The Afro-Caribbean Mentorship Program (ACMP), in partnership with the Royal Bank of Canada, will be hosting its 4th annual How to get into Grad School event, entitled Making Grad School Accessible. This event will provide valuable information to students to prepare them to apply for graduate programs. The “Making Grad School Accessible Event” will be offering a practical, and hands-on approach to designing a graduate school application.

African, Caribbean and Black (ACB) students are gravely underrepresented in Canadian graduate school programs. ACB students face structures of systemic anti-Black racism that threaten our abilities to reach our full educational capacities including attending graduate school (CBC 2021, Cole 2020, Martis 2021). How do we encourage ACB young people to pursue graduate studies? What can we learn from successful ACB graduate students who have persevered through the anti-Black racism in graduate school? How can we make graduate school more accessible and exciting among ACB descent students?

On October 20th, 2021, the ACMP will empower, encourage and support ACB students’ academic paths that lead into graduate school programs. The program seeks to dispel some of the myths around obtaining a graduate degree in a Canadian university. The event encourages a thought-provoking and interactive conversation about the parameters of applying but also surviving graduate school as African descent student. Attendees will be given the opportunity to attend a Question-and-Answer Panel, as well as short workshops with each panelist in breakout rooms to answer more specific inquiries.

Due to COVID-19, this year, the ACMP and the Royal Bank of Canada will be streaming an interactive webinar via Zoom to accommodate a broader audience.

Student Bursaries:

ACMP will be recognizing two ACB students (undergraduate) with $100.00 academic bursaries. These bursaries are intended to financially support motivated students with the submission of their applications for the graduate program of their selection.

This is event is being held online and is open to all members of the public interested in applying for graduate school. The ACMP encourages not only ACB students but is also suited for all individuals of different races/ethnicities, genders, or social classes. Anyone who has thought about pursuing graduate level education can benefit from this FREE event.

Featured Speakers:

• Panelists
• Professor Nduka Otiono (Institute of African Studies)
• Professor Warren Clarke (Sociology)
• Dr. Evelyn Asiedu (Analytical Environmental Toxicology (Chemistry))
• Kayonne Christy (Sociology)
• Peter Holder (Biology)

Topics of Discussion:

• What is grad school? Why should I go to grad school?
• Benefits for the future
• Occupational opportunities
• How do I prepare for Grad school?
• Admission process for grad school including basic requirements such as a cv, reference letters, transcripts, statement of intent
• How to seek a supervisor
• How to pick:
• Your school
• The department
• Your field of studies
• References
• Funding for Grad School:
• RAships, TAships, picking the best funding package, OGS and SSHRC applications

At the end of the event, students will be provided with a "How to apply to Grad School Guide (PowerPoint/pdf presentation updated to include interactive pages)" that they can keep for their applications.

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