Épisodes

  • Approaching Our Resilience Through a Strengths-based Framework

    Approaching Our Resilience Through a Strengths-based Framework
    Oct 15 2025

    How can understanding the dynamism of resilience allow us to better navigate the successes and challenges in our lives?

    In this episode, Sunghyun Hong, a Ph.D. candidate in social work and developmental psychology, discusses her research surrounding a strengths-based framework of resilience. Listen in to learn how to develop our resilience in a way that will allow us to better manage our stress, take care of all parts of our lives, and give ourselves the grace we deserve.

    Sunghyun also shares advice on how to find a therapist that can best help us navigate our academic journey.

    Resources

    • CAPS Counselor Embedded at Rackham
    • CAPS Counselors Embedded in Michigan’s Schools and Colleges
    • Wellness Coaches
    • CEW+ Virtual Mindfulness Sits
    • Self-Compassion Group Therapy
    • MARI at UMich
    • Campus Mind Works
      • Wellness Groups
      • Wellness Resources
      • Well-Being Management Checklists
    • Wolverine Support Network
    • Mindfulness Videos (CAPS)
    • Stressbusters app
    • Nature Rx App

    Visit the GradWell website for more!

    Reach out to Sunghyun with any questions: hshong@umich.edu

    Email us about the podcast: rackhampdeworkshops@umich.edu

    Stay in touch by joining Gradwell's MCommunity group!

    Guest Bio

    Sunghyun Hong is pursuing her Ph.D. through an interdisciplinary lens that combines social work, developmental psychology, and neuroscience at the University of Michigan. She also holds a limited license in social work and is working toward full licensure by practicing as a therapist at a local nonprofit agency. Sunghyun is dedicated to translating her research into strength-based practices and policy strategies aimed at enhancing psychological well-being.
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    47 min
  • The Impostor Phenomenon pt. 2 - Protective Strategies

    The Impostor Phenomenon pt. 2 - Protective Strategies
    Oct 1 2025

    What are the tools that can help us manage impostor feelings in graduate school?

    In this episode, Dianna Alvarado, a Ph.D. candidate in developmental psychology, discusses her research on the protective strategies that students of color utilize to navigate impostor feelings. Listen in and learn how to grow the abilities that can help us ease our doubt, calm our self-criticism, and expand our perspective.

    Resources

    Michigan-based

    • Rackham Impostorism Workshop - available a few times a year - search Happening @ Michigan for its next occurrence
    • Email us for the Companion Workbook for Impostorism Workshop
    • Research-based Strategies for Combatting the Impostor Phenomenon in Higher Education
    • CAPS Counselor Embedded at Rackham
    • CAPS Counselors Embedded in Michigan's Schools and Colleges
    • Wellness Coaches
    • CEW+ Virtual Mindfulness Sits
    • Self-Compassion Group Therapy
    • MARI at UMich
    • Campus Mind Works
      • Wellness Groups
      • Wellness Resources
      • Well-Being Management Checklists

    Outside the university

    • The Impostor Academy

    Visit the GradWell website for more!

    Reach out to Dianna with any questions: adianna@umich.edu

    Email us about the podcast: rackhampdeworkshops@umich.edu

    Stay in touch by joining Gradwell's MCommunity group!

    Guest Bio

    Dianna Alvarado (she/her) is a fourth-year Ph.D. candidate in psychology, specifically in the area of personality and social contexts. Her research focuses on how students from marginalized backgrounds navigate challenges such as the impostor phenomenon and institutional barriers, and how cultural assets can help them thrive in higher education. Dianna currently serves as vice president of Puentes, a U-M graduate student organization focused on fostering community and professional development among Latinx scholars. After completing her graduate training, she aspires to become a faculty member at a Hispanic-Serving Institution, where she hopes to mentor and train the next generation of scientists.
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    44 min
  • The Impostor Phenomenon pt. 1

    The Impostor Phenomenon pt. 1
    Oct 1 2025

    Why can it be easy to feel like a fraud in grad school?

    In this episode, Danielle Rosenscruggs, a Ph.D. candidate in developmental psychology, shares her research on the impostor phenomenon in higher education. Listen in and learn how the energy we spend trying not to be perceived as an “impostor” keeps us from achieving our full potential in graduate school. Explore ways to reframe how we see success, failure, and everything in between, and the resources at Michigan that can support you on this journey.

    This episode is part one of a two-part series on the impostor phenomenon.

    Resources

    Michigan-based

    • Rackham Impostorism Workshop - available a few times a year - search Happening @ Michigan for its next occurrence
    • Email us for the Companion Workbook for Impostorism Workshop
    • Research-based Strategies for Combatting the Impostor Phenomenon in Higher Education
    • CAPS Counselor Embedded at Rackham
    • CAPS Counselors Embedded in Michigan's Schools and Colleges
    • Wellness Coaches

    Outside the university

    • The Impostor Academy

    Visit the GradWell website for more!

    Reach out to Danielle with any questions: drosens@umich.edu

    Email us about the podcast: rackhampdeworkshops@umich.edu

    Stay in touch by joining Gradwell's MCommunity group!

    Guest Bio

    Danielle Rosenscruggs is a Ph.D. candidate in developmental psychology at the University of Michigan. Her research focuses on the impostor phenomenon in higher education, with a particular interest in applied strategies to support the mental well-being of doctoral students. For her dissertation, she designed and piloted a multi-week intervention for U-M doctoral students in partnership with Rackham Graduate School, integrating cognitive reframing, mindfulness, and self-compassion practices.

    Danielle is the founder of The Impostor Academy, an independent consulting business that offers research-informed workshops, talks, and strategic support to individuals and institutions seeking to understand and address impostorism. She also facilitates Rackham's impostorism workshops, has served as a wellness coach with Wolverine Wellness, and mentors both undergraduate and graduate students.
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    54 min
  • The Importance of Cultivating a Sense of Belonging

    The Importance of Cultivating a Sense of Belonging
    Sep 17 2025
    How does our current sense of belonging shape our future professional endeavors? In this episode, Dr. VaNessa Thompson, an academic program manager in Rackham, discusses research she has conducted on belonging—both in her dissertation and with U-M graduate students. Explore how seeing belonging as a relationship we need to tend can help us get the most out of our graduate experience, and the U-M resources that can help you do just that. Resources Career CenterRackham EventsGraduate Student and Program Consultation ServicesGraduate Students Happening @ MichiganGet Involved and Find Your CommunityGraduate Student Opportunities at the Ginsberg CenterConnect2Community PortalCheck out your department for programming and student community groups! Rackham Student Groups Graduate Rackham International (GRIN)Students of Color of Rackham (SCOR) Resources for Student Communities Students of colorParents and caregiversStudents with disabilitiesVeterans and military servicesInternational studentsLGBTQ+ studentsLGBTQ+ student groupsUndocumented and DACAmented studentsFirst-generation students Visit the GradWell website for more! Reach out to Dr. Thompson with any questions: vpthomps@umich.edu Email us about the podcast: rackhampdeworkshops@umich.edu Stay in touch by joining Gradwell's MCommunity group! Guest Bio VaNessa Thompson (she/her/hers) loves the classroom. She is currently an adjunct faculty member at the Oakland Community College English department. She has also been an adjunct instructor at Lawrence Technological University, Oakland University, and the Engineering Society of Detroit. Through her appointments, she has taught a variety of topics, including professional communication, technical writing, and leadership. She completed her Ph.D. in educational leadership while being a CORE program coordinator for the Center for Multicultural Initiatives at Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan. VaNessa's love for social media (@heydrvanessa) is more than just a hobby. She is continually exploring new ways to utilize social media to connect with students both inside and outside the classroom.
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    44 min
  • Decoding the Academy

    Decoding the Academy
    Sep 3 2025

    What is the best strategy to ensure success in our graduate programs?

    In this episode, Dr. Terra Molengraff, the program director of First-Generation Initiatives in the Office of Academic and Multicultural Initiatives, discusses her book Decoding the Academy. Listen in and learn about the questions we need to be asking, as well as Dr. Molengraff’s key tips for your first few weeks of graduate school (and beyond).

    While Dr. Molengraff’s research focuses on the first-generation experience, her results offer insights that all graduate students (especially new students) will benefit from.

    Resources

    • Email Dr. Terra Molengraff
    • Decoding the Academy
    • Rackham Professional Development Opportunities
    • University Career Center
    • Graduate Students Happening @ Michigan
    • Get Involved and Find Your Community
    • Graduate Student Opportunities at the Ginsberg Center
    • Connect2Community Portal

    Visit the GradWell website for more!

    Reach out to Dr. Molengraff with any questions: terrajm@umich.edu

    Email us about the podcast: rackhampdeworkshops@umich.edu

    Stay in touch by joining Gradwell's MCommunity group!

    Guest Bio

    Terra Molengraff is the program director of first-generation initiatives at the University of Michigan. She graduated with her Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota's Organizational Leadership, Policy, and Development Graduate Program. Her research focuses on how colleges and universities support first-generation college students, with an emphasis on institutional change agents and organizational change. As a first-generation college student, her work now supports first-generation students and focuses on the intersections of the first-generation identity and how the structures of higher education can be changed to support students.
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    44 min
  • Psychological Safety in the Graduate Advisor Relationship

    Psychological Safety in the Graduate Advisor Relationship
    Sep 3 2025

    How does our relationship with our graduate advisor affect our personal and professional wellness, our ability to innovate, and our lives after graduate school?

    In this episode, Dorian Bobbett, a Ph.D. candidate in engineering, discusses her research on the relationship between advisor mentoring and student well-being. Explore the things we can do as grad students to ensure that our relationship with our advisor is a good one, and where to find the resources at Michigan that can help you cultivate the strong mentoring relationship you deserve.

    Resources

    Michigan-based

    • Email Dorian Bobbett
    • Thrive Lab
    • Mentoring Others Results in Excellence
    • Well-Being Collective
    • Office of the Ombuds
    • Office of Student Conflict Resolution
    • Graduate Student and Program Consultation Services
    • Guide for Graduate Student Mentees
    • Graduate Student Mentoring Guide

    Outside the university

    • Amy Edmondson - Psychological Safety Research

    Visit the GradWell website for more!

    Reach out to Dorian with any questions: dbobbett@umich.edu

    Email us about the podcast: rackhampdeworkshops@umich.edu

    Stay in touch by joining Gradwell's MCommunity group!

    Guest Bio

    Dorian (she/her) is a third-year Ph.D. candidate in the Engineering Education Research program at the University of Michigan. She became interested in engineering education research through her work as an undergraduate teaching assistant and as a volunteer with several K-12 STEM outreach organizations. Dorian’s current research explores the relationships between doctoral engineering students and their advisors in an effort to build more psychologically safe advising relationships for Ph.D. students. She is also currently serving as a graduate student staff assistant with Rackham’s MORE committee to dive deeper into the practical applications of her research.
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    42 min
  • Spiritual Well-Being with Kelly Dunlop of Student Life & Christine Modey of the Community Scholars Program

    Spiritual Well-Being with Kelly Dunlop of Student Life & Christine Modey of the Community Scholars Program
    Apr 16 2025
    How can spiritual wellness help us navigate the difficulties we encounter in grad school? Explore this question and more with Christine Modey, Director of the Michigan Community Scholars Program, and Kelly Dunlop, Michigan's Spiritual, Secular, Religious, and Interfaith Engagement Lead. Listen in and learn why our spiritual life looks different now than when we were in undergrad; how to build spiritual wellness from the small things we do everyday; and the resources throughout campus that can support your journey to greater spiritual well-being. Spiritual Well-Being Resources Religious, Secular and Spiritual Life at MichiganAssociation of Religious CounselorsNature RxSpiritual ResourcesInterfaith Resource PageCAPS - Spirituality-Focused CounselorsReligious Holiday Calendars & Fact SheetsProgram in Creativity & Consciousness StudiesMichigan Medicine Spiritual Care ResourcesLaw Library Spiritual Wellness ResourcesGratitude Email GeneratorWeekly Virtual Meditation ProgramWeekly Mindful Meditation SitsINSPIRES - Campus Climate IndexFetzer Institute - Study of Spirituality in the USThe Awakened BrainOnline Courses Finding Purpose & Meaning in LifeMindfulness, Dignity, & the Art of Human ConnectionPurpose at Work Something small to do right now for your spiritual well-being: Give yourself some well-deserved space for prayer, meditation, or reflection while you're on campus and stop by a reflection room Visit the GradWell website for more Email us with any questions: rackhampdeworkshops@umich.edu Stay in touch by joining Gradwell's MCommunity group! Guests' Bios Christine Modey Prior to becoming the director of the Michigan Community Scholars Program in June of 2020, Christine was the faculty director of the Sweetland Peer Writing Consultant Program, where she taught courses in peer writing consultation theory and practice and supported an outstanding staff of undergrad peer writing consultants. She is the co-editor, with David Schoem and Ed St. John, of Teaching The Whole Student: Engaged Learning With Heart, Mind, and Spirit. For more than twenty years, she has been a member of an Episcopal church sharing a building with a Reform Jewish synagogue. She currently chairs the board of the Interfaith Round Table of Washtenaw County. Kelly Dunlop With a focus on fostering inclusive communities and promoting programs, dialogue and training across diverse belief systems, Kelly continues her tenure on campus from her previous role as Associate Director for the Center for Campus Involvement in Student Life, in which she served since 2016. Prior to her work in Student Life, Kelly leveraged her passion for building bridges and nurturing understanding among individuals of diverse worldviews as a campus minister and community organizer. Kelly knows well what it takes to meet people where they are in the best and worst of times, to listen deeply and to create meaningful collaborations for systemic change.
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    45 min
  • Financial Well-Being with Dr. Gautam Kaul from Ross School of Business

    Financial Well-Being with Dr. Gautam Kaul from Ross School of Business
    Apr 2 2025

    Why doesn’t money have that much to do with financial well-being?

    In this episode, Dr. Gautam Kaul, Professor of Finance at Ross, explains the answer to this question and discusses how to think differently about debt, money, and our time in graduate school. Listen in and learn how to see finance as a framework that can give you the agency that's necessary to actualize your well-being.

    Financial Well-Being Resources

    • Financial Well-Being Resources
    • Financial Empowerment Series (CEW+)
    • Financial Wellness Resources (Michigan Law)
    • Resources for Financial Needs and Medical Assistance
    • Resource Coach
    • Financial Wellness Program (University of Michigan Credit Union)
    • Modern Financial Literacy Tools (University of Michigan Credit Union)
    • Financial Wellness Resources (University of Michigan Credit Union)
    • Online Courses
      • Finance Courses on Michigan Online
      • Finance Courses on edX
      • Financial Literacy Courses on edX
      • Cash Course (free for students!)
      • Finance Courses on Coursera (free for students!)

    Something small to do right now for your financial well-being: Check out Dr. Kaul’s Finance for Everyone course on Michigan Online

    Visit the GradWell website for more

    Email us with any questions: rackhampdeworkshops@umich.edu

    Stay in touch by joining Gradwell's MCommunity group!

    Guest Bio

    Gautam Kaul, Ph.D., is a professor of finance at the Ross School of Business who has published extensively in top journals in finance on topics covering a wide spectrum of the field. He has devoted more than a decade to developing a new model of education that is multidisciplinary, research-based, and problem-driven, embracing anytime/anywhere education. He is the founding managing director of three programs, which he created in partnership with graduate students, that reflect this new model of education: the Social Venture Fund, the International Investment Fund, and the Michigan Climate Venture. All three programs depart from the top-down, sage-on-stage model and follow a Ph.D.-like collaborative model wherein everything is co-managed with teams of elected graduate students, with the explicit goal of providing them with ownership and responsibility for their own learning.
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    40 min