Successful Transitions to Graduate School: Using Orientations to Improve Student Experiences in Criminology and Criminal Justice Programs

Mears, Daniel P.; Scaggs, Samuel; Ladny, Roshni T.; Lindsey, Andrea M.; Ranson, J. W. Andrew

doi:10.1080/10511253.2015.1018914

Cited by 4 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 29 publications

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“…The program generally takes place on the first day of orientation. This early introduction to antiracism takes advantage of the concept of framing to manage participants’ first impressions of race conversations and how gaining comfort with them will facilitate their transition to a graduate program (Mears et al, 2015). Because program start times occur throughout the year and may not coincide with any other program orientation, June and September events include interprofessional groups of students, while January programs serve only nursing students.…”

Section: Program Design and Implementationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Introducing the language of antiracism during graduate school orientation.

Cahn¹,

Makosky²,

Truong³

et al. 2022

Journal of Diversity in Higher Education

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Higher education institutions have affirmed their commitment to antiracism but differ in how and when they introduce those values to graduate students. Engaging in a conversation about race and racism can be uncomfortable for some students, especially before trust has been established. A graduate school in the northeastern United States instituted a required orientation event to introduce race conversations to all students upon matriculation. The activity has been held eight times involving over 1,300 students. Conversations about race at the outset of an academic program allow students to confront the ways structural racism produces disparate health and education outcomes and launches their professional studies with the language for discussing how to mitigate them. To be effective, orientation conversations about race must demonstrate authentic commitment, establish a common language, create spaces for reflection, evaluate program effectiveness, and include substantive follow-up.

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Section: Program Design and Implementationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Introducing the language of antiracism during graduate school orientation.

Cahn¹,

Makosky²,

Truong³

et al. 2022

Journal of Diversity in Higher Education

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show abstract

“…Numerous studies have explored the impact of orientation programs on students' ability to navigate and integrate themselves into institutions of higher education. However, graduate orientation remains overlooked at many institutions (Mears et al, 2015;Lang, 2004;Stiles, 2012) and, when it is offered, features widely varying content (Poock, 2004). Such findings are dismaying, as students need specific guidance for understanding how graduate school differs from the undergraduate experience (Brown, 2012).…”

Section: Graduate Orientation: a Critical Form Of Support For Latinx mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Taub and Komives (1998) found that this anticipatory stage is the best time for interventions that help students gain realistic expectations of graduate study. Drawing from framing theory, socialization theory, and the scholarship of social support, Mears et al (2015) argue for the importance of graduate student orientations.…”

Section: Graduate Orientation: a Critical Form Of Support For Latinx mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Alumni experiences are "inspiring and made the program realistic and [put it] into perspective." While the alumni speakers may be offering advice similar to that shared in other orientation workshops, it may very well be more impactful coming from near-peers rather than from faculty (Mears et al, 2015). The second theme is that the panel helps orientation participants see the many ways graduates have used their degrees.…”

Section: Findings Related To Student Perspectives On the New Orientatmentioning

confidence: 99%

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“I Love How We Developed a Community Already”: A Graduate Student Orientation Model for Minority-Serving Programs and Institutions

Barrera

2020

AMAE Journal

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In recent years, an increasing number of universities have qualified as Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs), thanks in part to significant growth in the numbers of Latinx students who are enrolling in bachelor’s degree programs. A greater proportion of this student population is completing bachelor’s degrees and continuing into master’s and doctoral programs. Nevertheless, graduate orientation remains overlooked despite being a rich opportunity to support the identity development of Latinx students. This pedagogical reflection contributes to the discussion of Latinx student experiences by exploring an innovative approach to new graduate student orientation for a master’s program in a Chicana/o Studies department at an MSI. The orientation provides holistic support for Latinx students by building an academic community founded on mutual support and bringing greater transparency to the hidden curriculum of graduate education that often elides Latinx students. The essay explores insights from student feedback on the orientation and provides reflection questions to help departments and MSIs bring a more equity-minded, supportive approach to welcoming and retaining new Latinx graduate students.

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“…Few empirical studies have focused on graduate student orientation. Prior to the 2000s, orientation of graduate students was program-dependent (Lang, 2004;Pook, 2004) and remains so to this day (Mears, 2015). Reasons for offering an orientation program for graduate students in some respects are similar to those for undergraduates: clarify expectations to reduce anxiety (Barrera, 2020;Benavides & Keyes, 2016;Hullinger & Hogan, 2014;Peters & Daly, 2013); welcome new graduate students to an inclusive and culturally sensitive environment (Benavides & Keyes, 2016;Mears, Peters, & Daley, 2013); foster social integration (Mears et al, 2015;O'Meara et al, 2014); and create a sense of belonging and community (Barrera, 2020;Schimmel et al, 2016).…”

Section: Literaturementioning

confidence: 99%

Welcoming and Building Community for Graduate Students Through Remote Tech Environments

Savoca,

Perlman,

Bell

et al.

2021 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access Proceedings

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is both an administrator and faculty member. She teaches career development, leadership, and external relations, collaborates with faculty on research and programmatic initiatives, as well as oversees internships and practicum experiences for graduate and undergraduate students. She leads campus-wide efforts to scale career development and access to high-impact experiential education for students in all majors and degree levels. She is Co-PI on two NSF-funded projects with a focus on STEM student success and is a published author. She holds a PhD in Higher Education Leadership. Ms. Rachel F. Perlman, Stony Brook UniversityRachel is a PhD candidate in the Interdepartmental Doctoral Program in Anthropological Sciences at Stony Brook University. Outside of her research, she is devoted to accessibility in STEM higher education. She has experience working with several diversity and inclusion initiatives at her university, and served as the graduate student assistant for this paper's virtual orientation program for graduate students. Dr. Kimberly Bell, Stony Brook UniversityKimberly is a Postdoctoral Associate in the Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching (CELT). She leads initiatives for graduate teaching assistants (TAs) and Postdocs as well as help faculty incorporate active learning, formative assessment, and inclusive teaching practices in both in-person and online courses. She is also an instructor in Undergraduate Biology and the First Year Student Seminars. Her postdoctoral research is focused on developing and evaluating the effectiveness of online vs. face-to-face graduate teaching assistant pedagogy training. Kimberly earned her PhD in Genetics from Stony Brook University, MS in Neuroscience and Behavior from

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Successful Transitions to Graduate School: Using Orientations to Improve Student Experiences in Criminology and Criminal Justice Programs

Cited by 4 publications

References 29 publications

Introducing the language of antiracism during graduate school orientation.

Introducing the language of antiracism during graduate school orientation.

“I Love How We Developed a Community Already”: A Graduate Student Orientation Model for Minority-Serving Programs and Institutions

Welcoming and Building Community for Graduate Students Through Remote Tech Environments

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