Sessions For: Rackham Graduate School

Whether you are moving directly from your undergraduate degree or returning after some time away, the first term of graduate school will challenge you to expand skills critical to your success. Two of the most essential skills needed to thrive are reading and writing. This four-part Rackham/Sweetland workshop series will showcase reading and writing practices for new graduate students that will inform your approaches to reading and writing through the course of your graduate career.

Do you want to learn the unwritten rules of the university? Are you searching for the hidden maps to funding and professional success? This workshop helps you solve the puzzle of the hidden curriculum within the university landscape. We provide the tools to navigate the complex systems of funding and campus culture. You will gain the skills needed to build your own path to academic achievement. This session supports doctoral students and postdocs.


If you have any questions, please email rackhampdeworkshops@umich.edu.

The graduate school offers a series of meetings designed to orient faculty members who have recently taken on the role of chairing a department/program or directing the graduate program in their department/program. These sessions, hosted by Rackham associate deans, focus on various aspects of your role. We provide opportunities to discuss and learn how you can partner with Rackham and what Rackham resources you can rely on while carrying out the work of your role.

Have questions about managing your finances as a graduate student? Schedule a one-on-one appointment with Heather Moore, Ph.D., assistant director of financial education and engagement, for personalized guidance tailored to your financial goals and questions.
During your appointment, you can discuss topics such as:
Budgeting and saving strategiesStudent loans and repayment optionsIncome taxes for graduate studentsCredit and credit cardsBuilding healthy financial habitsOther graduate student financial questionsHow to Register:
Register for your preferred appointment date through Sessions.After registering, you will receive a confirmation email with a link to Heather's Google Booking Calendar.Open the Google Booking Calendar and select your preferred appointment time from the available times listed for the date for which you registered.Appointments are typically 15 minutes, though longer appointment times may be available depending on Heather's availability.To make the most of your appointment time, please come prepared with one or two questions you would like to discuss. You are also welcome to bring a budget or other financial information you would like to review. Appointments are brief, so arriving prepared will help you maximize your time and get the guidance you are looking for.

If you have any questions regarding registration and booking your appointment, please contact rackhampdeworkshops@umich.edu.

Join MiSciComm (formerly MiSciWriters) for in-person and virtual workshops designed to develop science communication skills!

No science communication experience required.
We are always welcoming new writers, editors, translators, and/or illustrators. If you'd like to join MiSciComm, fill out our membership form here. Our onboarding workshops are held once per semester and can be registered for below. Please reach out if you have any comments, questions, or concerns.

Sign up here for one of our info sessions about grad student arts research opportunities

Bring your questions about doctoral internships!
During this informal, conversational session, Rackham and University Career Center staff will answer your questions about doing an internship as a doctoral student.
Topics we will cover include:

How to talk to your advisor about making an internship a part of your graduate trainingAnswering questions about Rackham’s Doctoral Intern Fellowship ProgramStrategies for looking for internshipsThe benefits of doing an internship as a doctoral studentHow to make the most of an internship experienceTips for writing cover letters and resumes for internshipsOther questions you have about doctoral internships


The session will also include a panel of past Rackham Doctoral Intern Fellows to answer questions and talk about their experiences.

The Edward A. Bouchet Graduate Honor Society is a network of preeminent scholars who exemplify academic and personal excellence, foster environments of support, and serve as examples of scholarship, leadership, character, service, and advocacy for students who have been traditionally underrepresented in the academy. This session will outline the benefits of joining the Bouchet Honor Society and offer advice and best practices for completing the application. Refreshments provided.

These sessions will provide an overview of the application process, expected time commitment, and compensation associated with serving as a 2027 King Talks speaker.Interested individuals only need to attend one session.

Rackham/Sweetland Workshops, co-sponsored by the Rackham Graduate
School, cover a host of topics designed to help graduate students in
various aspects of writing.

Dean Mike Solomon is pleased to invite you to the fall term meeting(s) of chairs and directors of Rackham programs. We hold these meetings in-person to facilitate discussion and feedback. The same agenda will be presented at both meetings. Please register for the date that works best with your schedule.

This workshop will provide an overview of the application process and requirements for graduate students interested in applying for a Rackham Public Scholarship Grant. These competitive awards provide funding for collaborative, mutually beneficial projects between Rackham students and community partners outside the university that use research to serve the greater public good.
During this session, Rackham staff will provide an overview of the guidelines, requirements, and application instructions to apply for a Rackham Public Scholarship Grant. The session will also include a panel of current and past grantees who will discuss their projects and their approach to submitting successful applications.
Community partners working with students are also welcome to attend the session.


Please note: Attending the workshop is strongly encouraged for students planning to submit an application. Please reach out to rackpublicscholarship@umich.edu if you have any questions.

Holistic admissions practices are an integral part of a program's efforts to achieve goals of access, opportunity, and excellence in graduate education. This workshop is designed to provide concrete strategies and evidence-based practices to support faculty and program goals in admitting diverse and excellent cohorts of graduate students. This workshop will provide members of graduate admissions committees an opportunity to develop their own holistic admissions tools.

Created by the MORE Committee, these workshops are designed to strengthen the student–faculty mentoring relationship through the development of shared expectations, sharing mentoring best practices, and understanding of mentoring across differences.
The Getting Your Mentoring Relationship off to a Good Start Workshop is attended jointly by faculty mentors and their graduate student mentees.The Mentoring Across Difference 2.0 Workshop is attended only by faculty mentors.The Mentoring 101 New Faculty Workshop is attended only by faculty new to U-M or starting a faculty mentoring role.

Separate registration for students is available at: https://myumi.ch/11ANg.

Created by the MORE Committee, these workshops are designed to strengthen the student–faculty mentoring relationship through the development of shared expectations, sharing mentoring best practices, and understanding of mentoring across differences.The Getting Your Mentoring Relationship Off to a Good Start Workshop is attended jointly by faculty mentors and their graduate student mentees. Mentors and mentees first participate in separate parallel sessions, where they reflect on their own goals, working styles, and approaches to common challenges. Afterwards, each student–faculty pair collaborates to create a written mentoring plan that outlines key elements such as needs, objectives, and mutual expectations. Among Rackham doctoral students who have drafted mentoring plans, 83 percent report finding them helpful. Mentoring pairs are encouraged to consider attending the optional one-on-one discussion time at the end of the workshop, where they have dedicated time to work together on developing the mentoring plan.
Separate registration for faculty is available at: https://myumi.ch/61V6J.

Do you wonder how AI impacts the integrity of your research data? Are you concerned about hidden biases within automated tools? This workshop introduces algorithmic awareness as a vital skill for modern scholars. You will examine case studies like the COMPAS system to understand how code reinforces social inequality. We provide specific tools to help you identify factual errors and AI "hallucinations" in your output. Participants learn to value human perspectives over machine-generated summaries to ensure inclusive research practices. This session serves incoming graduate students looking to build an ethical foundation for their academic careers.


This workshop is designed with doctoral students and postdocs in mind. If you have any questions, please contact rackhampdeworkshops@umich.edu.

Join Rackham Graduate School in marking 150 years of dissertation research, academic leadership, and societal impact. Explore the breadth and depth of doctoral scholarship at Michigan through lively panel discussions and lightning talks bringing alumni innovators’ stories to life. The program will connect Rackham’s history of doctoral innovation with forward-looking conversations about interdisciplinarity, access, and the future of graduate research at Michigan.

Rackham program staff and faculty are invited to attend the Rackham Merit Fellowship (RMF) Information Session with the PACE team. During this virtual meeting we will discuss the goals of the RMF program, how to assess eligibility and evaluate for the RMF criteria, review the award process including the new application for RMF allocations, and answer any questions you have about the administration of the fellowship. Whether or not you attend the information session, we encourage you to visit our website or contact the PACE team (rackham-pace@umich.edu or 734-615-5670) with any questions. Zoom meeting details will be provided after registration.