Diversity Highlights

Browse news clips and stories about our diversity initiatives and our diverse graduate student body.

Transitioning to Graduate Life: First-Generation Students

October 2017

Carolina Grad Student F1RSTS initiative helps students succeed in graduate school.

Serving As Students: Military-Affiliated Graduate Students Transition Back to the Classroom

Global Scholars

April 2017

International students bring fresh perspectives to research, teaching and outreach at Carolina

Exploring marine microbial communities from New Zealand to Alaska

January 2017

Born in Manila, the capital city of Philippines, and growing up in Los Angeles, Balmonte said he enjoys the slow pace of life in the Triangle. He also appreciates the University’s resources and top-notch faculty.

“Going through graduate school [can] be isolating…it’s important to have the opportunity to take a step back, go back to your support network, gain some perspective from that and refresh your brain in order for you to tackle again more challenges and opportunities,” Balmonte said.

And the winner is… an innovative sex ed app!

December 2016

During spring and summer 2016, two Gillings School doctoral students, Elizabeth Chen and Cristina Leos, along with a Yale colleague, Vichi Jagannathan, set themselves an ambitious goal – to talk to more than 150 middle-school students about sexuality, self-image, changing bodies and relationships with peers. You know – the easy stuff.

2016 Education Pioneers Scott Morgan Award

November 2016

Eldrin Deas, an education consultant and former teacher, was awarded the 2016 Scott Morgan Award for demonstrating remarkable achievement in creating equity and opportunity for underserved students.

Deas has since become an education consultant and researcher, as well as a member of the education committee for My Brother’s Keeper Durham, where he is responsible for developing strategies to ensure boys and young men of color graduate high school.

A Journey Complete (Phinally Done)

September 2016

The last five years have been quite busy for Professor Erika Young.

It could be said that Dr. Young’s journey to a doctoral degree began in 2009 when she moved to Morehead City to undertake laboratory and field studies full time at the UNC Institute of Marine Sciences.

Serving Those Who Serve

September 2016

New initiative welcomes military-affiliated graduate students to Carolina and helps them transition to academic life.

Military-affiliated students often face unique challenges in university life and graduate studies.  As they expect, the culture of the military is very different from the culture of academia.

The Drive to Discover

September 2016

“At one time, graduate students were all undergraduates who were considering a graduate degree.”

Through the Summer Undergraduate Pipeline, The Graduate School works directly with summer undergraduate research programs to create connections and provide tools that help undergraduates make the transition to graduate careers.

Student scholars: Social workers can advance research, discussion on the impact of negative police encounters on Black families, communities

September 2016

Furthermore, Sewell, Horsford, Coleman and Watkins suggested that social workers have a responsibility to advocate for criminal justice reform and to help identify and holistically treat the trauma that Black individuals and their families may experience as a result of environmental stressors, including negative interactions with police or the perceived threat of such encounters.

Three from UNC-Chapel Hill Selected as 2016 Paul and Daisy Soros Fellows

June 2016

Aisha Saad ’09, Vishwajith Sridharan ’14, and Heidi Vuletich were recently selected as recipients of The Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans. This is the first time Carolina has had more than one person selected as a Paul & Daisy Soros Fellow in the same year.

OUR STUDENTS

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  IME Student Profile – Marketa Burnett

  Marketa Burnett is a second-year doctoral student in the Developmental Psychology Graduate Program at the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience. Her research interests include the development of racial and gender stereotypes and how that impacts the educational outcomes of African … Continued

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  IME Student Profile – Ricky Burgess

  Richard Burgess is a first-year doctoral student at Kenan-Flagler Business School concentrating in organizational behavior. Richard is passionate about team building and leadership, and is a native of Pittsburgh, Pa (Go Steelers!). What made you decide to pursue a graduate … Continued

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  Global Grads Student Profile- Giovanna Gobbi

  Giovanna Gobbi is a Fulbright Visiting Researcher in the English and Comparative Literature Department at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a Ph.D. Candidate in Brazilian Literature at the Universidade de São Paulo, Brazil. Her research focuses … Continued

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  CGSF Student Profiles- Kierra Peak

  Kierra Peak is a first-year Student in the Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy. She is a native North Carolinian from Fayetteville and a double Tar Heel graduating from UNC in 2014. Her  hobbies include being a patron of … Continued

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  MAGS Student Profile- Matthew Hall

  Matthew Hall is currently the chief resident in the Preventive Medicine Residency Program and is nearly finished earning a Master of Science in clinical research through the Gillings School of Global Public Health. His research interests involve studying electronic cigarette … Continued

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  Global Grads Student Profile- Yashvi Patel

  Yashvi Patel is a passionate environmentalist hailing from the vibrant land of beauty and harmony, India. She is in her final year pursuing a Masters in Environmental Engineering.   What made you choose UNC/NC when deciding on a program/place to … Continued

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  CGSF Student Profile- Emily Damone

  Emily Damone is a 1st year PhD student in Biostatistics. She graduated from Purdue University in 2018 with BS degrees in Statistics and Mathematics and minors in Biology and Economics. Her research interests include clinical trial design and causal inference, especially … Continued

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  MAGS Student Profile- Jonathan Lucas

  Jonathan Lucas spent ten years as a Marine Corps officer, stationed on both the East and West Coasts and traveling to twelve countries including Afghanistan. A couple years ago he made the big decision to completely change careers. He is … Continued

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  CGSF Student Profile- Deborah Baron

  Deborah Baron is a first-year PhD student in the Department of Health Behavior in the Gillings School of Global Public Health. In her free time, she likes to travel and spend time with her kids. What’s the thing you love … Continued

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  MAGS Student Profile- Davis Winkie

  Davis Winkie is a second-year military history Ph.D. student and teaching assistant in the Department of History. While most military-affiliated grads are transitioning from military life to civilian life, how was your experience transitioning from civilian life to military life? … Continued