A Transformational Experience for First-Year Doctoral Students
Building on learnings from the Berkeley Summer Institute for Preparing Future Faculty, the Path to the Professoriate Program (P2P) engages up to 100 first-year Ph.D. students to demystify the route to becoming an Assistant Professor in all academic disciplines and to support a thriving educational experience throughout a student’s PhD journey. Students have found P2P to be a transformational experience that supports a dynamic, enriching, and inclusive academic learning environment. Though the program is open to all, it is designed with admitted students from historically underrepresented backgrounds in mind. P2P participants will gain critical tools, resources, and connections to thrive in graduate school. Additionally, P2P students will receive a $500 stipend at the end of each semester following the submission of the required deliverable.
Applications are welcomed from all incoming or new matriculating UC Berkeley doctoral students, including those from historically underrepresented backgrounds in graduate education.
Application Deadline: August 11, 2025 at 5:00PM. First Session: Friday, September 5 at 3:00PM. Applications are welcomed from all incoming or matriculating UC Berkeley doctoral students.
Program Overview
P2P participants will gain access to critical resources, guidance, and connections to succeed and thrive in graduate school. They will also be a part of a dynamic and supportive learning community to support their doctoral journey. In the fall semester, participants will have the opportunity to practice their research communication skills by creating an “elevator pitch” based on past research experiences and sharing it with their fellow P2P participants.
In the spring semester, participants will focus on workshops that support academic success, including preparing for qualifying and/or preliminary exams, writing group support, graduate funding opportunities and grant writing workshops, wellness events, and a plethora of doctoral resources. They will also be a part of a dynamic and supportive learning community to support their doctoral journey.
Testimonials
“As the first in my family to go to graduate school, I would have had a much harder time during my first year at Berkeley had it not been for the Path to the Professoriate. This program demystified some of the hidden curriculum of graduate school—both academically, and, more importantly, in terms of long-term professional development—and, what’s more, I met some great people in it. I will be referring to my notes from P2P for years to come.”
“The P2P program allowed me to foster community with other graduate students of color. Although we were on zoom, I created long-lasting friendships with other students. It was a safe space where I could be authentically myself, something I sometimes cannot be in my department. My participation in this program made me feel more confident about my existence in the academy and my contributions.”
“I have immensely benefited from this program. This is the only campus endeavor that I have been involved with, and it has been part of the reason that I feel connected to campus despite being physically away from Berkeley.”
“This was a truly inclusive experience that I am fortunate to be a part of. Every week, I found something from the weekly topic that resonated with me as a non-traditional student.”
“P2P helped me find my footing as a first year grad student and instilled confidence where there had been some lacking before.”
“I felt validated that my anxieties about graduate school were shared by others, and we were able to navigate them together.”
Questions?
Contact [email protected]
This program is facilitated by the Office for Graduate Diversity at UC Berkeley