UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The Graduate School’s Office of Graduate Educational Equity Programs is hosting an upcoming day of conversation for members of the Penn State community with an interest in or affiliation to the graduate admissions process. The day will discuss the topic of holistic admissions at the event titled “Holistic Admissions Post-SCOTUS #2024.”
The event, which is taking place March 28 in President’s Hall 1 at the Penn Stater Hotel and Conference Center, will highlight the current and future state of admissions in higher education following the Supreme Court’s June 2023 decision to overturn affirmative action in the college admissions process. The event is free to attend but registration is required. Lunch will also be provided. Registration and welcoming guests will open from 8 to 9 a.m., with the event running from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
This workshop will delve into crucial topics such as legal considerations, holistic admissions strategies, and fostering inclusive excellence amidst the challenges facing higher education today. The holistic admissions process is an alternative to affirmative action in the admissions process that reviews an entire applicant’s candidacy, as opposed to disproportionately focusing on any one factor. The process honors the lived experiences and realities of student applicants while also using more traditional measures such as grades and test scores to make admissions decisions.
Four speakers will highlight the day’s conversation, bringing experience and viewpoints from universities around the United States. The event’s speakers include:
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Tamla Lewis, associate general counsel and athletics integrity officer at Penn State
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Ethriam Brammer, assistant dean, Horace H Rackham School of Graduate Studies at the University of Michigan
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Anne K. Mapp, Edwin Vedejs collegiate professor of chemistry and a research professor in the Life Sciences Institute and Department of Chemistry at the University of Michigan.
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Damon L. Williams, associate vice president, institutional diversity at the University of Kentucky
Those interested in attending the event can register here by the Monday, March 25, deadline.