➜ dissertationinstitute@gmail.com
An annual customized, interactive workshop, the Dissertation Institute focuses on underrepresented graduate students in engineering. Research shows that doctoral students, particularly those from underrepresented populations, can get stuck in the writing phase of degree completion for a variety of reasons. In an effort to address this potential hazard head on, Dr. Stephanie Adams of Old Dominion University and Dr. Holly Matusovich of Virginia Tech applied for and received funding through the National Science Foundation (NSF) to develop the Dissertation Institute. The program is designed to provide resources, motivation, mentoring, and a sense of community for doctoral student candidates.
Hosted by Old Dominion University and Virginia Tech, the program helps position PhD candidates to succeed in the dissertation stage of their academic careers. The annual event focuses on strategies for completing the dissertation process and provides networking opportunities for future collaborative career advancement. Participants work alongside each other and receive guidance from faculty advisors as they build new writing habits, work on their dissertation, and learn skills that will help them continue making progress when they return to their institutions.
African American, Native American, Pacific Island, and Hispanic American PhD candidates are welcome to apply for this opportunity. Accepted participants receive reimbursement for travel costs up to $500 as well as onsite housing and meals for the duration of the weeklong curriculum. The 2019 program takes place at the University of California San Diego. The deadline is usually in early March and the program is usually held in June.
Dr. Holly Matusovich is an associate professor in Virginia Tech’s Department of Engineering Education. She co-leads the Dissertation Institute with Dr. Stephanie Adams, dean of the Frank Batten College of Engineering and Technology at Old Dominion University. They launched the program in 2017.
What are some program highlights? This is a great opportunity for students from groups who are traditionally underrepresented in engineering. We bring them together to build a cohort and provide a sense of “it’s not just me.” Often, people from underrepresented groups can feel isolated, so bringing them together with peers who may be wrestling with similar issues is an important part of the program. It’s something that a virtual experience wouldn’t necessarily provide. An intentional aspect of the design is that we include workshops to help students build skills like time management, writing, and defending their dissertation. Also, we have writing clusters in groups of six to eight that are facilitated by a faculty member to offer time for reflection and discussion.
What are a few of the skills you’ve seen participants develop? The feedback we get tends to focus on skills like managing schedules and priorities, and learning to say no. The literature shows that students from underrepresented groups get asked to do more things because people are looking for their perspective, yet if there are fewer of them, they can end up overcommitted. Overall, I would say participants appreciate the opportunity to build the interactional skills that can help them really take charge of — and own — their PhD process.
How has participation made a positive impact on students? Something we love is that when students graduate, they tend to get in touch to thank us for the Dissertation Institute, and they consistently point to it as an experience that helped pave their pathway. They talk about things like getting remotivated, remembering why they wanted to pursue their PhD in the first place, what it means to gain a network of people, and also just having the time away from their own campus to focus and set their sights on getting it done. One of the things we tell them is that “a good dissertation is a ‘done dissertation,’” and participants reflect on how that helped them push through.
What would you say to students who’re unsure if the program is right for them? Students have to be ready to put in a hard week. It’s pretty intense, and even when people aren’t in scheduled group time, we encourage them to write and continue to make progress. So participants have to be in a place where they’re ready to buckle down, make a commitment for the week, and be all in. It’s not a week structured for people to do other work on the side. So often on their own campuses, our participants are getting pulled in different directions. This is a gift of time they can give themselves to be focused on their doctorate and make real progress.
What else should prospective applicants know about the program and its impact? The focus of the program is on participants completing their dissertation process. At the end of the week, we talk a great deal about how people can assess the good habits and skills they’ve learned and take them back to their own campus. We discuss changes they may have to make so they can manage their schedules to sustain their writing and continue to make progress. Setting them up to be successful beyond that week and earn their PhDs is a very important part of the work, and the central objective of the program.
➜ thesca.org/cdip
If you’re a college freshman or sophomore interested in gaining a better understanding of the outdoors, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) may have the summer internship that’s just right for you. The annual Career Discovery Internship Program (CDIP) is an expense-paid summer internship offered to nearly 300 students from culturally and ethnically diverse backgrounds. The CDIP was founded in 2008 in partnership with the Student Conservation Association (SCA) to prepare the next generation of wildlife professionals by introducing students to conservation careers.
Students selected for the program spend 12 weeks at a national wildlife refuge learning from wildlife experts about all aspects of refuge management, ranging from visitor services to education and resource management. The hands-on experience includes paid housing, a weekly living allowance, and a travel allowance. Each participant is assigned a Fish and Wildlife Service mentor and may potentially become eligible for an AmeriCorps Education Award.
To apply for this opportunity, you should be a full-time, first-or second-year college student for the upcoming academic year. In addition, you must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, have a valid U.S. driver’s license, pass a criminal background check, and be available for 13 weeks at the beginning of the upcoming summer.
The FWS and SCA designed the CDIP to introduce ethnically diverse freshmen and sophomores from all over the United States to fish and wildlife careers. The FWS team spoke with Winds of Change about the program and its benefits.
Can you say more about what you’re looking for in potential interns? We’re looking for college students who self-identify as being from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds. These are students who are open-minded to new experiences and to learning how to work in team environments. Candidates should also have references willing to support their application to the program. We’re interested in involving interns who will be eager to act as ambassadors for FSW.
Do you consider applicants who don’t have a lot of outdoor experience, or who don’t currently major in a related field? Yes, all majors and levels of outdoor experience are welcome. We understand that some applicants may live in urban settings and don’t necessarily have much outdoor experience. It is more important to be adventurous and ready to try new things. The start of the week of the internship is dedicated to a weeklong orientation where we introduce mentors and students, provide training, and establish a solid foundation for interns’ summer experiences.
Where do the internships take place? Our internships take place throughout the United States. Wildlife refuge sites for each internship experience include Alaska and locations in the Southwest, Midwest, Southeast, and Northeast.
How comprehensive is the benefits package, and can you explain the potential eligibility for the AmeriCorps Education Award? Our benefits package is worth up to $5,800 and covers the weeklong orientation, housing, a weekly living allowance, and a travel allowance. After completing their 12 weeks of service, interns may become eligible for an AmeriCorps Education Award of up to $1,612. These awards can be used to pay educational expenses at eligible post-secondary institutions or to repay qualified student loans. It’s also important to note the benefit of being assigned an FWS mentor, who can become an invaluable source of support during the internship and beyond.
What is the timeline for the applications process and internship? Students who are interested in applying for the program should watch for an announcement online. Generally speaking, the application process begins in January and the weeklong orientation takes place in late May. The orientation is followed by the 12-week onsite internship.
