Upon completing your undergraduate studies, a graduate degree may help you reach your professional goal and make you more marketable for career advancement. Today, some of the most challenging and financially rewarding careers require an advanced degree or professional training. The latest statistics from the U.S. Department of Labor show that the number of occupations requiring a master’s or doctoral degree increasing by 23% between the years 2000-2010.

Depending upon the kind of graduate program you are interested in, there are several types of financial support specifically designed to attract graduate minority students.  Here is a brief description of a sampling of graduate study programs encouraging minority participation in non-traditional fields such as biomedical, engineering, psychology and public policy/administration, and the mainstay of post-baccalaureate education, an MBA.

Minority International Research Training (MIRT) Program

For the past ten years, the Fogarty International Center and the National Center for Minority Health and Health Disparities (formerly the Office of Research on Minority Health) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has offered an international research training program to qualified minority graduate and medical students underrepresented in the fields of biomedical and behavioral research. The Minority International Research Training (MIRT) Program’s three-fold purpose is to increase awareness of international research issues and opportunities; expose students to a range of career opportunities in biomedical and behavioral research; and encourage students to pursue graduate degrees and careers in biomedical and behavioral research especially related to minority health problems.

Students train abroad ten to twelve weeks in countries such as Australia, China, England, France, Italy, South Africa and Sweden.  “ The MIRT Program is not a paid internship. We want minority students who have a strong interest in biomedical research and who would welcome the opportunity to participate in a research program abroad,” says Lisa Morgan, coordinator of graduate and professional programs for the Meyerhoff Scholarship Program at the University of Maryland.

Participating universities set application deadlines for the MIRT Program. To obtain a list of participating universities and for more information, contact the MIRT Program Director, Division of International Training and Research, Fogarty International Center, National Institutes of Health; Building 31, Room B2C29, 31 Center Drive; Bethesda, Maryland, 20892-2220; or call (301) 496-1653.

 GEM

The National Consortium for Graduate Degrees for Minorities in Engineering and Science, Inc. (GEM) is a nonprofit organization established in 1976 to increase the number of American Indians, African Americans, Mexican Americans, Puerto Ricans, and other Hispanic Americans pursuing graduate degrees in engineering and natural science disciplines. GEM is well known for providing financial support for advanced degrees in engineering and science as well as providing academic enhancement workshops and seminars on such pertinent issues as minority student and faculty mentoring and retention.

GEM fellowships consist of funding for tuition and stipends. Fellows are required to intern during the summer with one of the sponsoring GEM employers. Financial assistance may be obtained in three different programs: GEM MS Engineering Fellowship Program, GEM Ph.D. Engineering Fellowship Program and the GEM Ph.D. Science Fellowship Program. GEM Fellowship awards are only valid at GEM Member Universities, and each GEM University exercises its own admission requirements and standards that may differ from GEM Fellowship requirements and standards. GEM Fellowship information and applications are available on college campuses from the GEM University Representatives, Minority Engineering Program offices, college and department offices, and other sites. Fellowships and applications may be obtained from the organization’s Web site at http://www.nd.edu/~gem/. Completed applications, including supporting documentation, are due at the GEM office on/or by December 1.

NACME

The National Action Council for Minorities in Engineering, Inc. was established in 1974 with the mission to increase the representation of successful African-American, American Indian and Latino women and men in engineering and technology, math- and science-based careers. NACME continues to develop partnerships and to foster research-based changes in policies and practices to secure equal opportunity for all Americans in the areas of Science, Math, Engineering and Technology. NACME also creates and operates pre-college, university and workforce programs, and disseminates critical information via meetings, conferences, the media, publications and the Internet to further support its mission. NACME is also the nation's largest private source of scholarships for minorities in engineering. NACME has various scholarships for Native-American, African-American, and Hispanic/Latino students who are college-bound high school seniors planning to major in engineering or undergraduates majoring in engineering. For complete information on scholarships, various NACME programs and a list of participating colleges visit the Web site at http://www.nacme.org.

American Psychological Association Minority Fellowship Program (APAMFP)

The American Psychological Association Minority Fellowship Program is a federally funded program to support doctoral training in psychology particularly in the delivery of mental health and substance abuse services to the ethnic minority population. The MFP Fellowship provides an annual stipend in increments of 10 to 12 months for up to three years. This year, the annual stipend amount totals $18,000 per student. “Our stipends are sizable amounts which free a student from the burden of trying to balance teaching and coursework,” said Dr. Kim Nickerson, (right) assistant director of the APAMFP.  “Instead, they can study and pursue research more vigorously.”

The MFP has provided fellowships to approximately 1,200 students over the past 27 years.  Nickerson says the fellowships are portable and can be applied at any university with APA accreditation. “There are not enough ethnic minority mental health service providers serving the ethnic minority community,” he said. “ We’re providing fellowships to those who want to become therapists and counselors.  If we increase the number of ethnic minority service providers, most probably we’ll decrease this disparity and increase the quality of service to the ethnic minority community.”

Applications to the MFP are accepted September 1 through January 15.  To obtain an application or for more information contact: APA/MFP Fellowship Application, 750 First Street NE, Washington D.C. 20002-4242; phone (202) 336-6127; e-mail mfp@apa.org

Thomas Pickering Graduate Foreign Affairs Fellowship

If you are planning to pursue a master’s degree in public administration, public policy, international affairs, political science, business or economics, the Thomas Pickering Graduate Foreign Affairs Fellowship offers tuition, room, board and mandatory fees with reimbursement for books during the first and second year of graduate study.   Stipends are also offered for participation in one domestic summer internship between the first and second year of graduate school, and one overseas internship following the second year of graduate school.

The fellowship is funded by the United States Department of State and administered by the Woodrow Wilson National Foundation to attract students from all ethnic, racial and social backgrounds, who have an interest in pursuing a Foreign Service career.  Foreign service officers are personnel who service the diplomatic needs of the United States by staffing U.S. embassies, consulates and missions worldwide, and also serve in Washington D.C. Sylvia Sheridan, the assistant director of Public Policy and International Affairs at the Woodrow Wilson National Foundation, says women and minorities are underrepresented in the Foreign Service. “The fellowship requires a great deal of commitment and the ability to travel extensively.  We encourage all women and minority students who meet the criteria to consider a career in the Foreign Service and take advantage of the opportunity to apply.” Only United States citizens will be considered. Applicants must have a minimum undergraduate grade point average of 3.2 or higher on a scale of 4.0, which must be maintained throughout participation in the program.  At the time of application, candidates must be seeking admission to graduate school for the following academic year.  Each successful candidate must meet the Department of State Foreign Service entry requirements and accept a three-year appointment as a Foreign Service Officer.

The 2003 application will be available in late November. If you are interested in receiving a 2003 application packet, visit the Web site at www.woodrow.org or send an e-mail to pickeringgfaf@woodrow.org.  Mail inquiries to Richard Hope, Foreign Affairs Fellowship Program, The Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation, P.O. Box 2437; Princeton, NJ 08543-2437.

Consortium for Graduate Study in Management

In recent years, career opportunities for MBAs have been on the rise, particularly in marketing, human resources and urban development. The consortium for Graduate Study in Management (CGSM), a non-profit group of fourteen graduate business schools provides management education opportunities to African Americans, Hispanic Americans, and Native Americans seeking business careers. The merit-based fellowships offer full tuition for two years of full-time MBA study at one of the Consortium schools. The fellowships range from $40,000 - $50,000 to cover full tuition and required fees during the two-year graduate program.

According to Luis Pina, a recruiting assistant at CGSM, between 80 – 90% of applicants admitted to a Consortium school are awarded the fellowship. “Once a student is admitted to the MBA program, they should apply immediately to the fellowship program.”

Pina suggests that interested applicants apply online by visiting the CGSM Web site at http://www.cgsm.org/. Applications are accepted December 1 through January 15. For more information and application materials, contact The Consortium for Graduate Study in Management, 5585 Pershing Avenue, Suite 240; St. Louis, MO 63112; (314) 290-4565.

Before entering any type of graduate program research the application requirements, particularly the type of graduate school entrance tests.  These standardized tests geared toward graduate school play a key role in helping you gain acceptance.

The tests are designed to cover material in specific fields of study. For example:

• Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) is for business school.  The GMAT tests verbal, analytical and quantitative skills.

• Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is subject-based to test your overall scholastic ability. The GRE is a general test taken to cover a variety of fields.

•  Law School Admission Test (LSAT) is for law school.  The test covers writing skills, reading comprehension and logical/critical reasoning.

• Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) is medical school entrance exam.  Some of the subjects covered include physical and biological sciences, physics, organic chemistry, and yes, writing.

Applying to graduate school is time-consuming, detailed and hectic. Be sure to decide on a graduate course of study, secure financial aid and take the proper admission test well in advance of your anticipated starting date.  By taking care of these things ahead of time, you will be able to manage the application process better.