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office for diversity & equal opportunity (odeo)

Programs & Events

Diversity Welcome Reception
Two students photoThe Diversity Welcome Reception is held at the beginning of the academic year. It brings together all first year graduate students of color for a warm display of ODEO hospitality. This chance to meet and greet upper level students as well as faculty members will definitely make you feel welcome at Yale!

Women in Graduate School Reception
This event, sponsored by ODEO and the Graduate School, gathers female faculty members and students to share their experiences at Yale and encourage one another in their endeavors. Though this event is primarily for women, men are not discouraged from attending and sharing the accomplishments of women at Yale.

Dinner Picture

Bouchet Seminar Series
In the graduate school, ODEO has named a seminar series after Edward A. Bouchet, the first African American to attend Yale University and the first to earn a Ph.D. degree (in Physics). The purpose of this series is to give a diverse group of graduate students in all areas of academia—the humanities, the sciences, and the social sciences—the opportunity to present their research to fellow students, and also to learn about research being conducted by fellow students in other areas. As a monthly gathering, the Bouchet Seminar Series brings graduate students together and reinforces the sense of community in the Yale Graduate School.

Surviving at Yale Series
Designed for first year graduate students, the Series engages students in critical discussions about their development as scholars with diverse backgrounds, how to navigate the academic system at Yale, how to find mentors and other resources, and how to map out priorities and lead a balanced life while in graduate school. Each seminar will start with a 20 minute introductory lecture/presentation by a Yale faculty member who will discuss how he or she has incorporated his/her own unique cultural background as part of her identity as a scholar. Students will then break up into small groups, facilitated by an advanced graduate student, to discuss the lecture topic and individual issues.

Women in Science at Yale (WISAY) Seminars
WISAY is dedicated to providing a network between graduate students and post-docs. They hold seminars with women faculty to broaden science knowledge and teach strategies to women students on how to balance their many roles in life on the path to success. Among the speakers was, Evelyn Boyd Granville, the first African American woman to receive a Ph.D. in Math in the U.S. For further information, please e-mail ann.miller@yale.edu.

Photo of WomanBlack History Month
During Black History month, the whole university comes alive with celebrations that range from scholarly discussions to exciting social events. Among these programs is Africa Night, an event that celebrates African cultures that is sponsored by the Yale African Student Association (YASA). Discussions are held throughout the month by state and local politicians, which are sponsored by the Black Graduate Network (BGN) and the Afro-American Cultural Center at Yale.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
On January 21, 2002, Yale University, for the first time, officially declared MLK Day a Yale academic holiday, in observance of Dr. King’s birthday. With the slogan “Acting on the Dream,” this day was celebrated by the Yale community at large with sponsors such as: the President’s office, the Office for Diversity and Equal Opportunity, Yale College’s Martin Luther King Coordinating Committee, the Afro-American Cultural Center, Dwight Hall, the Yale College Council, the Pan-Ethnic Coalition, the McDougal Graduate Student Center, the Peabody Museum, the Black Church at Yale, the Divinity School, and the Medical School’s Office of Multicultural Affairs. Indeed, January 21, 2002 was a day of learning and teaching about the legacy Dr. King left behind; a day to re-address the social justice issues, still pertinent today, that Dr. King addressed in his lifetime. This year’s celebration of Dr. King’s birthday was a twelve-hour event, from 9am to 9pm, during which a vast array of activities took place ranging from church services and political speeches, to community service, panel discussions, talents shows and marches, among other activities.

Annual Evening of Scholars
This yearly gala celebration dinner honors the accomplishments of Yale PREP Scholars and Master’s and Ph.D. graduates. The Bouchet Award for Outstanding Contributions to Diversity at Yale is also given to a faculty or staff member. The dinner is held at the Graduate Club during the second week of May each year.

Annual Social Events
Holiday Ball An opportunity during the holiday season to celebrate Diversity at Yale. The Holiday Ball brings together graduate and professional students for an elegant evening of dancing, music and cocktails.
GLBTQ Prom The Prom is a yearly event during Valentine’s Day Weekend which brings the GLBTQ community together for a fun evening of dancing, music and cocktails.