Kalamazoo Times

Western Michigan University (WMU) has launched a new online platform designed to support its graduate students throughout their academic journey. The resource, called Centering on Mentorship, Professionalization and Student Success (COMPASS), compiles guidance and information on aspects of graduate school that are often not formally addressed, such as mentorship, teaching for the first time, securing funding, and applying for awards.

Dr. Christine Byrd-Jacobs, dean of the Graduate College, explained the motivation behind the initiative: “Graduate school is basically an apprenticeship, and that entails a lot more than taking classes and doing research. There are practices students need to know, and professional skills to develop. For example, they have to learn how to publish, present at conferences and network. We wanted to coalesce all that information into an accessible resource for our students.”

The development of COMPASS was led by Dr. Scott Slawinski, professor of English, who was appointed as a faculty fellow for the project. Slawinski noted the challenges many graduate students face when starting their programs: “Graduate students often begin their degrees at the master's and doctoral levels without knowing enough about the tremendous opportunities that their time in a graduate program offers them. Students need teaching support, to be shown how to engage with the scholarly and creative community, to learn how to maintain a strong work-life balance. COMPASS offers advice in numerous areas.”

The platform organizes its resources into eight categories: mentorship, community engagement, professional development, career preparation, well-being, awards and scholarship, teaching resources, and academic support. These categories aim to provide comprehensive support to students as they navigate the demands of graduate education.

Alex Kasprzyk, a master’s student in higher education and student affairs and the 2024-25 student body president, shared their perspective on the new resource: "I like the fact that everything I would need is in one central place. Having easily accessible resources available for graduate students is essential for student success. It can feel like we are on our own, but with COMPASS I feel like WMU understands the help that graduate students need."

Kasprzyk also highlighted the benefits for advisors: "It’s also helpful for me in my role as an advisor. I can easily tell students where to look for resources rather than giving them multiple links that go to different places."

COMPASS is part of a broader effort to address the high levels of stress reported among American graduate students by providing holistic support at academic, professional, and personal levels. The Graduate College plans to expand COMPASS in the coming months, including the introduction of an Individual Development Plan for students to set and track academic and career goals, as well as new instructional videos and workshops.

Byrd-Jacobs expressed her vision for the platform’s future: “I’d like to see COMPASS become the professional development hub for our graduate students. We provide a Navigator Network to help our undergraduates succeed, and we provide our graduate students with a COMPASS for guidance.”

For additional updates and information on WMU’s news and events, readers can visit WMU News online.