Started in 2007, the WiSE Future Professionals Program (WiSE-FPP) is a two-year professional development and support program for women in STEM and their allies of any sex or gender at the graduate level. The program is designed to be collaborative, interdisciplinary, and self-directed, with participants (WiSE-FPP Associates) taking a proactive role in designing terms for their own academic and professional success.
Program Goals:
The WiSE-FPP program encourages and supports graduate women pursuing careers in the sciences, mathematics, engineering, and other STEM fields. The program is designed to support persistence to degree at Syracuse University, successfully advance students to their next career goal, and to thrive professionally in the academy or industry. WiSE-FPP facilitates master’s and doctoral student career development, career planning, and job search preparation, as well as academic and career resilience, productivity, and development of key success strategies of professional women.
Through our values, goals, and actions, WiSE supports the Syracuse University’s vision of being a pre-eminent and inclusive student-focused research university. We prepare engaged citizens, scholars, and leaders for participation in a changing global society. WiSE Associates contribute to these areas of distinctive excellence – interdisciplinary research in emerging technologies, thriving community that fosters a healthy, sustainable, and inclusive community, embracing of the talents and contributions of all students, and engaged citizenship.
Objectives:
- To build relational leadership skills in professional and scientific settings.
- Increase knowledge about how to build a strong professional and community network and facilitate opportunities to practice and implement those skills.
- Empower academic and career planning and preparation .
- Inform and equip WiSE-FPP Associates regarding the variety of challenges specific to women and other gender minorities in STEM (for example, work/life balance and gender bias).
Key Elements of the Program:
Associates receive:
- Small annual stipend and certificate award for a two-year commitment. In addition to Graduate School stipend. Must complete 5 program credits each year to receive WiSE stipend.
- Monthly activities and resources focusing on professional skills, networking, career preparation/job search, community building and more.
- Annual opportunity to develop and receive feedback on a professional portfolio.
Participants:
Faculty nominate prospective WiSE-FPP Associates at the beginning of their second year of their academic program or in the fall of any year afterwards. Faculty may also nominate master’s students who are likely to matriculate to the Ph.D. Nominees of any sex or gender who meet the degree requirements cited above are eligible to become FPP Associates.
All applicants meeting the above criteria and in a degree program of one of the 18 STEM departments (the list of departments can be found on the WiSE website) will have priority. Eligible students from other departments in the University will be considered on a case-by-case basis as capacity allows.
Application:
WiSE-FPP Associates must be nominated by their faculty advisor or another mentor. Calls for nominations are issued to faculty each year before the beginning of the fall semester.
Click here to view the 2024-2025 WiSE-FPP Call for Nominations flyer (PDF). Nominations are due September 4, 2024.
Interested in learning more? Please contact us.