Diversity Resources for Future Graduate Students
Graduate Preparation Programs at UC Davis
Graduate Studies is home to a number of programs designed to prepare educationally or economically disadvantaged undergraduate students for success in graduate education. These programs include the McNair Scholars Program, the Guardian Professions Program and UC LEADS. Learn more about these programs by visiting our Graduate Preparations Programs page or view a comprehensive list of sponsored research programs on the Undergraduate Research Center website.
Envision UC Davis
Envision UC Davis is a program aimed at creating a more diverse and talented workforce at UC Davis, in the State of California, and the nation. Participants learn about the graduate programs at UC Davis, engage with current graduate students and faculty, receive helpful tips about the graduate school application process. Accommodations, meals, and transportation subsidies will be provided for all accepted participants. Learn more by visiting the Envision UC Davis website.
AB 540 & Undocumented Student Center
UC Davis acknowledges the barriers AB 540 and undocumented students face and is committed to providing students access to all levels of higher education. As part of this commitment UC Davis officially opened its AB 540 & Undocumented Student Center in the Fall of 2014. The Center offers personalized support to undocumented graduate and undergraduates students, their families and communities in overcoming many of the legal, financial, and professional obstacles they may face along the journey of obtaining higher education. Please see the AB 540 & Undocumented Graduate Student Resource Page for more information.
Other Services, Programs, and Resources
- UC Davis Student Academic Success Center
- University of California - Systemwide Resources for Undocumented Students
Diversity Resources for Incoming and New Graduate Students
Holistic U
New graduate students at UC Davis are encouraged to attend Holistic U. Holistic U is an orientation experience that focuses on the unique issues facing newly admitted graduate students from historically marginalized communities. It is designed to prepare participating students for issues they may experience in their first year of graduate school through interactive workshops, panels, and networking activities with their peers, faculty, and staff. It is open to all students who are committed to fostering an equitable and inclusive academic environment.
Diversity Resources for Continuing Graduate Students
Student and Community Groups
Graduate Student groups are a great way meet other diversity graduate students and to pursue targeted networking through social and cultural affiliations. If you don’t see a graduate student group listed here to meet your needs or interests please see the Center for Student Involvement website to search through a complete list of current students groups or follow the link on how to register your own graduate student group.
Professional Development and Mentorship Support
Making the most out of your educational experience at UC Davis includes taking advantage of many opportunities for professional development offered on campus. These opportunities informational workshops, lectures and seminars by professionals across a variety of fields, and certifications programs to add valuable skills to your professional CV. These opportunities are offered through a range of University departments intended to foster graduate student success. We recommend by starting with GradPathways, our premier professional development program for graduate students and postdoctoral scholars.
UC Davis Resource Centers
- AB 540 & Undocumented Student Center
- Cross Cultural Center
- Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Queer Intersex Asexual Resource Center (LGBTQIA)
- Services for International Students and Scholars (SISS)
- Student Disability Center
- Student Recruitment and Retention Center
- Women's Resource and Research Center (WRRC)
Diversity Resources for Postdoctoral Scholars
Chancellor's Postdoctoral Fellowship Program
The UC Davis Chancellor's Postdoctoral Fellowship Program offers postdoctoral research fellowships, faculty mentoring, and eligibility for the UC-system hiring incentive to outstanding scholars in all fields whose research, teaching, and service will contribute to diversity and equal opportunity at the University of California.
President's Postdoctoral Fellowship Program
The University of California President’s Postdoctoral Fellowship Program was established in 1984 to encourage outstanding women and minority Ph.D. recipients to pursue academic careers at the University of California.
Other Services, Programs, and Resources
- American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES) Leadership Summit
- MinorityPostdoc.org
- National Postdoctoral Association: Diversity Programs and Resources
- National Center for Faculty Development and Diversity (NCFDD)
- SACNAS Summer Leadership Institute
- Ford Foundation Fellowship Programs
- Andrew Mellon Foundation (Humanities and Social Sciences)
- Institutional Research and Academic Career Development Awards (IRACDA)
Diversity Resources for UC Davis Faculty and Staff
Graduate Diversity Officers
Graduate Diversity Officers (GDOs) are designated as a primary professional resource to address graduate student diversity experiences at UC Davis. As part of their work off-campus, our Graduate Diversity Officers are charged with increasing the pool of talented, competitive diversity graduate students by recruiting at colleges and universities. Likewise, on the UC Davis campus, the GDOs offer professionalizing workshops, provide academic support, and overall contribute to a welcoming and supportive campus culture for a diverse graduate student population.
Mentoring Programs and Initiatives
At UC Davis, we believe that mentorship is a priceless investment in student and institutional success. UC Davis Graduate Studies supports and advances graduate faculty-student mentoring through a variety of efforts. A comprehensive list of resources for both faculty mentors and student mentees can be found on the Graduate Studies mentoring pages.
Other Services, Programs, and Resources
- UC Davis Office of the Ombuds
- UC Davis Office of Campus Community Relations (OCCR)
- UC-HBCU Initiative
- University of California Guidelines for Addressing Race and Gender Equity in Academic Programs in Compliance with Proposition 209
- National Center for Faculty Development and Diversity (NCFDD)
- Understanding Interventions Conference
- NIH and CDC Diversity Supplements