During the 2013 PROMISE AGEP Summer Success Institute, Dr. Christine Grant (Associate Dean for Faculty Development and Professor of Chemical Engineering, http://www.che.ncsu.edu/people/faculty-pages/grant.html), led the following session:

• Making the transitions (grad student to PhD, postdoc, professor), keeping your cool, and addressing the issues: How do you deal with the lack of respect on the new job that may come from subtle discrimination based on age, gender, or race?
• Dr. Christine Grant, Professor, Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering; Associate Dean of Faculty Development and Special Initiatives, College of Engineering, North Carolina State University; and Founder of “Creative Growth Solutions for You!” 
• • Seminar Synopsis: You can now be called “Dr. ____,” but how do you deal with situations where people question your credentials and experience? This topic was requested by PROMISE alumni and postdocs who found that themselves excited about starting their new positions, but were continually being challenged about their credentials. Often, their hiring supervisors were very supportive and acknowledged their expertise, but when they had to work with others in the department or on a different campus, they received comments like:  ”Did you really do enough work to get a PhD?”  (Even though you’ve won international awards in your field.) -OR- “I need to know if you can teach this class.” (Even when you’ve taught the class to stellar reviews on a sister campus.) How do you handle situations when people argue with you (about being in your own lab) because they think that you’re a student, or support staff? What do you do when other professors try to “steal” your grad students, or when students challenge your authority? These are questions that have been posed to PROMISE by PhD alumni who are underrepresented minorities, and women of all races. Dr. Christine Grant brings to PROMISE her experiences as a full professor of engineering, as a national speaker and leader within the NSF ADVANCE community (winner of many grants to assist women faculty), and as a professional coach. [Dr. Grant, winner of a U.S.Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring, was guest at the PROMISE SSI 2004, and she returns as part of the 10th anniversary celebration, courtesy of her company, "Creative Growth Solutions for You!"] 

Dr. Grant sent us a “recap” of that session:

I hosted a lively event at my roundtable that focused on making transitions and keeping your cool in the presence of microaggressions , lack of respect and both subtle and overt discrimination based on age, gender and race.  Interestingly – there were different issues raised by the men and women in the group.  We discussed topics associated with one’s physical presence (e.g., natural hair, wardrobe) and the importance of knowing the culture of your department/working environment to determine how far to push the envelope. It was also clear that there were challenges for both men and women in terms of welcoming environments and communication norms.  We brainstormed effective strategies to develop academic allies, mentors and most importantly how to empower oneself on the upward professional climb.  We generated lists of actual challenging situations and then discussed potential approaches to selectively address different ones in the academy.

 NEXT STEPS – Opportunity to connect with Dr. Grant, October 24:

Dr. Grant is hosting an “On My Own Terms” E-workshop/tele-teaching on Thursday, October 24, 2013, 7:15 – 8:45 PM.  The website with registration information can be found here: http://creativegrowth4u.com/index.html

The first workshop in the series will focus on Empowerment Outside the “Academic Box” and provide an overview of the five concepts associated with OMOT for current and aspiring academics.  There is a $10 discount for EARLY BIRD Registration.

Related articles

• Professional development seminars for graduate students: FALL 2013 (promiseagep.wordpress.com)

Do you ever wonder what your faculty expect of you? Have you been given directions or instructions, but wonder what your faculty is asking of you? Do you have questions about what professors are looking for during the dissertation process, or how they interpret performance on comprehensive exams? Do you wonder if your professors are saying x, but really mean y? Professors have expressed that when they say X …, they mean X.  Is there a way to listen differently? Is there a way to be sure that you are understanding expectations clearly?

Each year, PROMISE; Maryland’s AGEP and The Graduate School at UMBC host a dinner seminar to allow graduate students to ask questions of faculty. This year, the  ”When Faculty Say ‘X’ … ” seminar will be held on Friday, October 11, 2013 in the first floor lecture hall of Academic IV (The George and Betsy Sherman Building) at UMBC. A full-course dinner will be served.
This is your chance to ask the faculty any questions about expectations, understanding requirements, how they say “no”, how they show their approval, express sentiments using body language, etc. You can ask any and all questions during the seminar, or post questions (anonymously) in advance as a comment on this website. 

• UMBC Students, please RSVP here: http://my.umbc.edu/groups/promise/events/18932
• Students from other schools, RSVP by commenting here, 1) Name 2) School 3) Department.  This seminar is free!

*ALL* students are asked to post questions for faculty here! These can remain anonymous. Faculty will answer your questions at the dinner seminar on Friday, October 11, 2013.

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Photo reference: Partial cover image from Steven Strogatz’ The Joy of x — A Guided Tour of Math from One to Infinity, from NY Times Blog “Steven Strogatz and The Joy of x“ http://wordplay.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/11/26/joy-of-x/?_r=0

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Related PROMISE article:

Communicate with your faculty (A message for new and continuing grad students.)

Do you ever wonder what your faculty expect of you? Have you been given directions or instructions, but wonder what your faculty is asking of you? Do you have questions about what professors are looking for during the dissertation process, or how they interpret performance on comprehensive exams? Do you wonder if your professors are saying x, but really mean y? Professors have expressed that when they say X …, they mean X.  Is there a way to listen differently? Is there a way to be sure that you are understanding expectations clearly?

Each year, PROMISE; Maryland’s AGEP and The Graduate School at UMBC host a dinner seminar to allow graduate students to ask questions of faculty. This year, the  ”When Faculty Say ‘X’ … ” seminar will be held on Friday, October 11, 2013 in the first floor lecture hall of Academic IV (The George and Betsy Sherman Building) at UMBC. A full-course dinner will be served.
This is your chance to ask the faculty any questions about expectations, understanding requirements, how they say “no”, how they show their approval, express sentiments using body language, etc. You can ask any and all questions during the seminar, or post questions (anonymously) in advance as a comment on this website. 

• UMBC Students, please RSVP here: http://my.umbc.edu/groups/promise/events/18932
• Students from other schools, RSVP by commenting here, 1) Name 2) School 3) Department.  This seminar is free!

*ALL* students are asked to post questions for faculty here! These can remain anonymous. Faculty will answer your questions at the dinner seminar on Friday, October 11, 2013.

—————-

Photo reference: Partial cover image from Steven Strogatz’ The Joy of x — A Guided Tour of Math from One to Infinity, from NY Times Blog “Steven Strogatz and The Joy of x“ http://wordplay.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/11/26/joy-of-x/?_r=0

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Related PROMISE article:

Communicate with your faculty (A message for new and continuing grad students.)

PROMISE: Maryland’s AGEP and the PROF-it (Professors-in-Training) Program at UMBC are connecting with the Goucher Prison Education Partnership. This partnership will provide opportunities for graduate students or postdocs  to engage in community-based teaching initiatives.

Amy Roza, Director of the Goucher Prison Education Partnership, will come to the PROF-it “Brown Bag” seminar on:

• Friday, October 4, 2013
• 12 noon
• Room 318
• The Commons, UMBC.

 Please bring your lunch to this seminar. (Following Amy Roza’s presentation, Dr. Judith Pollack will discuss public speaking in the classroom.)

Information about the Goucher Prison Education Partnership

The Goucher Prison Education Partnership (GPEP), a division of Goucher College, gives men and women incarcerated in Maryland the opportunity to pursue an excellent college education. We offer Goucher College courses to students at the Maryland Correctional Institution for Women (MCIW) and the Maryland Correctional Institution – Jessup (MCIJ). We also provide college preparatory courses for students needing additional skill development to be ready for rigorous college work.

The entire Goucher academic community is enhanced and strengthened by the inclusion of these talented, dedicated students at the two prisons. Our work together stimulates awareness and meaningful dialogue in and beyond the Goucher community about justice, incarceration, and educational access.

Teaching With GPEP

College courses are taught by Goucher College faculty and occasionally by faculty from other local institutions. The same outstanding courses offered on Goucher’s main campus are offered at MCIW and MCIJ. We also hire skilled instructors to lead college preparatory English and math courses.  

Individuals interested in learning more about opportunities to teach with GPEP should visit our website www.goucher.edu/GPEP<http://www.goucher.edu/GPEP>. Those wishing to apply should send a cover letter and resume to GPEPteach@goucher.edu<mailto:GPEPteach@goucher.edu>. We have a particular need for highly qualified math instructors for courses including pre-algebra, algebra I, algebra II, precalculus, statistics, and calculus I.

Other ways to become involved

A cohort of skilled community members volunteer with the Goucher Prison Education Partnership. We have a particular need for math tutors and for individuals who can commit to offer 5 or more hours per week of office help. To find out more, please visit our website www.goucher.edu/GPEP<http://www.goucher.edu/GPEP>

Related articles

• Professional development seminars for graduate students: FALL 2013 (promiseagep.wordpress.com)

PROMISE: Maryland’s AGEP and the PROF-it (Professors-in-Training) Program at UMBC are connecting with the Goucher Prison Education Partnership. This partnership will provide opportunities for graduate students or postdocs  to engage in community-based teaching initiatives.

Amy Roza, Director of the Goucher Prison Education Partnership, will come to the PROF-it “Brown Bag” seminar on:

• Friday, October 4, 2013
• 12 noon
• Room 318
• The Commons, UMBC.

 Please bring your lunch to this seminar. (Following Amy Roza’s presentation, Dr. Judith Pollack will discuss public speaking in the classroom.)

Information about the Goucher Prison Education Partnership

The Goucher Prison Education Partnership (GPEP), a division of Goucher College, gives men and women incarcerated in Maryland the opportunity to pursue an excellent college education. We offer Goucher College courses to students at the Maryland Correctional Institution for Women (MCIW) and the Maryland Correctional Institution – Jessup (MCIJ). We also provide college preparatory courses for students needing additional skill development to be ready for rigorous college work.

The entire Goucher academic community is enhanced and strengthened by the inclusion of these talented, dedicated students at the two prisons. Our work together stimulates awareness and meaningful dialogue in and beyond the Goucher community about justice, incarceration, and educational access.

Teaching With GPEP

College courses are taught by Goucher College faculty and occasionally by faculty from other local institutions. The same outstanding courses offered on Goucher’s main campus are offered at MCIW and MCIJ. We also hire skilled instructors to lead college preparatory English and math courses.  

Individuals interested in learning more about opportunities to teach with GPEP should visit our website www.goucher.edu/GPEP<http://www.goucher.edu/GPEP>. Those wishing to apply should send a cover letter and resume to GPEPteach@goucher.edu<mailto:GPEPteach@goucher.edu>. We have a particular need for highly qualified math instructors for courses including pre-algebra, algebra I, algebra II, precalculus, statistics, and calculus I.

Other ways to become involved

A cohort of skilled community members volunteer with the Goucher Prison Education Partnership. We have a particular need for math tutors and for individuals who can commit to offer 5 or more hours per week of office help. To find out more, please visit our website www.goucher.edu/GPEP<http://www.goucher.edu/GPEP>

Related articles

• Professional development seminars for graduate students: FALL 2013 (promiseagep.wordpress.com)

All are invited to attend a free lunch seminar at UMBC on personal money management, developing budgets, and reducing debt on Wednesday, October 2, 2013, 1:00 PM, in Room 329 of the Commons.  Our guests will be Kevin Harris, MBA, CEO of Bedrock Assets in Chicago, and Sonya Caesar, Director of Money Matter$.

Kevin Harris is a businessman and leader who has traveled to 22 countries on 5 continents; he has observed and applied leadership principles across uniquely different cultures and demographics. Kevin is the CEO of Bedrock Assets, and is also the general manager for BP’s 1.2 million sq. ft. property portfolio in the Chicago Area. He leads a team of 250 people to deliver safe, reliable and cost efficient operations across a diverse portfolio of pilot plant, commercial office and trading floor operations. His organization also provides design, construction, safety, medical and other business services to nearly 3000 employees in Chicago and the western suburbs. Kevin has domestic and international business leadership and operations experience in the U.S., Japan, China, Africa, S. America and various parts of Europe. His previous leadership experience includes serving as Vice President of strategy, planning and performance for a $15 billion BP fuels business, General Manager for a $100 million international BP chemical business in addition to other sales, engineering and operational roles. Harris will discuss: Budgeting, saving, debt, spending patterns  & “Future Financial Decisions – How Budgeting Now Can Lead to Financial Savings Later.”

Sonya Caesar, Director of the “Money Matter$” program at CCBC, interviewee on PBS’ Nightly News regarding financial management, and UMBC Alum, will work with participants on their personal budgets. She coordinates Developmental Education on the Essex Campus of CCBC, and is one of the leaders for the community-based Financial Literacy initiative in the Baltimore region. Caesar will discuss student debt, managing both a personal budget and student loans. 

—————-

AGENDA

• 12:45 – Participants arrive, get lunch

• 1:00  - Welcome & Overview of Financial Literacy Series

• 1:05 – Overview of the importance of budgeting - Sonya Caesar, Director of Money Matter$

• 1:10 – “Keynote” Budgeting, Saving, Debt, Spending Patterns” & “Future Financial Decisions – How Budgeting Now Can Lead to Financial Savings Later”  - Kevin Harris, MBA, CEO of Bedrock Assets 

• 1:35 – “Creating a Budget Worksheet” & Report out - Sonya Caesar.

• 1:50 – Q & A

• 2:00 – End formal session

• 2:00 – 2:30 – Informal Q& A and Individual consultations with the speakers.

This seminar is co-sponsored by The Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) TIAA CREF Financial Literacy grant and The Graduate School at UMBC. Kevin Harris appears courtesy of co-sponsorship by Bedrock Assets. For more about Bedrock Assets, visit their website:   http://www.bedrockassets.com.

All are invited to attend a free lunch seminar at UMBC on personal money management, developing budgets, and reducing debt on Wednesday, October 2, 2013, 1:00 PM, in Room 329 of the Commons.  Our guests will be Kevin Harris, MBA, CEO of Bedrock Assets in Chicago, and Sonya Caesar, Director of Money Matter$.

Kevin Harris is a businessman and leader who has traveled to 22 countries on 5 continents; he has observed and applied leadership principles across uniquely different cultures and demographics. Kevin is the CEO of Bedrock Assets, and is also the general manager for BP’s 1.2 million sq. ft. property portfolio in the Chicago Area. He leads a team of 250 people to deliver safe, reliable and cost efficient operations across a diverse portfolio of pilot plant, commercial office and trading floor operations. His organization also provides design, construction, safety, medical and other business services to nearly 3000 employees in Chicago and the western suburbs. Kevin has domestic and international business leadership and operations experience in the U.S., Japan, China, Africa, S. America and various parts of Europe. His previous leadership experience includes serving as Vice President of strategy, planning and performance for a $15 billion BP fuels business, General Manager for a $100 million international BP chemical business in addition to other sales, engineering and operational roles. Harris will discuss: Budgeting, saving, debt, spending patterns  & “Future Financial Decisions – How Budgeting Now Can Lead to Financial Savings Later.”

Sonya Caesar, Director of the “Money Matter$” program at CCBC, interviewee on PBS’ Nightly News regarding financial management, and UMBC Alum, will work with participants on their personal budgets. She coordinates Developmental Education on the Essex Campus of CCBC, and is one of the leaders for the community-based Financial Literacy initiative in the Baltimore region. Caesar will discuss student debt, managing both a personal budget and student loans. 

—————-

AGENDA

• 12:45 – Participants arrive, get lunch

• 1:00  - Welcome & Overview of Financial Literacy Series

• 1:05 – Overview of the importance of budgeting - Sonya Caesar, Director of Money Matter$

• 1:10 – “Keynote” Budgeting, Saving, Debt, Spending Patterns” & “Future Financial Decisions – How Budgeting Now Can Lead to Financial Savings Later”  - Kevin Harris, MBA, CEO of Bedrock Assets 

• 1:35 – “Creating a Budget Worksheet” & Report out - Sonya Caesar.

• 1:50 – Q & A

• 2:00 – End formal session

• 2:00 – 2:30 – Informal Q& A and Individual consultations with the speakers.

This seminar is co-sponsored by The Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) TIAA CREF Financial Literacy grant and The Graduate School at UMBC. Kevin Harris appears courtesy of co-sponsorship by Bedrock Assets. For more about Bedrock Assets, visit their website:   http://www.bedrockassets.com.

For regularly updated PROMISE information and events, please visit and bookmark:  http://www.umbc.edu/promise

 

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Related articles, posted by PROMISE AGEP

• Workshops for Grad Students, Sept. – Dec. 2013: Professional development seminars for graduate students: FALL 2013 (promiseagep.wordpress.com)
• About AGMUS (SUAGM in Spanish): http://newsismybusiness.com/exclusive-suagm-opens-maryland-campus-as-it-expands-across-u-s-overseas/
• PROMISE SSI 2013: http://promiseagep.wordpress.com/2013/06/21/promise-summer-success-institute-ssi-10th-anniversary-celebration-august-16-17-2013-in-baltimore/