GENIUS workshop equips underrepresented students for geography graduate programs

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — In May, Penn State’s Department of Geography held a workshop aimed at supporting third- and fourth-year students from underrepresented groups in their journeys toward applying for graduate programs in geography.

Coined the GENIUS workshop — Geography Education Networking Initiative for Underrepresented Scholars — the three-day event provided essential mentoring and networking opportunities to equip students with the tools they need for successful graduate school applications. Participants had the opportunity to network with peers and scholars from across the United States and Canada.

Joshua Inwood, professor of geography and African American studies, and Emily Rosenman, assistant professor of geography, served as co-organizers of the workshop. Inwood emphasized how important networking was during the workshop.

“It really is about building community and a support network for students,” Inwood said. “The community of scholars and students will be able to support one another in their efforts to build professional careers. It was the hope that students would have a good start on a graduate application at the end of the program and would also be able to begin to have a cohort of students and mentors that can help guide them in graduate school.”

The workshop offered a range of opportunities for participants, including one-on-one mentoring sessions, group discussions, and collaborative work on graduate application materials. Sessions were also held on specific topics including how to choose a graduate program and adviser, financial planning, mental health, and navigating predominantly white institutions. Other Penn State faculty, including Lorraine Dowler, Trevor Birkenholtz, Michael West, Cynthia Young and Presidential Postdoctoral Scholar Mark Ortiz, participated in leading sessions.

Rosenman said the vision of the workshop is to create long-term organizational change in the discipline of geography, which historically has often excluded racially underrepresented people as both students and faculty.

“Historically the discipline of geography has often excluded racially underrepresented people,” Rosenman. ““With this workshop we hope to help level the graduate school playing field in a small but meaningful way by explaining some of the unwritten rules and unspoken expectations. As we continue to host the workshop in future years, we hope that attendees will apply to graduate programs in geography throughout North America and beyond and eventually become graduate students and faculty.”

Participants who traveled from throughout the United States to attend expressed their appreciation for the support and mentorship they received during the workshop. One participant said, "I left feeling extremely supported and feeling so thankful for all the guidance everyone shared with us." Another applauded the depth and relevance of the lectures and guest speakers, calling them "insightful, powerful, and emotional." Another said, “A lot of great information was given. Previous graduate school panels I’ve attended have not been this in-depth. I really appreciated the thought and effort that went into putting the workshop together.”

Rosenman said current Penn State graduate students in the Department of Geography also had the opportunity to benefit from the workshop.

“My favorite parts of the program were witnessing the one-on-one interactions between visiting students and mentors,” Rosenman said. “The graduate students gained valuable skills in mentorship, and the visiting students were able to hear firsthand about the graduate school experience.”

Victoria Sanchez, the associate dean for educational equity in the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences, praised the program's impact.

"This innovative and high-impact program is creating a pathway to graduate study in geography for underrepresented students, many of whom have not had access to information about graduate school options,” Sanchez said.

Sanchez commended the participants' enthusiasm and their newfound connections with faculty, mentors and fellow students, emphasizing the long-term benefits of their professional networks.

“I had the chance to interact with the students while they were here and their appreciation for the program was enthusiastic as they discovered so much in common with each other and their mentors and so many possibilities for their graduate education,” Sanchez said.

Inwood appreciated getting to interact with the workshop participants.

“Getting to know the students was my favorite part of the workshop,” Inwood said. "They are really amazing and it makes me happy that the future of geography is so bright. These students are engaged in really important activities and they bring such a diverse set of skills to the discipline. I cannot wait to see how their creative endeavors play out.”

The GENIUS workshop was funded with a grant from the Penn State Equal Opportunity Planning Committee (EOPC). Support was also provided by the Department of Geography and the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences.