The University of Arkansas Graduate School hosted the ninth annual Graduate Research Opportunities Forum earlier this month. The forum is a diversity initiative aimed at building relationships with faculty and administrators from minority-serving institutions.

The forum consisted of Graduate School staff presentations, graduate student Three Minute Thesis presentations, departmental meetings with University of Arkansas faculty and administrators, a panel discussion on recruiting underrepresented students and a panel on faculty and student experiences at the University of Arkansas. The forum participants also attended campus dinners which featured appearances from the University of Arkansas Inspirational Chorale Ensemble and the University of Arkansas Jazz Ensemble.

Faculty and administrators from 10 minority-serving institutions across the country were in attendance, including Alton B. Johnson, dean and professor of the College of Engineering, Science, Technology and Agriculture at Central State University.

"Let's keep the conversation going to increase diversity at the University of Arkansas," he said.

Institutions represented at the forum included Johnson C. Smith University, Utah Valley University, North Carolina A&T University, University of New Mexico, Central State University, University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, Philander Smith College, Claflin University, Jackson State University and Haskell Indian Nations University.

Of the 4,161 graduate students enrolled at the University of Arkansas, 15% are from historically underrepresented populations. However, the Graduate School is aiming to grow enrollment of students from those populations through recruitment strategies and diversity initiatives.