institutions. For African American Ph.D.’s, all of the CIC schools were ranked on this list with U-M ranked number one;similarly, for Latino PhD’s, all but one of the CIC institutions appeared on this list.
During the conference, students will have the opportunity to present their research to U-M faculty, as well as other CIC faculty, fellow undergraduates, SROP graduate and doctoral students, and scholars from across the U.S. and Puerto Rico. In addition, representatives from the National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, National Consortium for Graduate Degrees for Minorities in Engineering and Science, Inc., National Academies - Ford Foundation, and Jacob K. Javits Fellowship have been invited to share fellowship opportunities with the attendees.
The CIC SROP conference has been an annual event since 1987, when it was first held at Purdue University. This year marks the 23rd conference and is the third conference held at U-M. We encourage you to become an active participant in the conference. Our theme emphasizes that global citizenship goes beyond possessing a passport- it is an approach to the world. To earn a Ph.D., students need to learn the culture of the department, institution, and discipline; meet new people; and learn to adapt to changes in their environment. Unlike travel, the journey to global engagement never stops because academia provides an ongoing space in which to explore and share new ideas for a lifetime. No matter your citizenship – ideas, passion and social justice know no boundaries.
U-M President Mary Sue Coleman exemplifies global citizenship and notes that, “This shrinking world is pushing us closer together and making us more aware of what makes each of our nations and cultures unique, while also revealing the bonds we share … The differences between us - those of background, of experience, of culture, of perspective - are not a source of conflict, but fuel for creativity and innovation. They are, and can be, harnessed for the good of all.”
Every aspect of this conference is designed to provide attendees with the opportunity to showcase their unique research experiences while providing additional tools to help prepare them for continued success in the academy and beyond. Again, we welcome you to get involved and assist us with showcasing our prestigious university. For more information on the conference, contact Katherine Weathers at weatherk@umich.edu.
About the CICHeadquartered in the Midwest, the Committee on Institutional Cooperation (CIC) is a consortium of the Big Ten universities plus the University of Chicago. For half a century, these 12 world-class research institutions have advanced their academic missions, generated unique opportunities for students and faculty, and served the common good by sharing expertise, leveraging campus resources, and collaborating on innovative programs. Governed and funded by the Provosts of the member universities, CIC mandates are coordinated by a staff from its Champaign, Illinois headquarters.
