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Morris Johnson, Ph.D.

School of Environmental & Forest Services, 2008

“I’m quite sure if it wasn’t for GO-MAP*, I wouldn’t be in my position now,” says Morris Johnson, a research fire ecologist with the U.S. Forest Service and a UW affiliate professor. “I would not have gone to graduate school, would not have gotten the Gates Millennium Scholarship to continue my studies, I would not be in Seattle.” 

Johnson hails from the small town of Waterproof, Louisiana. Military service was the expectation for Johnson and most of his classmates. But at the encouragement of his aunt, he enrolled at Southern Louisiana University, in a new field called Urban Forestry. 

In Johnson’s third year, he took an internship with the Forest Service which brought him to the Pacific Northwest. After returning to the internship for a second year, Johnson was offered a job as a silviculturist. 

Johnson planned to be done with school. “Why would I go to graduate school when I have a paid, full-time job?” he asked. Yet at the encouragement of one of his mentors, he took a tour at the University of Washington in Seattle. When he learned that he could receive funding for graduate school, he decided to apply. He was accepted to the School of Environmental and Forest Sciences and took a leave of absence from work. 

GO-MAP provided two quarters of financial support in Johnson’s first year. That funding, he says, was critical. “I wouldn’t have done graduate school without that funding,” he says. 

The transition to graduate school was not easy, Johnson says. For one thing, the workload was way more intense. “You’re only taking two classes, but both of those classes are like a full-time job,” Johnson says. 

And the University of Washington was very different from Southern, a historically black college. 

“At the UW you’re surrounded by a lot more resources, but also a lot of classmates who came from resources you didn’t have,” he says. “You have to work a lot harder to compete in university and in graduate school.” 

For Johnson, stopping by the GO-MAP office became part of his routine. “I used to go there all the time,” he says. “At the end of the day, or in between classes, I would go there and chit-chat with Cynthia (Morales) about anything. Having someone to go to is always nice on a campus like this.”

“Cynthia and Julius (Debro, associate dean of the Graduate School), were like my GO-MAP parents,” Johnson says. Johnson attended all of the GO-MAP functions to make connections with other people of color, and also recalls connecting with Emil Pitre, another important figure in the GO-MAP community, at events. On several occasions, Johnson was asked to tell his story at prospective student days. 

Johnson recalls how GO-MAP helped make his time in graduate school as seamless as possible when it came to funding and making connections. “They’re like the wizard from the Wizard of Oz,” he says, “back there making sure everything works out right.”

*This story is part of a series celebrating the 50th anniversary of GO-MAP, now known as GSEE. Learn more.

Audra Gray-Dowdy, M.Ed., Ph.D.

College of Education
M.Ed. – 1999
Ph.D. – 2011

As a student, Audra Gray-Dowdy formed an informal network of peers of color to help her navigate graduate school. GO-MAP* helped to formalize these networks and expand their reach beyond her department. 

Through conversations in the GO-MAP office and GO-MAP social events, Gray-Dowdy made connections that showed her “people who look like me do this and finish this process, and I can, too.”

“We really got to know each other well through GO-MAP,” she adds. “There were a lot of real, authentic friendships that came out of GO-MAP and grew from there.” 

For Gray-Dowdy, it was significant that the Graduate School encourages students to build community. When she was a student, and now as an alumni, “I can walk into the Grad School and it’s not like I’m walking into a business office that’s inaccessible to me,” she says. “GO-MAP made the Graduate School feel like home, made me feel like I belonged. Sure it’s a business office but it’s a place where people are welcoming and personable – what other universities have that?” 

After Gray-Dowdy graduated with her master’s, she taught fifth grade in the Compton Unified District in California for several years. When she returned to UW for her Ph.D., she reconnected with the GO-MAP family.

Inspired by the networks of support they received from GO-MAP, Gray-Dowdy and several women of color in Education established a thesis and dissertation writing group. The members met regularly to talk about their research. They helped to hold each other accountable, while also receiving feedback on their research. 

As a Ph.D. student, Gray-Dowdy approached Cynthia Morales (then assistant director) when she was seeking funding or new opportunities. “Just to have her accept me, hear me out, and tell me she would keep her eyes and ears open – it was very comforting to know that,” Gray-Dowdy says. If I hadn’t known her as a grad student, I would have been struggling,” she adds. 

At one point, Gray-Dowdy approached Cynthia because her graduate appointment did not run through the summer and she was seeking work. She earned an appointment to work for GO-MAP during the summer, providing her funding for the summer months. 

As a Graduate Staff Assistant in the summer of ‘00, Gray-Dowdy played an important role in organizing the first Getting Connected – an annual fall event to help graduate students of color meet. She worked alongside Johnella Butler (then director) and Morales to help with the planning for the event. She created brochures and helped put together the event, including choosing the location and ordering the food, 

“I feel a sense of honor when Cynthia says I was part of helping to create Getting Connected, even though its an overstatement,” Gray-Dowdy says. 

Gray-Dowdy contributed to the GO-MAP community in other ways, as well – by mentoring new students of color through the Diversity Ambassadors program.

“I wanted to give all the wisdom I had earned back to people,” she says, adding that “any time GO-MAP asked myself or my peers to contribute, the answer was always yes because we knew connecting students of color to GO-MAP would be a lifesaver for (those students). We didn’t need to be convinced, because we already felt the love from GO-MAP.” 

It’s true, though, that GO-MAP wasn’t just about spreading love. “The goal was for us students of color to get our degrees in a way that still feeds our souls,” Gray-Dowdy says. “This might look like working in communities that are unnoticed, communities we represent, and doing work we feel passionate about. As a student, you feel really feel that GO-MAP is investing in you because they know you’re going to take your degrees and make an impact in your field, and make an impact in your community.” 

After walking with her Ph.D. in 2011, Gray-Dowdy joined the faculty at East Tennessee State University. She is now the Dean of Students at Federal Way Public Schools.

*This story is part of a series celebrating the 50th anniversary of GO-MAP, now known as GSEE. Learn more.

Naomi Campa, M.A., Ph.D.

Department of Classics, 2014

I received a GO-MAP* supplemental grant and later a dissertation fellowship during my time at UW. The fellowship was quite unexpected for me and came at a moment when I was debating whether I would be able to finish my dissertation at all. 

The award had the practical effect of making it financially possible for me to work on my dissertation, but it moreover felt like a real vote of confidence; I felt flattered that my department had nominated me for the award and incredibly honored to have received it. I was working on my dissertation off campus, and the Skype meetings with the rest of the fellows helped me focus on the task at hand and feel connected during the isolated process of dissertation writing. GO-MAP had a crucial role in seeing me to the finish, which I am proud to report I reached in June 2014.

I am now a Visiting Assistant Professor of Classics at Kenyon College. I have a few articles and book reviews published and am working on a monograph developed from my dissertation. 

*This story is part of a series celebrating the 50th anniversary of GO-MAP, now known as GSEE. Learn more.

Tamiko Nimura, Ph.D.

English, 2004

For Tamiko Nimura, Dr. Johnnella Butler’s classes felt like a sanctuary. 

Butler was director of the Minority Education Division (renamed GO-MAP* during her tenure) from 2000–2006. “Dr. Butler not only taught classes that provided community for students of color,” says Nimura, “she was a mainstay support for us.” 

During Nimura’s first year in graduate school, “I was terrified to speak up in classes,” she says. “But I never felt terrified around Dr. Butler. I always felt the comments I made in class were appreciated and welcomed. She was always very generous with her time and feedback, and her comments were always supportive.” 

Nimura turned to Butler to be the chair of her thesis committee, doctoral exam committee and her dissertation committee. She still remembers how tickled she felt when she ran into Butler’s husband and he told her, “Dr. Butler thinks you’re the cat’s pajamas.” 

“To hear that from her husband was really funny and lovely,” she says. 

As director, Butler established student and faculty advisory committees which provided support, ideas and feedback to help build the Minority Education Division’s programming for students of color. Nimura – eager to be involved in efforts to support other graduate students of color – became a member of the Student Advisory Committee. 

That same year, Nimura was passed over for a T.A.-ship by her department. She was one of two students in her cohort who didn’t receive funding that year. “It was very painful,” she says. “It felt like a sign of my worth.” 

Nimura received funding from GO-MAP in her third year, which helped her to continue in her program.

But the GO-MAP community helped her in another way – by providing an outlet. 

Taking classes with Dr. Butler and working on the GO-MAP advisory committee “made me feel I had something to contribute to the UW community, and whether or not I received a T.A.-ship didn’t have to be my only sign of validation of being in academia.” 

The Student Advisory Committee was responsible for getting to know students of color across campus and providing input on the kinds of support they needed. This process led them to develop opportunities for students of color to meet socially – thus, Getting and Staying Connected were born. The committee was also integral in developing in renaming the unit from Minority Education Division to GO-MAP.

On campus, students of color were discussing Initiative 200, which, in 1998, banned affirmative action in Washington state. In September three years later, came the attacks on the World Trade Center in New York. 

“Being a graduate student of color teaching in the wake of September 11 was a painful and difficult thing,” Nimura says. It was especially difficult to discuss issues of race in the classroom.

The GO-MAP office was a haven, a refuge, and a place of nurturing for students during that time. “Going into classes where we may have felt alienated, or teaching undergrads where we might have been instructors of color facing a majority white class – it gave us strength knowing we had a community behind us.” 

GO-MAP also helped students feel empowered to work toward creating a better campus climate, she says. “That feeling that you have some agency and control over a situation goes a long way toward sustaining you,” she adds. 

Since leaving academia in 2011, Nimura has built a freelance writing career with a focus on American Ethnic Studies. She is a community-oriented journalist who writes mostly about and for Asian American artists. She works to serve communities that are often ignored by sharing their stories. 

“Dr. Butler actually taught me a lot about doing work that serves the community,” she says. “She taught me that you don’t forget where you came from.”

*This story is part of a series celebrating the 50th anniversary of GO-MAP, now known as GSEE. Learn more.

Summer Tips for Your Career Development

Summer is as good a time as any to invest in your professional development! Whether you already have your eyes set on the job of your dreams or are considering a range of career paths, there are several activities that can help you reach your professional goals. Below are a just a few to get your started.

Use a career assessment or career exploration tool. Career assessments can help you identify your strengths, skills, and values in relation to jobs that pique your interest. These assessments can also help you narrow down particular fields or industries that are a match with your career goals. If you’re in the humanities or social sciences, consider checking out the career exploration tool called ImaginePhD (master’s students can use this as well). If you’re in the STEM disciplines, try out myIDP Science Careers. Both tools are free!

Lead informational interviews. An informational interview is an informal conversation with a professional working in a field of interest to you. It is an opportunity for you to engage in a meaningful conversation to hear and learn about an individual’s career trajectory, knowledge of a particular industry, additional networking referrals, and more. These insights can help you make informed choices during your job search. The Career and Internship Center on the Seattle campus refers to an informational interview as a career conversation.

Be a volunteer or intern. If you’re exploring a range of career paths, consider being a volunteer or intern on a short-term basis. Explore paid and unpaid internship opportunities listed on Handshake (a free service for UW students). If being a volunteer or intern involves too much of a time commitment for you and your schedule, considering setting up a job shadow experience to get a feel for a particular profession. Keep in mind that being a volunteer or intern to gain professional experience is neither extra-curricular nor a distraction to writing a thesis or dissertation — these work experiences can help you gain skills and make you a stronger candidate for jobs outside of academia. Here’s another article about pursuing internships while being a graduate student. 

Read job postings. Reading job listings are important to career exploration. Derek Attig has come up with several self-reflective strategies that make perusing job ads less tedious and more useful. Ask yourself the following questions: (1) Can I imagine myself doing the tasks required for this job? (2) Do the values of the employer resonate with my own? (3) What might I dislike about the job I am reading about? (4) Am I on board with the mission of the employer?

We encourage you to take the time to invest in your professional development this summer and let us know what career tips work for you! Finally, you are receiving this newsletter based on your affiliation as a new or returning graduate student at the University of Washington. If you wish to unsubscribe from this newsletter, please click here and visit this blog post for directions on managing your subscription preferences.

Best,
Core Programs—Office of Graduate Student Affairs
UW Graduate School

Recharge in summer

Summer is the perfect time to make room for activities and experiences that will help you be – and feel – prepared for the coming year! The pace can feel slower during this time of the year, and there’s a little more wiggle room to be intentional about visualizing and achieving your intellectual, professional and interpersonal goals. Maybe you’re starting from scratch (or already have some initial goals) and just need a plan of action? Maybe you need some structured time and support to work on a grant proposal, finish an experiment, polish a manuscript or start your job search? Maybe you are interested in exploring the Pacific Northwest and trying some activities during the best season to live in Seattle? Or maybe you have other, non-UW responsibilities to take care of and often find it difficult to schedule time to relax and (momentarily) step away.

We encourage you to carve out some time to refuel yourself, and choose activities that would bring you energy. As we all know that self-care is important and will help with productivity.

Below are some tips and opportunities you can engage in throughout summer in Seattle.

Tips for self-care

UW Recreation opportunities

  • UWild Adventures offers opportunities to attend a class or a trip, rent gear, climb at the Crags, paddle at the Waterfront, or join a club.
  • UW IMA membership includes access to swimming pool, gyms, assorted courts, locker rooms, indoor track, climbing center, cardio and weight rooms and a variety of studio spaces.

Activities around Seattle

  • Space Needle | Chihuly Garden and Glass | Pacific Science Center | Seattle Great Wheel | The Original Starbucks | Fremont Troll | Gum Wall | Gas Works Park
  • Seafair Festival continues throughout the summer, culminating with amazing displays ranging from a Blue Angels Air show to thrilling hydroplane boat races
  • Root for Seattle Teams: Mariners, Sounders and Reign
  • Foodies’ Choice: Bite of Seattle

Outdoor Activities

  • Golden Garden Park: beach volleyball; BBQ; kayaking; sunbathing on the sandy beach
  • Alki Beach: Biking; kayaking; beach volleyball; BBQ; sunbathing on the sandy beach
  • Hiking: Washington Trail Association; Public transportation options;

Museums and Free Museum Days

Live Music

Movies in the Park

The OPA newsletter is distributed monthly throughout the year. Feel free to reach out if you have something to share. And, take care of yourself!

Crafting an Effective Diversity Statement and Cover Letter

In Spring 2019, the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs (OPA), Core Programs in the Graduate School, the Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL), and the Office of Minority Affairs and Diversity (OMA&D) co-sponsored an interactive workshop led by the UW Postdoc Diversity Alliance, Crafting an Effective Diversity Statement and Cover Letter. A panel of four speakers — Rickey Hall, vice president and university diversity officer, OMA&D; Evangelina Shreeve, director, STEM Education and Outreach, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory; Butch de Castro, professor and associate dean, School of Nursing; and Cynthia del Rosario, diversity, equity and access officer, Information School — shared insights on topics related to diversity statements and the job application process. We are summarizing the highlights from the panel discussion, including strategies to create effective diversity statements.

Diversity not only includes demographic characteristics like gender, race, and ethnicity; it includes all dimensions of one’s identity, such as first-generation status, economic background, immigration status and more. Some characteristics are more salient and visible than others. Inclusion means that diverse voices are included in the decision-making process. There are distinct differences between equality and equity. Equity involves giving people what they need to be as successful as non-minoritized groups; conversely, equality is to treat everyone the same. Diversity is extremely important in the science community, where different perspectives are and should be highly valued. Organizations that value diversity and inclusion strive to provide a space where all members are respected. If a system or structure perpetuates inequity and inequality, we should encourage one another to challenge this system or structure. While we are making strides to address diversity, equity, & inclusion (DEI) in academia, there is a lot of work ahead of us.

Diversity Statements need to be personalized: they are a reflection of your positionality, and a place where you demonstrate your passion and compassion. You can give examples about how to bring diverse perspectives into your inclusive teaching. While some organizations do not require diversity statements as part of the job application, you are encouraged to provide examples of how you uniquely prioritize DEI elsewhere in your application materials. For example, documents required by government jobs are standard. To distinguish your voice and highlight why you are the right person for a particular position, you can consider framing your cover letter (and all the other application materials) from your diversity perspective when appropriate. Use specific examples from your personal experiences. Think whether your research, teaching or public service addressed any diversity issues. Your statement works the best when you have an understanding of the diversity mission and the holistic strategic plan for your dream organization. If you haven’t had any experience with diversity, propose a plan on how you are going to be more involved when you get hired. Also consider asking your reference letter writers to address how you contributed to diversity. Authenticity is the key: be sure to let your true self come through in your application materials.

Diversity work is important. As Ricky Hall said, “Let’s hold ourselves and our colleagues accountable. We lead by engaging.” Good luck with preparing your application materials. And know that your efforts to improve the climate and culture at the UW and beyond are appreciated.

Setting Boundaries for Yourself

These last few weeks of the quarter are truly a busy time. Many of you are completing final projects while also navigating job searches. Others are completing degree requirements in anticipation of graduating next year, or within the next several years. No matter where you’re at in your educational or career trajectory, below are some tips to help you push through this last leg of the academic year.

Protect your time. Graduate school can often make you feel like you have no control over your schedule, but this is simply not true. Yes, you are busy, and it’s still possible to manage your time. Block out times in your weekly calendar where you have no flexibility — e.g. courses, appointments, hard deadlines, family time. Reschedule meetings that can wait until after you complete the quarter. Hold small chunks of time during the day, or a larger chunk of time twice a week (or a duration that works for you), for self-care activities that re-energize and nourish you.

Set boundaries. During crunch time, it’s important to say no to doing things that take time away from completing your short-term goals this quarter. Often times in graduate school, exciting or interesting work or research project opportunities may come up that pique your interest. Just ask yourself: are these new projects a distraction from what actually needs to get done? Remember that it’s perfectly okay to say no to requests of your time, as only you know your needs and schedule. 

Connect with support. When the pressure is on, it’s important to stay connected with individuals that support us and have our best interests in mind. Having trouble staying motivated on a final paper? Organize an impromptu writing accountability group with peers at a café, or make it a potluck at home after you’re done writing for a few hours. Needing feedback on your work? Check in with your advisor or mentor to make sure you are on the right track. Feeling anxious or stressed out? Reach out to a friend, a loved one or a community member who can lend an empathic ear and help you stay present.

We hope these tips resonate with you, and good luck with the rest of spring quarter!

Best,

Core Programs—Office of Graduate Student Affairs
UW Graduate School

How Prof. Houra Merrikh Works

Houra Merrikh, Assistant Professor

Department/program: Microbiology
Research focus: DNA Replication

In a 2016 interview, microbiologist Houra Merrik said her goal is to “be somebody who sets an example and facilitates the system in a way that people that have gone through hardships can bring their abilities to science.” Houra knows what it means to overcome adversity: born in Iran, she immigrated with her family to Turkey at age three. At 16, she moved to the U.S. without her family and put herself through community college by working at restaurants and selling cars. Now, she studies conflicts in the process of cell division: specifically, in the competing processes of replication and transmission. In 2016, she was one of three recipients of the Vilcek Prize for Creative Promise in Biomedical Science.

Work

Give us a one-word description of how you work:

Relentlessly

How do you manage your to-dos?

E-mail Tasks Feature

What are your essential apps, software or tools?

Powerpoint, Outlook, Google Docs

Where do you most often work?

On campus, in my office.

How do you manage your time?

By priority.

What is your best time-saving shortcut?

Short email responses.

What are some of your productivity strategies you’ve honed over your years in academia?

Staggering my tasks.

Life

What mundane thing are you really exceptional at?

Sarcastic jokes

What’s the last thing that made you laugh?

A cat birthday party at a bar.

How do you recharge?

Exercise and sleep.

What’s your sleep routine like?

Six hours a night.

Inspiration

What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?

Follow your heart.

Who’s your support system?

My husband.

What pitfall do you consistently see students falling into?

They lack time management.

What do your most successful students do?

They work hard.

How UW Works was inspired by LifeHacker’s How I Work.