Description:
Grounded in socio-ecological perspectives, this session will invite participants to examine how academic environments—such as classrooms, laboratories, and candidacy exams—shape graduate students’ scholarly identities and sense of belonging. Structural belonging emphasizes the intentional integration of students into institutional and disciplinary communities through the adoption of practices and policies that affirm graduate students’ diverse social identities and addresses systemic inequities in graduate education. Participants will engage with emerging research, reflect on their current mentoring practices, and explore strategies to cultivate inclusive, equity-minded mentoring relationships. Through interactive activities, attendees will deconstruct traditional mentoring approaches and design new practices aimed at advancing equity, fostering belonging, and supporting the academic and professional success of graduate students.
An appetizer buffet will be served. The buffet will accommodate a variety of food allergies, intolerances, and lifestyle choices. If you have a special dietary need, please feel free to contact Brian Nunez (bnunez@wisc.edu.)