Diversity Strengthens Us
Diversity, equity, inclusion, and social justice (DEIJ) enhance the research, scholarship, and creative pursuits of our graduate community.
We are committed to propelling student and postdoctoral scholar success through community building including supporting student groups that provide a space for minoritized students; DEIJ education and development offerings; and mentoring development. We engage faculty mentoring efforts aimed at cultivating the mentor-mentee relationships between CSU faculty and graduate students to improve recruitment and retention of marginalized students and postdocs.
CSU’s Principles of Community guide our efforts and we uphold these principles through all Graduate School efforts.
Mentoring Excellence as a Guiding Principle
The guiding principle in our DEIJ initiatives is strengthening the graduate community through robust mentoring. Mentoring is a crucial and defining factor in a graduate student’s success. Mentoring matters — it enriches the lives of mentors and mentees on many levels!
Student Focus
Student focused activities include support for marginalized student populations as well educating graduate students around DEIJ issues central to improving the graduate community as a whole. We strive to build knowledge of DEIJ issues and incorporate that understanding into a student’s current and future mentee-mentor relationships.
Faculty Focus
The Graduate Center for Inclusive Mentoring (GCIM) provides leadership for faculty directed mentoring efforts such as the Center for the Improvement of Mentored Experiences in Research (CIMER) and Mentor Well Certification. Mentoring initiatives are prioritized through the lens of DEIJ. Learn more about GCIM below.
Signature Events
Graduate students, faculty, and postdocs are welcome!
Mentor Mondays – a series discussing effective mentoring relationships and their critical role in the graduate community. Fall 2021 topics include:
- Engaging with Mentors Sept. 13
- Aligning Expectations – Tools and Conversations Oct. 4
- Grad Students and Current Events: When to Check In Nov. 1
- How do we Define Success? Panel Discussion Dec. 6
Student Groups
At the core of student DEIJ initiatives, we support and provide leadership to student groups dedicated to marginalized graduate student communities. Building DEIJ competences through educational opportunities offered through university, graduate student, or Graduate School initiatives is key to the success of the entire graduate community.
Graduate students and post-doctoral scholars are encouraged to connect with communities directly or consult with the Graduate School associate dean about strategies for connecting with groups that will help you build a strong community.
University Initiatives
- Student Diversity Programs and Services
- Office of Inclusive Excellence — access trainings, the Educate Yourself guides, the Diversity Newsletter, and more.
- Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging Module
Graduate Student Initiatives
- Graduate Student Council – D&I Committee
- Additional Fall 2021 initiatives will be published by Sept.
Graduate School Initiatives
- Graduate Professional Development Series sessions in fall and spring semesters (GPD sessions are published on our events calendar)
- Inclusive Pedagogy Training for Graduate Teaching Assistants
- Competencies Road Map — build DEIJ Competence
Graduate Center for Inclusive Mentoring
GCIM’s objective is to equip mentors with the expertise and resources needed to help mentees meet their goals and expectations. Faculty training is developed from Center for the Improvement of Mentored Experiences in Research (CIMER) training curriculum.
Faculty receive formalized training and mentor development to mentor through a lens of equity and inclusion to best support the success of graduate student and postdoc mentees.
GCIM offers:
- Mentor and mentee trainings for CSU faculty, graduate students, and postdocs
- Graduate student centered socialization activities developed to encourage professional networks
- Recruitment and retention activities and programs with an emphasis on graduate students from underserved populations
- Consultative services to departments and colleges regarding graduate recruitment, retention, and professional development
- Grants for department level training are provided as funding is available
GCIM Mentor Well Faculty Certificate
Published evidence shows that mentoring impacts the outcomes of trainees across disciplines and career stages and that mentor education improves mentoring relationships. The Mentor Well training series is offered by GCIM and based on the Entering Mentoring curriculum developed by CIMER. It is intended for faculty mentors of graduate students, but will have useful information for mentors of all types. (In conjunction with working towards this certificate, the SMART Goals and Progression for Mentoring guide provides faculty with information, resources, and identifies levels of progression in the journey to reach the next level in their mentoring progression.) Participants who complete the full series of sessions listed below will receive a GCIM Mentor Well Certificate. Recommend sessions to begin your training are 1.) Maintaining Effective Communication 2.) Aligning Expectations.
- Aligning Expectations
- Maintaining Effective Communication
- Assessing Understanding
- Promoting Independence and Self-efficacy
- Addressing Equity and Inclusion
- Fostering Mental Health and Well-being
- Fostering Professional Development
- Mentoring Capstone: Building out your Mentoring Philosophy
CIMER TRAINED FACULTY
GCIM FACULTY
Workshops
Mentoring Resources and Helpful Links
Graduate Student Experience Survey
The Graduate School is committed to the success of all students. To this end, the Graduate School surveys graduate students every two to three years to assess student satisfaction related to campus climate, professional development, and mentoring support. The results of our latest survey are here.
Student Task Force
The Graduate School commissioned task forces in 2016, one led by students and one by faculty, to develop white papers on mentoring. Links to the pdf documents are provided below:
Additional Resources
Downloadable resources and helpful links for the community are below.
Awards Spotlight
Advancing Education Scholarship – honoring the legacy and memory of Martin Luther King, Jr
- Annual application deadlines are announced in the Spring Semester
- Scholarship Announcement and criteria
- Cover sheet
- Contact: Allison DeWaele at Allison.DeWaele@colostate.edu.
Jack E. Cermak Advising Award
This award recognizes excellence in academic advising. Jack E. Cermak was a Professor in Civil Engineering who endowed this award because of his strong belief in the value of academic advising.
Graduate Ram Impact
Ray Sumner
As appearing in Source.colostate.edu | Aug., 2021 | by Tim Schommer CSU center works to recover remains of American WWII pilot in France This year marks the 77th anniversary of the crash of an American bomber in Northern France that occurred
Bethany Sparn
As appearing in ENGR.Source.colostate.edu | July, 2021 | by Claire Knight Mechanical engineering alumna advocates for diversity in engineering and sustainable futures Mechanical Engineering Alumna Bethany Sparn could have just gone into the workforce after graduating with her master’s degree at
Theresa Laverty
As appearing in WARNERCNR.Source.colostate.edu | July, 2021 | by Mary Guiden Bats and behemoths: How large mammals may help bat diversity in the world’s oldest desert Theresa Laverty had a lot of flexibility in deciding what she would study for
Principles of Community
The Principles of Community support the Colorado State University mission and vision of access, research, teaching, service, and engagement. A collaborative and vibrant community is a foundation for learning, critical inquiry, and discovery. Therefore, each member of the CSU community has a responsibility to uphold these principles when engaging with one another and acting on behalf of the University.
We create and nurture inclusive environments and welcome, value and affirm all members of our community, including their various identities, skills, ideas, talents and contributions.
We are accountable for our actions and will act ethically and honestly in all our interactions.
We honor the inherent dignity of all people within an environment where we are committed to freedom of expression, critical discourse, and the advancement of knowledge.
We are responsible, individually and collectively, to give of our time, talents, and resources to promote the well-being of each other and the development of our local, regional, and global communities.
We have the right to be treated and the responsibility to treat others with fairness and equity, the duty to challenge prejudice, and to uphold the laws, policies and procedures that promote justice in all respects.