Professional Development Innovation Mini-Grants for Graduate Student Organizations
Grants up to $2,000 will be awarded to Graduate Student Organizations (GSOs) presenting the most innovative, high-impact experiences or activities. Only organizations that have NOT previously received a Graduate and Professional School (Grad School) or Aggies Commit Mini-Grant are eligible. Applications for the 2021-2022 academic year will be accepted until February 4th, 2022.
Purpose: To encourage the development of new or the enhancement of existing activities/events/awards sponsored by TAMU GSOs that provide high-impact learning or professional development opportunities for graduate student participants. By definition, these experiences promote deep learning through encouraging strong student engagement, helping students build relationships with faculty and peers, providing rich and frequent feedback, helping students apply what they are learning, and providing opportunities for students to reflect on the professional they are becoming. GSOs can propose original ideas or collaborative ideas that include other units on campus (e.g., other student organizations, departments or campus service units such as Career Center, University Libraries, University Writing Center, Counseling & Psychological Services, Center for Teaching Excellence).
Eligibility: Must be an officially recognized TAMU GSO with the Department of Student Activities by the time of the proposed activity; this GSO can be at the department-, college-, or university-level.* GSOs are eligible to receive this mini-grant only if the organization has NOT received a Graduate and Professional School Mini-Grant or Aggies Commit Mini-Grant previously.
*To check your organizations recognition status, visit https://stuactonline.tamu.edu/app/search. If your organization is not currently recognized, we strongly encourage you to start the recognition process. If you have questions, please email grad-aggies@tamu.edu.
Award Criteria
- Quality of activity: The proposed activity/event must provide high-impact learning or development activities for participants. Examples of previously awarded activities can be found on the webpage.
- Number of students served: The proposed activity/event must benefit more than a few (e.g., >3) graduate students; if a quality experience can be delivered to more students, this will increase the competitiveness of the application.
- Feasibility of the project:
- Financially: If it requires more funding than provided by this award, how will the organization recruit other support or provide from its existing organizational budget?
- Operationally: What experience does your GSO have in providing this type of activity/event? Alternatively, cite relevant experience of the Executive Committee members/officers that would contribute to delivering this type of activity.
- Timeline: When will the activity/event(s) occur and for what duration? Activities/events may occur during Spring, Summer or Fall 2022. Events occurring in Spring or Summer 2022 should submit their event report and receipts by August 1st, 2022. Fall 2022 events (occurring August 1st – November 30th) should submit their event report and receipts by December 1st, 2022.
- NOTE: All other factors being equal, applications providing quality, high impact experiences at a lower cost will have a competitive advantage.
Application and Award Process
- Application forms must be completed and submitted online by Friday, February 4th, 2022.
- Reviews will be completed by a committee composed of Graduate and Professional School personnel and GPSG Executive Committee members and notifications will be made by Friday, February 18th, 2022.
- The selected GSOs are required to schedule a pre-event meeting with Graduate and Professional School personnel to go over award requirements.
- Awards will be administered financially by the Graduate and Professional School.
- A short report summarizing the GSO event/activity, including the event attendance sheet and photos, will be due with receipts to the Graduate and Professional School by August 1st, 2022 for Spring 2022 and Summer 2022 events and by December 1st, 2022 for Fall 2022 events.
Previously Awarded Activities
- History Graduate Conference
- Mentorship in Entomology Symposium
- Academic Freedom Panel & Workshop - English
- Graduate Research Symposium – Biomedical Engineering
- Symposium for Agriculture & Applied Economics Research
- Panel on Interdisciplinary Nuclear Security
- Visit to 85th Texas Legislature Session – Texas A&M Health Science Center
- Aggie Graduate and Professional Community Club Mentorship Program
- Annual Poster Competition – Horticulture
- Graduate Student Forum – Aerospace
- Addition of graduate student poster competition to TAM Public Health Student Association’s Health Disparities Symposium
- College of Medicine – Graduate Student Organization Annual Symposium
- Oral & Poster Competition – Plant Breeding Symposium
- Pitch Your Research Competition – Materials Advantage
- Material Science & Engineering Business Problem Solving Competition
- Practical Skills Workshops – Aerospace
- Research Symposium – Chemical Engineering