Program Overview
The Graduate Scholars of Excellence (GSE) program, through Academic Access and Leadership Development, is a cohort-based student success initiative for doctoral students at Mizzou. As a community of practice, each cohort consists of an academically diverse coalition of doctoral students from departments and disciplines across campus. Through monthly workshops and coaching sessions, AALD provides personal, academic, cultural, social, professional and leadership development in alignment with the UM System Leader Competency Model and reinforcing NACE competencies for ongoing career preparation and readiness.
Aims and Objectives
- Provide a learning-centered, interdisciplinary cohort of graduate scholars.
- Support successful navigation of MU research and creative scholarship processes.
- Encourage pursuit of internship and fellowship opportunities.
- Enhance professional communication skills and personal brand development
- Cultivate best practices for horizontal and vertical mentoring relationships
- Explore pathways for academic and non-academic career trajectories
Guiding Program Themes
- Academic excellence and engagement
- Personal and community wellness
- Career exploration and readiness
- Professional development
Program Structure
- Monthly cohort workshop/meeting on a relevant professional development topic
- Interdisciplinary clusters (4-5 doctoral students) focused on in-depth engagement in an area of choice:
- Effective leadership
- Mentoring relationships
- Collaboration and innovation
- Research and scholarship
- Marketing the PhD – job and career exploration
- Professional enhancement programs and activities through AALD (leadership seminars, dissertation support, writing workshops, etc)
Expectations
- Active enrollment in a doctoral program at Mizzou.
- Attend monthly GSE workshops.
- Full participation in cluster activities.
- Meet once per semester with GSE program coordinator to identify and check progress toward academic year goals and objectives.
Benefits
Upon completion of a full year within GSE, and meeting all program expectations, doctoral students are eligible for consideration for the following through AALD:
- Funding support for travel associated with conference presentations
- Paid one-year student membership in professional organization or association
- Graduate fellow in AALD ambassador initiative
- Funding support for research or dissertation activities
- Other professional development opportunities
To apply, complete and submit this online form.
Program Contact
To learn how you can support the GSE initiative, please contact Jennifer Brown at brownjen@missouri.edu.