Public Affairs

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News Release

Friday, January 21, 2011

Writer: Ben Benson, 706/425-2953, bbenson@uga.edu

Contact: Judy Milton, 706/425-2953, jmilton@uga.edu

UGA Graduate School receives award for excellence and innovation in graduate
admissions practices

Athens, Ga. – The University of Georgia Graduate School recently received the 2010-
2011 Award for Excellence and Innovation in Graduate Admissions from the Council of
Historically Black Graduate Schools and the Educational Testing Service. The award
acknowledges outstanding practices in graduate admissions.

“We are honored to be recognized by these organizations for our innovative efforts,” said
Maureen Grasso, dean of the Graduate School. “This award reflects our commitment to
provide an excellent experience for prospective and current students and promote
diversity at the University of Georgia.”

The Graduate School received the award for its data-based Recruitment through
Graduation initiative. This initiative grew out of the innovative practices developed
during the Ph.D. Completion Project, a research project funded by the Council of
Graduate Schools.

“The expanded use of these practices dramatically improved the acceptance and
graduation rates of underrepresented graduate students,” said Grasso.

Since 2004, enrollment of African-American and Hispanic graduate students has

increased by 31 percent and 75 percent, respectively, in UGA graduate programs. In the
same time period, degree completion rates for African-American and Hispanic graduate
students improved by more than 20 percent.

As part of the Recruitment through Graduation initiative, the Graduate School conducted
quantitative and qualitative research to understand why graduate students drop out of
programs before completion. The results allowed the Graduate School to develop
programs to assist graduate students from initial contact with UGA through completion of
their degree.

“The Recruitment through Graduation initiative has enhanced our understanding of how
to recruit top graduate students and provide them with sufficient resources throughout
their education at UGA,” said Grasso.
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Award, page 2

The Graduate School has implemented innovative recruitment efforts to contact and stay
in touch with graduate students. It uses a variety of technologies to connect students,
departments and the Graduate School, including Connect a Web-based database, and
Facebook. The Graduate School also provides funding, professional development
opportunities, social networks, and academic and personal advising to help students
navigate through graduate education.

As the recipient of the award, the Graduate School will receive $2,500 to fund additional
innovative practices for graduate student recruitment, admissions programs or retention
efforts.

The Council of Historically Black Graduate Schools helps its member universities
increase enrollment, retention and graduation of African-American students in graduate
programs. Educational Testing Service develops and administers the GRE and TOEFL
tests and conducts research to improve education practices and assessments.

For more information on the Graduate School, see http://www.grad.uga.edu/.

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