Jonsson School Picks up the PACE with New Program for Admitted PhD Students

Pursuing a PhD program is a major decision and life transition. Students must weigh their career goals with other factors like what their day-to-day lives will look like during the several years of study. The Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science aims to help all admitted students get off to a great start through two days of free networking and information sessions at its PhD Admitted Comets Event (PACE). The event explores programs offered in biomedical engineering, computer engineering, computer science, electrical engineering, materials science and engineering, mechanical engineering, software engineering and telecommunications engineering.

“Our PhD students are major contributors to the Jonsson School, particularly through their work in the lab and in the classroom as research and teaching assistants,” said Dr. Stephanie G. Adams, Jonsson School dean and holder of the Lars Magnus Ericsson Chair at The University of Texas at Dallas.

“We want to help them to make the best choice for their careers ― which we believe is UT Dallas ― but we want them to do so with the benefit of visiting the campus and getting to know some of us in person before they make the commitment to enroll. Our Office of Graduate Student Success, which will host the event annually, exists to help students through their enrollment process and throughout their journeys at UT Dallas.”

In spring 2024, more than 30 students visited UT Dallas to tour labs and visit with faculty. For students who traveled far from home ― more than half are international students currently living in the United States ― the opportunity to make connections is invaluable. Visiting the campus in person can be a deciding factor for students who have not yet committed to a degree program.

“My impression of UT Dallas was excellent,” said Sankeerthana Manchikatla, a mechanical engineering PhD student who accepted her offer to enroll after attending the event. “I see that the faculty and the management are striving to help the new upcoming students. I appreciate the University’s effort in helping and nurturing students.”

Shaunté Alvarez-Minor, director of graduate recruitment and student success, aims to help admitted PhD students make the best choice.

“UT Dallas has state-of-the-art labs,” Alvarez-Minor said. “Students said they were really impressed with the campus ― it surprised them a little that the campus is so beautiful.

Our facilities are newer, and our technology is more current than many older, more established institutions. That matters because many of our students may not necessarily continue in academia, so they need to be prepared to enter the corporate workforce.”

Additionally, students benefited from meeting directly with program advisors from different departments that offer PhD programs and presentations about resources available on campus including disability accommodations and a dedicated librarian. Many PhD students will become teaching assistants, so these resources could benefit both themselves and students in their classrooms.

“During the second day of the PACE event, the best part I felt was the lunch with the faculty,” Manchikatla explained. “This helped students approach faculty easily and talk to them along with choosing a faculty member who is related to their own area of interest.”

A practical question for many admitted PhD students is how they can pay for their courses. Minimizing debt is a top priority for most graduate students as 37% of PhD students at public institutions graduate with student loan debt. During a financial planning seminar, admitted students considered a sample budget and discussed how far a teaching or research stipend would stretch. Current students candidly answered questions about where they struggled and which choices they would make differently given a second chance.

“It was a good, helpful event that helped me connect with new people and even learn some new skills,” Manchikatla said.

Admitted students also stopped by PinStack in Plano where they bowled and played arcade games. PhD students at UT Dallas are serious, but they also know how to relax and bring balance to their busy schedules of teaching and research.

“Students were able to create friendships with other participants,” Alvarez-Minor said. “When you are traveling across the country, or even across the globe, building connections with people before you arrive for the first day of class can be invaluable.”

Alvarez-Minor concluded, “We ultimately hope that students look holistically at their experience while they’re here and then to opportunities following graduation. We want to ensure they have experienced what UT Dallas has to offer before making that decision.”