While some graduate students who are active duty military want to build skills for future civilian careers, others, like Philip Steenstra, are getting graduate degrees to become more skilled military personnel. Steenstra, an Army Captain and a graduate student pursuing a Master of Science degree in Environmental Science at Washington State University, hopes to use his degree to secure a position in the US Corps of Engineers after graduation. Though he would like to join the Corps of Engineers, he knows the new skills he has acquired at WSU will be useful in many fields. “I will be returning to the active Army after completing my degree here,” he says, “but I plan to use my degree as best I can regardless of the assignment I have.”

Steenstra has been interested in going to graduate school in environmental science for as long as he can remember. As a graduate student, Steenstra has studied the emerging threat of tungsten to Washington’s waterways. He argued in a recent project proposal that the surplus of tungsten in Washington’s water supply was a threat to public health and ecology. This work builds on prior studies conducted by the Environmental Projection Agency (EPA) in 2008 and in California in 2014. Steenstra has enjoyed the work noting that, “Throughout my entire education I’ve enjoyed learning about environmental processes and I’ve very much enjoyed continuing to build on that knowledge” at WSU.

Steenstra believes his military background has improved his performance as a graduate student. “The military has significantly helped me prepare for graduate school as myriad skills I learned or honed while in the Army carry over into graduate life” he said in a conversation with CGS. “In particular, skills concerning organization, time management, and writing have been instrumental in my success thus far.” Beyond academic skills, Steenstra’s time in the Army has helped him keep graduate school in perspective. The Army gave him “plenty of practice in maintaining a healthy work-life balance [which] has made this time enjoyable.”

Steenstra looks forward to continuing to build his military career after finishing graduate school. “I will have plenty of time to get myself into an assignment where I can use my degree as I plan to stay in the Army until at least retirement (20 years of service) even though I’m only at ten years right now.” Once he has secured his military retirement, he wants to work for a state or federal regulatory agency in order to continue to use his science background to serve his fellow citizens. Moving into a regulatory agency will mean “I can continue making a positive impact on our country” he concludes.

To learn more about Philip’s work, visit the Washington State University website.

Visit the GradImpact Feature Gallery to learn more about the amazing, innovative research being done by graduate students and alumni across the world.

Photo Credit: Philip Steenstra

UC San Francisco graduate student and military veteran Raul Torres says he enlisted in the Army National Guard when he turned 18, primarily because he saw it as a way to be financially independent during college and graduate debt-free. It was 2003, the beginning of the Iraq War, but, he notes with a half-laugh, that was only supposed to last a couple of years. 

He was deployed to Bagdad almost immediately upon graduating from the University of Texas at Arlington in 2008.  His squad was in charge of convoy security, ensuring that needed supplies and personnel got from Bagdad, the main point of entrance to the country, to various military outposts.  He counts himself lucky, as his unit didn’t encounter any roadside bombs or heavy fire, although other units doing this same kind of work often did. “You knew what could happen, so the anxiety never really went away, but you did fall into a routine and learned what to expect.” During his service, Raul was also involved in emergency response stateside, notably during Hurricane Rita in 2005 in his home state of Texas.

Having finished his service commitment in 2009, Torres enjoyed a new sense of freedom. “Having a disciplined, structured way of doing things works well in the military and in science,” but, he says, “in the military you are always forced not to ask why, not to question the way things are done. It’s necessary because of the heavy consequences that can result if you question orders or the mission, but it’s also antithetical to scientific thinking, which requires you to constantly ask why or how you might do something differently.”

As an undergrad with a dual anthropology and biology major, Torres had done field work in ethnography and archeology, but not research in a biology lab. So, after Iraq, with the ultimate goal of getting a PhD, he applied to post-bac programs and landed at the University of Chicago, where he did research in human genetics. With this experience under his belt, he was accepted into the Biomedical Sciences doctoral program at UCSF.

In Ryan Hernandez’s Lab at UCSF, Raul has been studying the complex interaction of linked selection and demography on generating patterns of diversity across the genome and looking at how such patterns contribute to variation within and between different human populations.

A life-long interest in both evolutionary history and social history imbues Raul’s ambitions as a researcher. “In revealing population-specific patterns generated through evolutionary forces, it may become possible to better leverage genetic data to benefit specific populations, for example, and decrease health disparities in those that are understudied. More than anything, I want to have a positive impact on marginalized communities,” he says.

Visit the GradImpact Feature Gallery to learn more about the amazing, innovative research being done by graduate students and alumni across the world.

LaVoya Woods-Dionne first learned about doctoral degrees when she was 6 years old. Since that time, pursuing her own post-secondary education has been a major goal.

Her prior career as a Data Analyst for the U.S. Air Force prepared her for success. “Military life relies on a robust system of accountability both professionally and personally,” she says. The cardinal value of accountability – buttressed by the Air Force’s commitment to integrity – meant that Woods-Dionne knew and trusted her support system. “When I was serving, it was comforting knowing that there was always an airman or community member close by should I need support.”

When Woods-Dionne arrived at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2017 to pursue a master’s degree in social work, she hoped to find a network available to support her unique needs and goals.

Fortunately, at UNC she found a community of veterans, active duty military, and reserves – as well as faculty and staff – who understood her concerns and supported her as she adjusted to graduate student life. “Before moving here [to Chapel Hill] I wish I’d known there was a military student community I could tap into,” she recalls. “It may have eased some of my anxiety about being an adult learner in a more traditional education setting.” Furthermore, that community encouraged her that her military background was an asset. Integrity, one of the Air Force’s core values, was also paramount in graduate school. The habits and discipline Woods-Dionne learned in the military was another advantage. “The pace and intensity of military work overseas equipped me to handle the simultaneous demands of coursework, research assistantships, and internships,” she notes.

Woods-Dionne plans to use her master’s degree in social work to help raise awareness of the effects of trauma and oppression and promote healing. In 2017-18 she worked as an intern at the Refugee Wellness Initiative on issues related to the mental health of recently arrived refugees. She plans to become a licensed clinical social worker and pursue her doctoral degree two years after receiving her master’s degree.

Despite her eagerness to graduate and help others, Woods-Dionne will miss the campus that helped her transition into civilian life. The Queens, N.Y., native has grown accustomed to the more relaxed pace of the South, noting that it has helped her preserve a healthier balance between her schoolwork and social life. “Chapel Hill and its proximity to Raleigh and Durham give me the slower life of Southern porches and sweet tea while also feeding the academic in me that thrives in rigorous study.” 

To learn more about LaVoya’s work, visit the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill website.

Visit the GradImpact Feature Gallery to learn more about the amazing, innovative research being done by graduate students and alumni across the world.

Photo Credit: Ilich Mejía

We at CGS want to thank and honor the men and women who have served in the American armed forces. As part of our tribute, we will be posting a series of GradImpact stories featuring graduate student veterans in celebration of Veterans Day. Thank you for sharing your stories with us and thank you for your service.

For Country and Family: Tyler Mobra (University of Oklahoma - Tulsa)

For many, graduate study holds the promise of a better life and more secure financial future for the student and their family. Veterans share this interest in financial security when charting a career path after their military service ends. Tyler Mobra, a doctoral candidate in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies at the University of Oklahoma - Tulsa, is one such student veteran. After serving as a staff sergeant in the U.S. Army and being deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan, Mobra was awarded a Purple Heart and Bronze Star for heroic or meritorious service.

Radical Experimentation and Emotional Leadership: Wayne Johnson (Cornell University)

Many graduate students learn the importance of experimentation to good research through coursework, mentorship, and controlled lab environments. Wayne Johnson, a doctoral student in management at Cornell University, took a completely different path. As the leader of an Army counter-bomb unit in Eastern Afghanistan, Johnson had seen how bomb defusal and removal strategies designed for troops serving in Iraq were failing in Afghanistan. “After a month of heavy losses, I realized radical experimentation was needed,” he said. Johnson found that the new methods worked well and he was reassigned to the Army Research lab to teach what he had learned to others.

Living Her Life for Others: Meghan Lowry (University of Oklahoma - Tulsa)

“As veterans, we’re trained to fight, but we’re not really trained to come home,” said Megan Lowry, a master’s student in social work at The University of Oklahoma—Tulsa. Lowry knows this first-hand and is determined to make a difference

Mission Driven: William LaRose (Cornell University)

A commitment to public service is a value shared by almost all veterans and active duty servicemembers. This commitment is also shared by many graduate students who hope to use their education for the betterment of their communities. It was the commitment to public service that spurred William LaRose, a master’s candidate in public administration at Cornell University, to pursue a graduate degree after serving four years in the US Army. “I knew I wanted to continue to service after the Army,” LaRose said, “and that I wanted to do so at a premier university and program.”

Turning Trauma into Purpose: James Hentig (University of Notre Dame)

As a doctoral candidate in biology at the University of Notre Dame, James “Jayme” Hentig researches Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI) and regenerative therapies. In 2017, he received a Graduate Research Fellowship from the National Science Foundation to develop and implement an innovative TBI model design for pre-clinical trials. His project requires managing budgets, collaborating with interdisciplinary teams at other universities, and overseeing junior scientists, all skills he honed while in the U.S. military.

Providing a Beacon of Hope for Veterans and First Responders: Nick Harnish (University of Wisconsin - Madison)

Nick Harnish is an applied master’s student in the School of Human Ecology at the University of Wisconsin—Madison with an emphasis in community organizing, human development, nonprofit management, and public humanities. He’s also a veteran of the U.S. Army, a former first responder, a volunteer with Wisconsin Hero Outdoors, and a Public Humanities Scholar with the UW—Madison Center for Humanities.

Environmental Science and Public Service: Philip Steenstra (Washington State University)

While some graduate students who are active duty military want to build skills for future civilian careers, others, like Philip Steenstra, are getting graduate degrees to become more skilled military personnel. Steenstra, an Army Captain and a graduate student pursuing a Master of Science degree in Environmental Science at Washington State University, hopes to use his degree to secure a position in the US Corps of Engineers after graduation.

Veteran Continues Service by Studying Human Genetics: Raul Torres (University of California - San Francisco)

UC San Francisco graduate student and military veteran Raul Torres says he enlisted in the Army National Guard when he turned 18, primarily because he saw it as a way to be financially independent during college and graduate debt-free. It was 2003, the beginning of the Iraq War, but, he notes with a half-laugh, that was only supposed to last a couple of years.

Finding Community and Helping Society: LaVoya Woods-Dionne (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)

LaVoya Woods-Dionne first learned about doctoral degrees when she was 6 years old. Since that time, pursuing her own post-secondary education has been a major goal. Her prior career as a Data Analyst for the U.S. Air Force prepared her for success. “Military life relies on a robust system of accountability both professionally and personally,” she says. The cardinal value of accountability – buttressed by the Air Force’s commitment to integrity – meant that Woods-Dionne knew and trusted her support system. “When I was serving, it was comforting knowing that there was always an airman or community member close by should I need support.”

Mission First, People Always: Allene Osborn (Eastern Washington University)

Allene Osborn has been struck by the continuity between her military service and her master’s program. She describes graduate school as feeling “like a natural extension of my military service.” As in the military, her program stresses the relationship between accomplishing tasks and taking care of the whole person. This continuity has helped her to see her own life holistically, stitching together her military and civilian lives into a single set of values. 

Leader of the Pack: Lawrence Minnis (George Mason University)

"Leadership is the byproduct of our interaction during operations," Lawrence Minnis boldly declares at the top of his LinkedIn profile. For Minnis, a second year PhD student in cognitive and behavioral neuroscience at George Mason University, leadership is primal, a fundamental part of human social interaction. 

Managing the Competing Demands of Military Duty and Research in Pusuit of a PhD: Joshua Pearlman (University of Maryland)

Graduate students often find time management, self-discipline, and managing stress challenging while pursuing their degrees. Joshua Pearlman, a doctoral student in mechanical engineering at the University of Maryland, College Park, is well acquainted with these challenges. After 26 years of Navy service and having earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees, he’s now a doctoral candidate working on his dissertation and serving in the Navy Reserve.

Allene Osborn doesn’t want to make the story about her. “I have been incredibly blessed to have family and friends who have supported me along the way and I would never be able to do all the things I do without my children and husband sacrificing their time for me as well,” she says about her transition from military service to graduate school. “I am the one in grad school but really it is because of their support and love that I ever made it this far.”

Self-sacrifice and care for others has defined Osborn’s character since she was a teenager. At age 18 she enlisted in the United States Air Force. She was honorably discharged from active service in 2007, but continued to serve in the Air Force reserves, the Washington Air National Guard and the Texas Air National Guard, rising to the rank of Master Sergeant and serving as a Geospatial Targeting Intelligence Instructor.

When she left military service, however, Osborn struggled to find purpose. “When I chose to separate after completing my service obligation, I was at a point where I needed to find a purpose. Our son was very ill and I was battling physical injuries on top of depression and anxiety. I had been good at my job but felt lost and scared and didn't know how to get past the dark place I was in.” She decided to take a chance on education and, with the support of the GI Bill and Veterans Affairs VocRehab Program, began a bachelor’s degree in Children’s Studies at Eastern Washington University in 2012.

While enrolled at EWU, Osborn was able to work with organizations that educated and mentored individuals to become advocates for themselves, their families, and their communities. She saw in these organizations the same values she cherished during her military service: “integrity, service, and excellence.” After finishing her bachelor’s in 2017, and with her passion rekindled, she decided that “earning a Master’s in Social Work seemed to be the next logical step.”

Osborn has been struck by the continuity between her military service and her master’s program. She describes graduate school as feeling “like a natural extension of my military service.” As in the military, her program stresses the relationship between accomplishing tasks and taking care of the whole person. This continuity has helped her to see her own life holistically, stitching together her military and civilian lives into a single set of values.

Osborn hopes to use her master’s degree in social work to give back to military or veteran families, particularly those families with children. She hopes that her work will help counter stigmas surrounding mental health issues for veterans and active duty military. She remembers how scary her own mental health issue was and “how empowering it felt to confront it.” She also saw how important access to mental health services were for her children. No longer lost, she is now a passionate advocate. “Outreach events where we help individuals and families get connected to resources, advocacy for individuals, families and services, engagement in policy work – I love it all” she says enthusiastically.

At the root of her enthusiasm is an appreciation and love for others. She lauds the sacrifices her family has made for her to go to graduate school. This love extends to her military family, too. “I believe in our military veterans and their families and I can’t wait to support them as a thank you for all they have sacrificed.”

Visit the GradImpact Feature Gallery to learn more about the amazing, innovative research being done by graduate students and alumni across the world.

Photo Credit: Allene Osborn

"Leadership is the byproduct of our interaction during operations," Lawrence Minnis boldly declares at the top of his LinkedIn profile. For Minnis, a second year PhD student in cognitive and behavioral neuroscience at George Mason University, leadership is primal, a fundamental part of human social interaction. 

Minnis' interest in leadership began during his military service in the Army as a military intelligence officer in 2004. He was stationed in Germany and served in Iraq before a neurological illness ended his active duty deployment. During his 18-month rehabilitation, Minnis participated in the Dog Tags training program in his home town of Washington, DC, which taught him dog training techniques, animal behavior, and animal care & management. He was struck by the commonalities between human and animal social organization. In particular, he was impressed by the way leadership in both species was grounded in the fundamentals of interaction. Minnis began to wonder if it was possible to uncover laws that governed leadership and if those laws were generalizable beyond human beings. 

At George Mason University, Minnis has expanded on his initial interest in how humans and dogs share certain social dynamics into the realms of leadership studies, human-canine interaction, and how humans perceive canine behavior. He has learned new research techniques, like neuroimaging, that will allow him to better understand the physiological process that are expressed in social relations. Minnis wants to use his knowledge to give back to the humane animal adoption community that supported him during his rehabilitation. He is currently working on a study about the decision-making process underpinning animal adoption with the hope of better promoting the practice of humane animal adoption techniques. He wants to apply the findings from his research at shelters in the Washington Metro area. To learn more about Lawrence and his work visit the George Mason University website. 

Visit the GradImpact Feature Gallery to learn more about the amazing, innovative research being done by graduate students and alumni across the world.

Photo Credit: George Mason University

CGS Joins Amicus Briefs on DHS and DOL H-1B Visa Rule Changes (10/30/20)

On October 30, CGS joined the American Council on Education and 22 other higher education organizations on two amicus briefs seeking preliminary injunctions for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Department of Labor (DOL) H-1B visa rule changes. One, filed in the U.S. District Court, Northern District of California is available here, and the other, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, is available here.

CGS Joins Amicus Brief Re: Harvard/MIT Challenging July 6 ICE Guidance (7/13/20)

On July 13, CGS joined 71 higher education organizations on an amicus brief filed in a federal district court regarding Harvard and MIT's lawsuit challenging ICE's July 6 guidance on international students and online education. 

CGS Joins Amicus Brief in Harvard Admissions Case (5/22/20)

On May 22, CGS joined 40 higher education organizations in submitting an amicus brief on the Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. Harvard case in support of Harvard's "holistic" admissions process.

CGS Joins Amicus Brief to Uphold DACA (10/04/19)

On October 4, CGS joined an amicus brief submitted by 43 other higher education associations. The brief, which was led by the American Council on Education (ACE), was submitted to the Supreme Court urging that the justices uphold the legality of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. The court will hear oral arguments on November 12 related to a set of three court cases challenging the Trump Administration’s decision to end DACA, first announced in September 2017. The amicus brief expresses support for the courts’ decision to currently keep DACA in place, highlighting how rescinding the policy would be extremely detrimental for Dreamers, their peers, institutions of higher education, and the nation writ large. For additional information, read ACE’s summary here.

CGS Joins Amicus Brief in Harvard Admissions Case (7/30/2018)

On July 30, CGS joined 36 other higher education associations on an amicus brief in support of holistic admissions review and the use of race as one factor in reviewing applicants. The brief, which was filed in the case Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. Harvard, focuses on diversity in the student body, and highlights the benefits of holistic admissions as a way to achieve this diversity.

CGS Joins Amicus Brief on Travel Ban (3/29/2018)

CGS joined 32 other higher education associations in submitting an amicus brief on March 29 to the Supreme Court on a case examining the president’s third ban on several majority-Muslim countries. The administration issued the third version of its travel ban in September 2017, which places restrictions of varying degrees on entry to the United States from Iran, Libya, Syria, Yemen, Somalia, Chad, North Korea, and Venezuela. The brief highlights the ban’s potential impacts on U.S. college and universities.

CGS Joins Higher Education Community Amicus Brief on Travel Ban (9/19/2017)

On September 19, CGS along with 29 other higher education associations submitted an amicus brief to the U.S. Supreme Court regarding President Trump's second executive order which banned refugees and immigrants from several majority-Muslim countries. The brief focuses on the importance of maintaining a welcoming perception to international students and scholars. It highlighted the risks of deterring them from studying, teaching and researching in the United States. Further, it argues that the travel ban has already harmed America's reputation in the global education market.

Graduate students often find time management, self-discipline, and managing stress challenging while pursuing their degrees. Joshua Pearlman, a doctoral student in mechanical engineering at the University of Maryland, College Park, is well acquainted with these challenges. After 26 years of Navy service and having earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees, he’s now a doctoral candidate working on his dissertation and serving in the Navy Reserve. Pearlman has been interested in the field of energy since childhood: “I saw (and still see) research as an important part of finding workable solutions to a number of problems we face, including those in the area of energy, where my own project work is in. For me, [getting a PhD] is an opportunity to contribute to that effort in a meaningful way.”

Pearlman’s doctoral research is in fuel cell system modeling, specifically the way a water-gas shift/membrane reactor behaves. “Working along with other components, the purpose of the water-gas shift/membrane reactor is to supply a stream of hydrogen, free of contaminants, to the fuel cells in certain systems where the original fuel source is a hydrocarbon.” Research into fuel cell systems shows tremendous promise for improving the efficiency of energy conversion. Pearlman’s specific work has potential use in applications including remote portable power generation.

In addition to everything else on his plate, Pearlman is determined to help others balancing similar commitments by sharing his own experiences. “I don’t know anyone with a typical path. I just found that I had a passion for what I was doing, both in my research and in the military. I’ve learned a lot about myself, not only from my two deployment experiences, but from each of my other military assignments, and from my graduate program. And I hope that sharing these experiences will help others in comparable situations,” concludes Pearlman. To learn more about Joshua and his work, visit the University of Maryland website.

Visit the GradImpact Feature Gallery to learn more about the amazing, innovative research being done by graduate students and alumni across the world.

Photo Credit: Joshua Pearlman

Hironao Okahana, Associate Vice President, Research & Policy Analysis & Enyu Zhou, Education Research Analyst, Council of Graduate Schools

According to the 2018 CGS/GRE Survey of Graduate Enrollment and Degrees (GE&D), first-time graduate enrollment of international students at participating institutions declined by 3.7% between Fall 2016 and Fall 2017. This brief highlights some additional analysis pertaining to international graduate enrollment trends.

Key Findings:

• Despite the 3.7% decrease overall, at Doctoral Universities: Highest Research Activity (R1), first-time international graduate enrollment increased by 1.4% between Fall 2016 and Fall 2017. At other types of institutions, however, first-time international graduate enrollment decreased by double digits. (Figure 1)

• Compared to R1 institutions, proportionally fewer international graduate students attend other types of institutions. However, in some fields of study, such as engineering and mathematics and computer sciences, a large number of incoming graduate students at non R1 institutions are also international. (Figure 2)

• At R2 and R3 institutions, domestic first-time enrollment also declined between Fall 2016 and Fall 2017, and overall first-time graduate enrollment decreased by 4.2% and 7.1%, respectively. While there are fields in which first-time enrollment has been declining for some years, there are others that saw a sudden decline between Fall 2016 and Fall 2017. (Table 1 – next page)

Takeaway Points:

• A number of factors influence the global academic mobility of students; the Fall 2017 enrollment data suggest that the current U.S. visa policy and the uncertainties surrounding it may be, in part, impacting the flow of international graduate students coming into the United States.
• It appears that U.S. graduate education, broadly speaking, is still attractive to international talents, as is evident from first-time international graduate enrollment at R1 institutions. For other types of U.S. institutions, given the current political and policy climate, global competition for international graduate students may have increased.
• For R2 and R3 institutions, the decline of first-time international graduate enrollment comes in addition to stagnating, if not declining, first-time graduate enrollment of U.S. domestic students. If this decline becomes a pattern, it could pose a significant challenge to the health of graduate programs, particularly those programs with a large number of international students.

Conversation Starters: What do these data points mean for your graduate school and your programs and their strategic directions?

• How does your institution’s international and domestic enrollment figures compare to the national numbers? How does your institution compare to your peer institutions and graduate programs regionally and nationally?
• How have international graduate recruitment strategies at your institution changed in recent years? Has your institution historically relied on specific countries and/or graduate programs for international recruitment? How do you continue to strategically position your graduate school/programs in an increasingly crowded international marketplace?
• How are your graduate school and your programs responding to changes in both domestic and international graduate student enrollment? Do your graduate school and programs proactively engage current and potential employers of graduate degree holders?

Additional Resource:
CGS Strategic Consultations. The Council of Graduate Schools provides strategic consultations to member and nonmember institutions, boards, and state agencies as they make tactical decisions about the administration of graduate education.  Our consultations draw upon extensive best practice and benchmarking research as well as the insights of experienced graduate deans from around the country. CGS also provides Custom Data Reports to help institutional leaders inform their strategic decision-making processes. Figures and tables in this brief and the full GE&D report can be customized to include institutions of your choice.

About the Data Source:

CGS/GRE Survey of Graduate Enrollment and Degrees is an annual survey of U.S. graduate schools, co-sponsored by CGS and the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) Board since 1986. It is the only annual national survey that collects data on graduate enrollment by all fields of study and is the only source of national data on graduate applications by broad field of study. The report includes responses from 619 institutions and presents statistics on graduate applications and enrollment for Fall 2017, degrees conferred in 2016-17, and trend data for one-, five- and ten-year periods.

The brief was prepared by Hironao Okahana and Enyu Zhou. Ryan Bradshaw and Katherine Hazelrigg also contributed. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this brief do not necessarily reflect the views of CGS.