Even before the travel ban, graduate schools were seeing significant declines in enrollment from the Middle East. Saudi Arabian applications declined 20 percent last year, said the Council of Graduate Schools.

Enrolments in United States universities of first-time international graduate students increased by 5% in autumn 2016, the same rate of growth as the previous year, says a report by the US-based Council of Graduate Schools, a Washington-based non-profit.

The number of European graduate students enrolling at US universities rose by 8 per cent in the year to autumn 2016, the largest increase in at least the past five years, according to new data from the Council of Graduate Schools (CGS).

A new report from the Council of Graduate Schools shows that the number of students from overseas enrolling in American graduate programs in the fall of 2016 grew by 5 percent, the same rate as in the previous year.

More international students continue to apply to and enroll in U.S. graduate institutions, though not at the rapid pace seen in recent years, according to a report released Thursday by the Council of Graduate Schools.

After receiving her M.A. and MFA in art from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Dakota Mace wasn’t ready to leave school. Her work photographing Navajo textiles drove her interest to learn how to weave. Her new skill combined with a desire to better understand her own heritage and an interest in educating the world on the history of Navajo weaving, led Mace to pursue an MFA in design studies in the Human Ecology program.

Mace’s recent exhibition, “We Weave What We See,” focused on the history of Navajo women weavers, and the “connection to weaving and landscape. It was all based on this idea of wanting to translate the understanding of the designs and the motifs used in Navajo weaving, but bringing it more into the fine art world,” Mace explained.

Eventually, Mace wants to become a professor and leader in academia in the Native American community. Her mentor, UW-Madison professor Tom Jones, has inspired her desire to serve as a role model. “There aren’t a lot of Native American professors out there, so bringing the knowledge to the younger generation is what’s most important to me.” To read more about Mace’s work, visit the UW-Madison website. You can view her portfolio at http://www.dakotamace.com.

As a PhD candidate in biomedical engineering at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Josh Gershlak never expected thinking outside the box would lead to growing heart tissue on spinach leaves as a potential treatment for heart disease. But when his casual comparison of a spinach leaf to the structure of an aorta led to cutting-edge tissue engineering research, he realized just how limitless scientific research is.

Gershlak earned an M.S. at Tufts University and then found WPI’s Myocardial Regeneration Lab a good fit to continue his studies. His work in the lab resulted in the decellularization process that launched what’s now known as the Hearts on Spinach research. His unexpected forays into entrepreneurship and innovation coursework gave him new perspectives that led to such creative thinking in the lab.

Gershlak’s internationally renowned work with Professor Glenn Gaudette explores the possibility of using plant materials as a scaffolding framework for specialized tissue regeneration. “It opens up conversations and minds to try and approach our problems in tissue engineering differently,” he says. “Hopefully it allows us as a field to create functional tissues and organs to positively affect people’s lives.” Gershlak says more work and testing needs to be done, but he’s confident enough in the process and in his colleagues to see Hearts on Spinach move from proof of concept to a reality. To read more about Gershlak’s research, visit the WPI website.

**Photo Credit: Matthew J. Burgos, WPI Marketing and Communications

Patrice Williams, a PhD student in urban and regional planning at Florida State University, grew up in a food desert in South Florida. The closest grocery store with high-quality food at reasonable prices was more than ten miles away, and her medical condition necessitated a healthy diet. Williams’ experience contributed to her decision to pursue a doctorate and study how social, economic, and environmental factors impact the well-being of disadvantaged populations living in neighborhoods undergoing gentrification.

Her tenacity and dedication were recently rewarded through a new program led by Johns Hopkins University and supported by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Ms. Williams is one of 40 traditionally underrepresented students who received a grant and became part of the first cohort of Health Policy Research Scholars, a program designed to create a community of diverse leaders to inform and influence policy that advances a culture of health.

Ms. Williams places tremendous importance on improving the well-being of one’s community. To learn more about Patrice and her research, visit the Florida State University website.

**Photo Credit: Bruce Palmer, FSU Photography Services

Lisa Tostanoski, a PhD candidate in bioengineering at the University of Maryland, College Park, was awarded a prestigious Lemelson-MIT Student Prize for her efforts to develop new strategies to combat autoimmune diseases, including multiple sclerosis (MS). As one of nine recipients across the country, Tostanoski is the first UMD student to win the highly-competitive prize.

An estimated 2.3 million people are affected by MS and according to Tostanoski, current treatments provided important benefits but, “lack cure-potential, which means patients receive regular, lifelong treatments.” One of Tostanoski’s bioengineered treatments has reversed paralysis in lab mice using an innovative approach that targets specific T-cells and changes them from bad cells to good ones. This is a significant departure from current treatments that suppress the entire immune system.

Ms. Tostanoski’s work has the potential to change the landscape of human health and patient care and transform treatment options for patients with MS, type 1 diabetes, lupus, and more. To learn more about Lisa and her research, visit the University of Maryland website.

**Photo Credit: University of Maryland, College Park

Statement by CGS President Suzanne Ortega Regarding Recent Passage of the Tax Bill (12/20/2017)

“Over the past few weeks, the Council of Graduate Schools joined a coalition of organizations raising serious concerns about the proposed tax legislation and its effects on higher education, particularly on graduate education and graduate students. We were pleased to see our community join forces to raise awareness about the consequences of the proposed tax reforms. As a result, many proposals that would have negatively impacted graduate education were defeated. This is an excellent example of what we can achieve when we work together. Our efforts will help ensure that graduate students are able to pursue and achieve their educational goals.”

John Keller Receives Debra W. Stewart Award for Outstanding Leadership in Graduate Education (12/7/2017)

The Board of Directors of the Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) has announced that Dr. John C. Keller, dean of the Graduate College, associate provost for graduate and professional education, and interim vice president for research and economic development at the University of Iowa, is the 2017 winner of the Debra W. Stewart Award for Outstanding Leadership in Graduate Education. The awards ceremony was held during the CGS 57th Annual Meeting in Scottsdale, AZ.

University of Washington Receives ETS/CGS Award for Innovation in Promoting Success in Graduate Education (12/7/2017)

The Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) and the Educational Testing Service (ETS) presented the University of Washington with this year’s ETS/CGS Award for Innovation in Promoting Success in Graduate Education: From Admission through Completion. Dr. David Eaton, senior vice provost and dean of the Graduate School, accepted the co-sponsored award on UW’s behalf during the 57th Annual Meeting of the Council of Graduate Schools (CGS).

John North Hopkins Receives 2017 Arlt Award in the Humanities (12/7/2017)

The Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) has awarded the 2017 Gustave O. Arlt Award in the Humanities to Dr. John North Hopkins, assistant professor of art history and classical studies at Rice University. The awards ceremony was held during the CGS 57th Annual Meeting.

Winners of 2017 CGS/ProQuest® Distinguished Dissertation Awards Announced (12/7/2017)

The Council of Graduate Schools / ProQuest Distinguished Dissertation Awards, the nation’s most prestigious honors for doctoral dissertations, were presented to Chad Johnston and Leif Fredrickson during the Council’s 57th Annual Meeting award ceremony. Dr. Johnston completed his PhD in 2016 at McMaster University in Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, and Dr. Fredrickson received his PhD in 2017 from the University of Virginia in History.

New Report Highlights Growing Role of Learning Outcomes in U.S. Doctoral Education (11/27/2017)

Universities and the graduate education community are paying closer attention to the intended learning outcomes of doctoral education, according to a new report from the Council of Graduate Schools (CGS). Once associated with undergraduate education, learning outcomes—the knowledge, skills, attitudes and competencies that a degree holder can expect to attain by the end of a degree program—are becoming more central to graduate programs, including PhD programs. The finding is based on a CGS study supported by Lumina Foundation that involved surveys, interviews with leaders in higher education, and a day-long convening of higher education leaders.

Healthy Growth in Master’s Enrollment Continues at U.S. Graduate Schools (9/28/2017)

The Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) reported continued growth in total graduate enrollment, first-time enrollments, number of applications, and degrees conferred at U.S. universities in its report, CGS/GRE Graduate Enrollment & Degrees: 2006-2016. The majority of growth in Fall 2016 continues to be in programs leading to master’s degrees, which comprise 82.5% of degrees awarded in 2015-16. In addition, the number of graduate certificates awarded by institutions participating in the survey increased by 11.8% between 2014-15 and 2015-16, suggesting that a growing number of students see the value in these micro-credentials.

New Recommendations Aim to Improve Ethics in International Research Collaborations (9/19/2017)

The Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) released new recommendations for educating graduate students on the ethical conduct of research in international collaborations. The report, Research Ethics Education in Graduate International Collaborations, represents the culmination of three years of collaborative research, funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF #1135345). In addition to recommendations for deans, the report includes a set of learning outcomes for doctoral students, case studies based on successful programs, and an online repository of assessment tools.

Statement by CGS President Suzanne Ortega Regarding the Trump Administration’s Decision on DACA (9/5/2017)

“We believe that the Trump administration’s decision to rescind the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, which protects nearly 800,000 young, undocumented people brought to the U.S. as children, will hurt the American economy and our institutions of higher education."

Coalition of Universities Selected to Gather Data about PhD Career Pathways (7/24/2017)

Twenty-nine universities have been selected to participate in a collective effort to gather and use data about the careers of PhD students and alumni, the Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) announced today. Grants from the National Science Foundation (NSF grant #1661272) and the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation will support data collection about PhD careers in STEM and humanities fields.

Statement by CGS President Suzanne Ortega on the President’s FY 2018 Budget (5/25/2017)

"At a time when our fastest growing occupations and knowledge-based economy requires more, not fewer, individuals with advanced degrees, the President’s budget overlooks the importance of education as a critical component of America’s competitiveness in a global market. Master’s and doctoral education is the backbone of America’s national security and economic strength: graduate degree holders develop the knowledge and innovations that make America a leader in healthcare, technology, and defense. The President’s budget continues the trend of the past several years by proposing policies that make graduate education less affordable. The Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) supports efforts to strengthen and grow America’s economic future, but not at the expense of our master’s and doctoral students. CGS calls upon Congress’ to put forward a budget that makes a strong commitment to education, and does not create barriers for students who seek master’s and doctoral degrees."

CGS Announces Multi-University Project to Understand Career Pathways of STEM PhD Students and Alumni (3/20/2017)

The Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) has been awarded a major grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF #1661272) to help universities collect data on the career pathways of PhDs in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields. Through a competitive sub-award process, CGS will select doctoral institutions to implement surveys of STEM PhD students and alumni, gathering information about their professional aspirations, career pathways, and career preparation. The project complements a parallel endeavor to collect and analyze data on humanities PhDs through a grant from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

The Humanities: Key to America's Past and Future (3/17/2017)

Released this week, the Trump Administration’s FY2018 budget, “America First: A Budget Blueprint to Make America Great Again,” calls for the elimination of the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) and the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). As one of the organizations that recommended the founding of NEH, we affirm our belief that humanistic study and professional activities are in the national interest and merit continued federal funding support.

Updated: CGS Statement Regarding Administration’s Executive Order on Immigration (3/7/2017)

Following is a statement by Council of Graduate Schools President Suzanne Ortega. "In response to the March 6^th Executive Order on Immigration, the Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) continues to affirm that our nation’s security is paramount and a strong visa process contributes to our safety. However, as an organization of approximately 500 universities, we also believe that the modified ban is still likely to have unintended consequences on U.S. graduate students and their institutions.  Although this revision reduces the scope of the January 27^th order, international graduate students and scholars, regardless of country of origin, may continue to view the uncertainty regarding visa policies as a deterrent to pursuing graduate studies in the United States."

Report Recommends Broader Professional Development for Graduate Students in STEM Fields (2/27/2017)

Graduate schools and programs play a key role in preparing students for the knowledge workforce, but more work needs to be done, according to a new report by the Council of Graduate Schools (CGS). Currently, the preparation of US graduate students is too narrowly focused on academic research skills, at the expense of professional skills such as communication, teamwork, mentoring, and leadership.

Rate of First-Time Enrollment Holds Steady at 5% for International Graduate Students at U.S. Institutions (2/9/2017)

New data from the Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) reveal that first-time international graduate enrollment increased by 5% in Fall 2016, the same rate of growth seen last year. Yet U.S. institutions saw a lag in growth in the total number of international graduate applications, from 3% in 2015 to 1% in 2016.

CGS Statement Regarding Administration’s Executive Order on Immigration (1/30/2017)

Following is a statement by Council of Graduate Schools President Suzanne Ortega. "Our nation’s security is paramount and a strong visa process contributes to our safety. However, as an organization of approximately 500 universities, we encourage the administration to reconsider the executive order barring entry or return of individuals from specific countries."