A newsletter for friends of RAGS

A newsletter for friends of RAGS

Division of Research, Graduate Studies and Technology Transfer

A Message From Melody Baker — Diversity And Graduate Studies

Graduate Program Services

Welcome to a closer look at the portion of Graduate Program Services within the Division of Research and Graduate Studies that assists academic program areas with graduate enrollment planning, graduate admissions processing, creation of a diverse graduate applicant pool, and management of externally funded fellowships.  Under the leadership of Associate Dean Dr. Melody K. Baker, two functional areas, Graduate Enrollment and Access and Retention Services, interface most regularly with graduate programs.  Direct services, such as admissions, financial, career and personal counseling are also provided to prospective and current graduate students. Highlights of the academic year 2003-2004 within Graduate Program Services follow. 

Graduate Enrollment

Graduate enrollment increased 8 percent from fall 2002 to fall 2003.  This continued the upward trend of a 5.5 percent increase in graduate enrollment from fall 2001 to fall 2002.  The majority of graduate students continues to be female (66 percent) for fall 2003.  Underrepresented students comprise approximately 9 percent of total graduate enrollments; this level has been consistent for the past two academic years.  Master’s enrollments continue to outpace doctoral enrollment, with the fastest growing enrollment category being non-degree graduate students.

For 2003-2004 the enrollment focus has been improving efficiencies within the graduate application process.  Currently, online graduate applications are approximately 36 percent of the total, exemplifying the growth that has occurred with our present online application.  Under the direction of a university working group, implementation of an online application processing system, ApplyYourself was scheduled for fall 2004.  This system provides graduate departments with immediate access to potential students, enabling electronic communication with applicants and generation of essential enrollment reports. 

Access and Retention Services

The purpose of a centralized graduate recruitment program is to provide underrepresented undergraduate students with greater access to KentState graduate programs and to increase and diversify the applicant pools for the graduate programs at KentState. The goals of the Office of Access and Retention Services are: (1) to increase the numbers of African-American, Native American, Latino, returning adults, and others underrepresented in graduate programs and (2) to provide an environment within the graduate enterprise at KentState, which is conducive to academic success, defined as retention in graduate school leading to degree conferral.  These goals are accomplished through recruitment initiatives, including travel to graduate and professional school events at historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs); utilization of the application referral networks with faculty and staff at HBCUs; formal and informal institutional agreements between Kent State and several HBCUs; the Campus Visitation Program, through which prospective underrepresented students become familiar with the Kent State environment, and the referral networks of underrepresented undergraduate students with extensive research experience, which provides access to highly qualified students. 

Retention programs, including the Graduate Students of Color Orientation, the Black Graduate Students Association and its programs, the First Thursday Forum, the advising/counseling services provided by the associate dean, the financial support of underrepresented students through brokered arrangements with academic units, and the end-of- year retention activity held at the home of the associate dean, are also integral aspects of access and retention services. 

Two doctoral preparation programs, Student Achievement in Research and Scholarship (STARS), and the Kent State McNair Scholars Program, target underrepresented and first-generation college students respectively.  KentState has participated in the Ohio Board of Regents STARS Program since its inception in 1992.  To date, more than 50 students have participated in the Kent State STARS Program, with approximately 60 percent of those completing the program having obtained a graduate or professional degree. 

The McNair Scholars Program is currently in its second four-year cycle of federal funding from the U. S. Department of Education.  Authorized to serve 20 students per cohort, the Kent State McNair Scholars Program has met or surpassed each program objective.  Currently, there are 28 Kent State McNair alumni enrolled in graduate programs throughout the nation, five  of whom have earned master’s degrees.