The Advancing Geography Through Diversity Program: A Framework to Address the Persistent Underrepresentation of Domestic Racial and Ethnic Minorities in U.S. Geography Doctoral Programs

Domestic racial and ethnic minorities have been persistently underrepresented in U.S. geography doctoral programs. Efforts to improve diversity have taken many forms over the years, but most have been short-lived with limited success. In this article, we introduce the Advancing Geography Through Diversity Program (AGTDP), a four-pronged cohort-based model that systematically and sustainably increases the presence of African Americans, Hispanic Americans, and Native Americans in geography doctoral programs. The program is currently in its fourth year in the Department of Geography, Environment, and Spatial Sciences at Michigan State University. Context for the development of the framework is provided, followed by a detailed discussion of each pillar of the program: recruitment, support, engagement, and retention. We evaluate the current state of the program along with lessons learned for successful implementation. To date, the program has effectively increased the representation across all three underrepresented groups within the department’s doctoral program. We believe the AGTDP can serve as a model for more widespread deployment to other geography departments.