U of A’s Grad CAFE helps underrepresented STEM students succeed socially, academically
Grad CAFE addresses disparities in success rates through mentoring, academic resources and a greater sense of belonging
Graduate students, part of the Grad CAFE program, pose for a photo together.
From tutoring centers to peer mentoring programs, universities often offer a myriad of support services for undergraduate students, helping them navigate and thrive in a new environment. These same universities, however, rarely offer similar support for graduate students going through an equally challenging transition into academically demanding programs.
These challenges can be especially tough on underrepresented students, who often face additional barriers like cultural isolation, financial strain and even more limited access to support.
Supported by the University of Arizona’s Graduate College Office of Diversity and Inclusion, the Graduate Communities for Academic Fellowship and Efficacy (Grad CAFE) program was created to provide underrepresented graduate students with peer mentoring, academic resources and a greater sense of community.
The program grew out of a project that Celeste Atkins, Director of Student Engagement and Retention, and Nicole Marrone, Associate Professor and Director of Graduate Studies in Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences, worked on in their 2022-23 year as HSI Fellows where they created the program and raised $22,000 in internal funds.
Following the success of the 2023-24 pilot of Grad CAFE, the program has been awarded a $1 million National Science Foundation (NSF) Innovation in Graduate Education grant to continue its growth.
A Need for Grad CAFE
According to the 2024 Grad CAFE Final Report, students of color make up only 16% of doctoral graduate students at the university and are much more likely to leave after their first year or take longer to complete. Therefore, the Graduate College Office of Diversity and Inclusion conducted a needs assessment for underrepresented graduate students during the 2022-23 school year to get a better sense of how to help, ultimately through the creation of Grad CAFE.
Reasons for concerns about their ability to continue at the university:
- Female and underrepresented graduate students reported higher stress levels than other demographics related to finances, family responsibilities, course load and workload
- 44% indicated they did not feel a sense of belonging in their graduate program
- 23% felt they did not have adequate support to be successful
Solutions:
- 91% of respondents were interested in peer mentoring
- Increased connection with faculty
- Respondents indicated a longing for social events to increase community and a sense of belonging
Creating Community
The Grad CAFE is structured as a “holistic, multi-tiered mentoring community” program, according to Atkins.
She and Marrone plan and facilitate classes, events and conduct one-on-one peer mentoring; this is the first layer. The second is community leaders. Doctoral candidates who have passed their comprehensive exams co-facilitate student success seminars and small group mentoring communities, as well as peer mentor. The third layer is the peer mentors, who are first- and second-year doctoral students. They peer mentor each other and attend regular CAFE activities.
Grad CAFE students share a meal together during a small group Cafecitos meeting.
Grad CAFE is centered around a one-unit, one-hour-per-week, academic seminar co-facilitated by community leaders. These classes explore topics such as graduate school expectations, university resources, career exploration and creating a community of mentorship, as well as other class-selected topics.
“Last spring, we had someone who was interested in how to network,” Atkins said. “People tell you to go out and network, but what does that look like? So, we brought in somebody to talk about it.”
Grad CAFE also hosts monthly “Cafécitos,” where all members gather four times per semester to share a meal, network and form social connections.
“Cafécitos are the heart of the Grad CAFE program as trust and relationships are built around the kitchen table within many communities, particularly for communities of color,” Atkins said. “It’s an open, inclusive and comfortable environment to socialize non-academically.”
A Successful First Year: 2023-24
Survey results indicated that students were satisfied with the class and their peer mentoring experiences during the program’s first year.
Kelsy Nilles, a sixth-year neuroscience Ph.D. student and Grad CAFE community leader, said, “The Cafécitos were where you really built your community. I remember the very first Cafécito. I left with tears in my eyes from laughing so hard, and I remember feeling like I finally had a community of my own.”
When Nilles joined Grad CAFE, she was struggling to stay focused and motivated during exam periods and was in need of support.
“Graduate school is chaotic!” Nilles said. “It’s just a lot of unknown and that is terrifying. I think Grad CAFE really helps to break through some of that chaos.”
Continuing to Grow
Grad CAFE logo.
With the NSF funding, the Grad CAFE will continue to expand and provide support for underrepresented STEM graduate students. Program leaders hope to reach students beyond STEM fields as the program grows, creating an interdisciplinary, intersectional opportunity for all students.
“We hope the Grad CAFE program can serve as a model to other institutions, because there is truly no other program out there like this,” said Frans Tax, Associate Dean for Student Affairs, Diversity and Inclusion in the Graduate College.
Graduate students seeking support and a greater sense of community should be on the lookout for information on how to sign up for Grad CAFE. Check out the community leader and peer mentor flyers for additional information.