Supporting Graduate Students With Dis/abilities Through the COVID-19 Pandemic

• In Event: Graduate and Postdoctoral Education Across the Disciplines SIG Virtual Roundtable

Abstract

Compared to undergraduates, graduate students are understudied and, therefore, under-supported on their campuses (Shepard & Perry, 2022). To ensure effective policies and practices are implemented, researchers must be specific about which graduate student groups they are aiming to understand. This study examined the experiences of graduate students with dis/abilities during the COVID-19 pandemic to understand what institutional supports they reported as beneficial to maintaining their progress. Bayesian analyses revealed that their mental well-being improved over the first year of the pandemic, additional time was needed to complete their degrees, and individuals other than their advisors and supervisors were associated with their mental well-being. This emphasizes the importance of ensuring that graduate students with dis/abilities have a support network across campus.

Authors

• Justin Sabrowsky, Appalachian State University
  Presenting Author

• Alyssa Emery, Iowa State University
  Presenting Author

• Rachel Smith, Iowa State University
  Non-Presenting Author