Graduate Student Development and Diversity

Michelle Nearon, Senior Associate Dean and Director, OGSDD; 206 Warner House, 1 Hillhouse Ave.
Ksenia Sidorenko, Assistant Dean for Diversity; Dow Hall, 370 Temple St.
Suzanne Young, Assistant Dean for Graduate Student Professional Development; McDougal Center, 135 Prospect St.

The Office for Graduate Student Development and Diversity (OGSDD) is committed to expanding the diversity of the student body and enhancing the intellectual experience of the entire scholarly community. The OGSDD coordinates efforts to recruit and retain students at the Graduate School. The senior associate dean works collaboratively with departments and programs to support the needs of all students as they pursue graduate study and prepares reports on the Graduate School’s progress in recruiting and retaining diverse students. The following programs and activities fall under the purview of the OGSDD: informal advising of prospective and current graduate students, the Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Program, the Post-Baccalaureate Research Education Programs, Diversity Recruitment Days, Diversity Orientation Day, Diversity Preview Days, Transitions First Year Experience, and the Annual Yale Bouchet Conference on Diversity and Graduate Education. The assistant dean of diversity, the assistant dean for graduate student professional development, and annually appointed graduate student diversity fellows assist with the development and implementation of these programs, as well as virtual recruitment fairs and webinars, social justice discussion seminars, mentoring programs, workshops and lectures presented by diverse scholars, and social and professional development events.