2011 National Black Graduate Conference in Psychology

Regents Of The University Of Michigan - Ann Arbor, Ann Arbor MI

Investigators

Abstract

The Black Graduate Student Conference in Psychology (BGSCP) has been held every year since 1995 and has demonstrated success in retention of African American graduate students in psychology. The goals of this conference are to: 1) provide graduate students in psychology with a supportive atmosphere to present their research and receive constructive feedback from fellow African American graduate students and faculty that will improve their research capabilities; 2) provide students with an opportunity to exchange strategies and experiences that will help them to thrive in graduate school and beyond; and 3) provide a forum for African American graduate students in psychology to develop long-lasting professional relationships with future colleagues. Conference activities consist of paper presentations, poster sessions, roundtable discussions and professional development presentations. Students are required to participate in all aspects of the conference. This requirement along with the small size of the conference ensures that students get to know each other and fosters a climate of support. The enhanced level of interaction also promotes the exchange of scientific ideas across different areas of psychology, encouraging a more informed and interdisciplinary approach to psychological research. Over the years, the conference has played a vital role in training African American graduate students to become productive and effective researchers, some of whom have gone on to become academic psychologists. The impact of the conference continues to be felt as the research skills and professional contacts that former participants gained from the conference help them to develop professionally throughout their careers.