Our mission
Build long-term support structures between current underrepresented psych PhD students and undergrad or post-bacc mentees to inspire and empower the next generation of scholars while enhancing feelings of belonging in academia.
We believe that cultivating diverse teams of scientists to tackle today’s most pressing societal issues would not only improve the science—it would bring a voice to underprivileged and marginalized communities through the scientists who have themselves grown up in those communities.
Diversifying the next generation of psychologists will enhance the questions we ask, the methods we use to capture diverse lived experiences, and ensure that the conclusions we draw are rooted in context and integrity.
NextGen community
400+
undergrad/postbacc mentees
250+
grad/postdoc mentors
90%
identify as being a member of a historically underrepresented group in the psychological sciences
Structure & approach
The path toward a Ph.D. is intensive and includes a long list of milestones. For first-gen college students or students with intersecting marginalized identities, navigating this path is especially challenging and comes with significant barriers.
We recognize how the lived experiences of underrepresented students cultivate sources of strength that can be celebrated to foster a greater sense of belonging in academia. NPSP adopts a peer-to-peer mentorship model using a strengths-based approach to create a safe, open, and supportive environment where trainees across multiple levels and backgrounds can lift one another up as we all navigate academia together—innovating and changing the culture of it from the ground up.
Mentorship
All mentees are paired with a grad/postdoc mentor based on their preference for shared identity &/or program area
Mentee-mentor pairs meet 1x+/month via Zoom for a year +
Mentors participate in training to ensure best practices for mentoring in a socioculturally responsible way
Hidden curriculum
Curated google drive of resources including a 100+ slide deck with tips, folders that include example statements & fellowship apps, email templates, etc.
Slack channels to answer application questions
Ongoing statement & CV feedback in small groups
Monthly workshops on parts of the application & miscellaneous professional development topics
Support & advocacy
Grad mentors from UR backgrounds are paid as consultants
Mentors work to secure app fee waivers within their respective programs
Slack channels for identity-based discussions, self-care, & celebration
A monthly #NextGenStories series where small groups of mentors & mentees representing a given identity will come together in a more intimate setting
Testimonials
“This space allowed me to listen and communicate the struggles/success of people in a similar position as myself. Before I joined this program, I had very few connections to people pursuing careers in clinical psychology. It is so helpful to witness the progress of others’ journey and the new experiences/challenges encountered at different stages of the application process. All of the workshops and panels were very unique and super relevant.” – Mentee
“I really enjoyed all of the hard work and emphasis that was put on creating a community. There were multiple workshops that I was able to attend or at the very least refer back to if the session was recorded. Being a second-time applicant I found NPSP to be one of the greatest assets to have and I felt so much support.” – Mentee
“I felt so much support from my mentor. I was able to share personal past experiences and get honest and genuine feedback on how to shape my story and convey it in the strongest way possible.” – Mentee
“The environment of the program was very positive, which I believe motivated my mentee to come prepared and excited for our meetings. This was very energizing and my meetings with my mentee left me inspired and feeling positive about mentoring the next generation of scholars/scientists.” – Mentor
“There was a perfect amount of structure that kept us organized throughout the year. I also thought the panels went beyond the typical “how to get into grad school” and actually addressed pertinent issues that applicants and grad students face. And most importantly, everyone is so supportive of one another and I am so happy to be a part of this community!” – Mentor
