Diversity Programs

Students take a break on The Court of North Carolina to chat between classes.

Diversity is an inclusive collection of individuals and groups who bring varied human characteristics, backgrounds, interests and points of view to enrich the university community. NC State actively pursues student body and faculty diversity — creating a welcoming climate for all scholars while broadening our academic perspective. In an effort recruit top scholars into our graduate programs, the Graduate School will send a representative to participate in a number of diversity-focused recruitment events nationally as well as those offered within North Carolina.

The Graduate School strongly supports diversity in graduate education through graduate student organizations, professional development, and funding opportunities. There are a number of programs offered through the Graduate School that are designed to increase diversity at NC State and to create a more inclusive and welcoming environment for the entire university community:

Funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF), the NC State Alliances for Graduate Education and the Professoriate (AGEP) Program is a comprehensive effort to create a better pathway to the Ph.D. and professoriate for students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics disciplines, as well as the social sciences. Programs offered through AGEP at NC State include campus visits, undergraduate summer research experiences, bridging programs, a future faculty recruitment program and others.

Through our AGEP grant, we have developed the North Carolina Alliance to Create Opportunity through Education (NC-OPT-ED) which offers additional programs for students from across the state and the nation. Examples include OPT-ED Alliance Day, a national conference for students from middle school through graduate school; “Crosstalks” to provide Ph.D. students from different universities the opportunity to network with one another; and an annual workshop on mentoring for current and future faculty.

Funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Initiative for Maximizing Student Diversity (IMSD) provides mentoring, professional development opportunities, and funding to NC State undergraduate and graduate students to help increase diversity in doctoral education and in the Ph.D. workforce in biomedical and behavioral sciences.

For current graduate students, we also offer Diversity Enhancement Grants, which provide supplemental fellowships up to $4,000, depending on financial need.

In addition, Directors of Graduate Programs are invited to submit nominations for supplemental Graduate School Diversity Enhancement Recruiting Fellowships to increase the amount funds offered to incoming graduate students.

For information on other programs offered across the university, please visit the Diversity at NC State web site.