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Graduate College Office for Recruitment and Diversity
The Graduate College Office (GC) for Recruitment and Diversity enhances UIC’s commitment to an enriched educational environment. We recruit, support, and ensure the success of graduate students through outreach, funding, mentoring, and professional development.
Our recruitment initiatives include:
- Urban Health Program (UHP): Recruiting academically high-achieving students interested in PhDs in health sciences research at UIC. Our staff participates in local, regional, and national events.
- National Name Exchange (NNE): A database containing academic profiles and interests of thousands of prospective graduate students. The UIC GC is a member of the Council of Graduate Schools, granting all UIC graduate faculty access to this resource.
- McNair Scholars Seniors’ Database: A database with profiles of over 2000 academically talented students seeking doctoral studies in various disciplines. The GC provides this resource to faculty and staff at UIC annually.
Our staff collaborates with individual faculty and staff in academic departments on recruitment strategies. We also present workshops to student groups on topics including admissions, funding, and thriving in graduate school.
Additional recruitment mechanisms include:
- Summer Research Opportunity Program (SROP): An eight-week research experience for undergraduates, allowing faculty to recruit students to their graduate programs.
- Graduate Pathways to Success Program (GPS): An academic year graduate school preparation program.
Our graduate fellowships also help recruit students at UIC:
- Access to Excellence Fellowship
- Diversifying Higher Education Faculty in Illinois Fellowship (DFI)
- SROP Early Admissions Fellowship
These fellowships provide financial support to 50 new and continuing graduate students each year.
The Fellows Mentoring and Support Initiative helps retain graduate students. Staff meet regularly with fellowship recipients to assess and encourage their academic and personal success through advisement meetings, professional development events, and opportunities for funding or employment.