Posted on February 1, 2026 by
Feb. 1, 2026 — Madhumita Joshi, director of postdoctoral success for the Graduate School received an HSRU grant from the Henry Luce Foundation and UC Santa Cruz to support professional development training for doctoral students and postdoctoral trainees. With this funding and Joshi's leadership as the principal investigator (PI), the Graduate School launched the Graduate Mentoring Program (GMP), a semester-long, structured initiative that debuted this spring. The program is designed to help PhD students and postdoctoral scholars build confidence as mentors and future educators.
The hands-on program's three pillars include mentorship, teaching and leadership. Its cohort includes 10 doctoral students and postdoctoral fellows who previously participated in Graduate School mentoring workshops beginning in Fall 2025. The GMP opened with a separately-funded, full-day Center for the Improvement of Mentored Experiences in Research (CIMER) Entering Mentoring training in late January. This session supported participants in transitioning from mentees to mentors while exploring strategies for cultivating effective mentoring practices within academic communities.
“It was very rewarding to see the cohort's engagement and enthusiasm throughout this program,” said Joshi. “Kudos to all the participants.”
In addition to CIMER training, the program integrates interactive workshops focused on program pillars, communication, career readiness and curriculum from the National Center for Faculty Development and Diversity (NCFDD) and an introduction to evidence-based teaching through Center for the Integration of Research, Teaching and Learning (CIRTL) programming. By completing the program, participants are ultimately empowered to grow as future leaders in academia and industry.
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Giselle Villalpando
