History of the Black Graduate Conference in Psychology

The first Black Graduate Conference in Psychology was held in the spring of 1995 at Howard University. This first conference consisted of faculty and graduate students from Howard University, the University of Virginia, and the University of Illinois at Chicago. Each year thereafter, the conference location has rotated among different college/university institutions. Over the years, the conference has expanded to include graduate students from across the country. On average, 30-50 students participate in the conference each year. In addition, 5-10 African American faculty also participate in the conference. Over the years, the host institutions have generously subsidized the expense of the conference in order to make it accessible to as many graduate students as possible.

The conference was organized with three goals in mind. The primary goal of the conference is to provide students with a supportive atmosphere to present their research and receive constructive feedback from fellow graduate students and faculty. A second goal of the conference is to provide students with an opportunity to exchange strategies and experiences that they feel would help them to thrive in graduate school and beyond. A final goal of the conference is to provide a forum for graduate students in psychology to develop long-lasting professional relationships with future colleagues. These goals have been achieved through student presentations and related feedback sessions. In addition, graduate students are encouraged to share their experiences and their strategies for success in formal round table discussions. The conference also includes panel discussions with psychologists in a variety of fields to provide graduate students with important career development information.

In accomplishing its goals, the conference has played an important role in the number of graduate students of color interested in and prepared for a research career in psychology. At present, over 30 former participants hold academic positions in psychology departments around the country, while many others have gone on to successful careers outside of the academy.

Conference Hosts

1995  Howard University
1996  University of Virginia
1997  University of Illinois at Chicago
1998  University of Michigan
1999  Howard University
2000  University of Virginia
2001  University of Michigan
2002  University of Michigan
2003  Howard University
2004  University of Michigan
2005  University of Cincinnati
2006  Purdue University
2007  Howard University
2008  University of Michigan
2009  New York University
2010  University of Maryland, Baltimore County
2011  University of Miami
2012  Loyola Marymount University
2013  University of North Carolina
2014  Howard University
2015  University of Michigan
2016  University of Miami
2017  Prairie View A&M University
2018  Howard University