• Tuesday, March 31, 2026 by 5:00 p.m. CT is the deadline for graduate students and their committee chairs to submit the following:

1. Preliminary Approval (Kuali Form) by the graduate student
   1. A PDF of their thesis or dissertation (T/D) draft
   2. A PDF of an Adobe Acrobat Pro Accessibility Report of their T/D draft
   3. Recommended, but not required: A PDF of the PAC accessibility checker's WCAG 2.2, or higher, report
      1. Note: Students' use of the PAC checker should only be done if using the CURRENT downloadable PAC PC version. Students should NOT use web versions of accessibility checkers.

• MOspace License Agreement (Kuali Form) by the graduate student
• Thesis-Dissertation Delayed Release (Embargo) Form (Kuali Form; optional; for current students) by the graduate student
• Students are encouraged to submit their files earlier.

• Please see the webpages Theses and Dissertations and Submitting your Thesis or Dissertation for Review for more information, including formatting guidance resources and deadlines.

Who should attend: Graduating seniors and early graduate students interested in research-based graduate study in STEM

Join Misty Vaughn, UMKC's Manager of Nationally Competitive Awards, to learn about the eligibility requirements, fellowship benefits, application components and timeline, and resources to support your application.

Online information session is 3-4pm on Wednesday, March 18th. RSVP here.

Are you applying for positions in industry, government, or business and seeking pointers on how to present your qualifications effectively? Are anticipating your first job interviews? Have you applied and interviewed for professional positions previously but want to step up your game? Join Associate Teaching Professor David Jarrett from the Henry W. Bolch School of Management at UMKC on March 19, 2026, at 4:30 p.m. via Zoom for this SGS-sponsored inside look at how resumes are typically reviewed, tips for designing them well, and strategies for preparing for interviews. Please email umkcsgs@umkc.edu for the zoom link. 

The Interdisciplinary Migration Studies Institute (IMSI) is pleased to announce a Call for Papers for our annual undergraduate and graduate student conference to be held April 29–30, 2026, at the University of Missouri–Columbia. Here is the Qualtrics application form. The submission deadline is March 20, 2026, and notifications of acceptance will be sent on March 30, 2026. 

This conference invites undergraduate and graduate students from across disciplines to share original research, creative projects, and critical reflections on migration, mobility, displacement, borders, and diasporas. IMSI is especially committed to interdisciplinary dialogue and welcomes work from the humanities, social sciences, arts, law, public policy, and related fields. We are also very eager to welcome poster projects, especially from undergraduate students.

Following the presentations, we will present awards to the top papers presented at the conference.

Graduate Student Grant Writing Workshop
Dates: May 18–22, 2026
Time: 9:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.
Location: UMKC Volker Campus

The workshop is facilitated by GWI Faculty Fellows:

• Dr. Michelle Paquette, Division of Energy, Matter and Systems; and, Missouri Institute for Defense and Energy
• Dr. Joseph Lightner, Department of Health Science

This intensive workshop is designed to build participants’ confidence, clarity, and practical skills in developing competitive grant and fellowship applications. Participants will:

• Draft and refine core proposal components (e.g., research statement, personal statement, biosketch/CV)
• Learn how to read and decode funding announcements and review criteria
• Develop realistic project plans and timelines
• Practice giving and receiving peer feedback
• Learn strategies for securing strong letters of recommendation
• Leave with a draft proposal and a submission-ready roadmap

The workshop is appropriate for all types of funding applications, including graduate and postdoctoral fellowships, dissertation completion grants, early-career research proposals, fieldwork or archival funding, and nationally or internationally competitive awards such as Fulbright awards. Master’s, doctoral, and postdoctoral trainees in any discipline are prioritized, though undergraduates preparing for graduate-level fellowships are also encouraged to apply.

Application deadline: March 12, 2026 - EXTENDED to March 31st
Notification of selection: First week of April 2026

🔗 See full details and application on the GWI website: https://www.umkc.edu/asm/writing-studio/gwi-grant-writing-workshop.html

Questions about program fit or preparation can be directed to Dr. Annie Lowe, Graduate Writing Specialist, at annie.lowe@umkc.edu.

Graduate students who are actively working on a thesis, dissertation, or other substantial scholarly writing project are invited to apply to Camp Write-A-Lot 2026, a weeklong, intensive graduate writing program hosted by the Graduate Writing Initiative in partnership with University Libraries, the School of Graduate Studies, and the Writing Studio.

Camp Write-A-Lot 2026

Program Dates: June 1–5, 2026
Time: 9:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. (lunches provided)
Location: UMKC Miller Nichols Library
Stipend: $250 (full attendance required)

Camp Write-A-Lot is designed for graduate students who are ready to make substantive writing progress while also strengthening their long-term academic writing practices. Research on dissertation and thesis writing camps consistently demonstrates benefits such as increased writing confidence, reduced writing-related anxiety, sustained productivity, and meaningful progress toward degree completion.

This program is particularly well suited for students who have completed coursework and are drafting, revising, or restructuring chapters, synthesizing literature, or preparing substantial sections of a thesis or dissertation. Students working on grant proposals, conference papers, or manuscripts for publication are also encouraged to apply, though priority is typically given to thesis and dissertation writers.

Application deadline: March 12, 2026 - EXTENDED to March 31st
Cohort size: Limited to 25 participants

🔗 Full information and application link: library.umkc.edu/camp/ 

Please feel free to reach out to Dr. Annie Lowe, Graduate Writing Specialist, with any questions: annie.lowe@umkc.edu.

We've (re)launched the GWI's weekly virtual writing groups! 

• The Monday accountability group meets weekly from 6-7 pm, hosted by GWI GTA Angel Williams via RooLearning+. Meet with other graduate students to set goals together, discuss the process of writing, and hold each other accountable for meeting goals. Join when you are able (consistent attendance not required).

• The Wednesday working group meets weekly from 6-8 pm, hosted by GWI GTA Sarah Feldmann via RooLearning+. Meet with other graduate students to write together for two hours. This is a way to carve out writing time along with your fellow graduate writers. Join when you are able (consistent attendance not required).

Accessing GWI Writing Group sessions

How to Sign up for a GWI Writing Group session in advance:

• Log into RooLearning+ with your SSO credentials.
• Double check that “Writing Studio” is selected in the Support Centers list in the bottom left corner of the calendar display.
• Click on the tile for the GWI Writing Group session that you would like to attend to open the session information panel.
• Click the “Subscribe” button in the session information panel that appears on the right side of the calendar display. 

How to Join a GWI Writing Group session anytime throughout the duration of the session:

• Log into RooLearning+ with your SSO credentials on the scheduled day and time of the session.
• Click on the tile for the GWI Writing Group session to open the session information panel on the right side of the calendar display.
• Click the “Join the session” button in the session information panel.
• Confirm your device’s microphone and video permissions for the virtual session and click “Join.”

 GWI for the Academic and Academic-Aligned Job Market: New Module! 

The academic and academic-aligned job market season is in full swing, as is graduate and post-doc application season. To support your academic and professional goals at and beyond UMKC, the GWI has added a new Academic and Academic-Aligned Job MarketCanvas module.

We will continue adding resources to this and other GWI modules for application documents, Writing Teaching Philosophies and Writing Personal Statements. Send your suggestions for the application documents you would like to see resources for and/or share resources you found helpful via email to Annie at Annie.Lowe@umkc.edu!

As always, you can book an individual consultation for your application documents with a GWI team member (Annie, Angel, and Sarah) on RooLearning+!

UMKC Central can help students tackle financial and enrollment barriers!  As the one stop service center on campus, the team at UMKC Central can help with questions and concerns related to financial aid, scholarships, billing, enrollment, and records.

The office is located on the 1^st floor of the Administrative Center, room 120, and does accept walk-ins.  Students can schedule an in-person or virtual appointment through the UMKC Central Service Page in UMKC Connect.

Students are also welcome to call 816-235-6000 or email umkccentral@umkc.edu.

Office hours are Monday – Friday, 8:00am – 4:30pm, except Wednesday, 9:00am – 4:30pm.

Looking for assistance with your resume or job search? Career Services is here to help! Visit umkc.joinhandshake.com to schedule your appointment.

You have access to many campus resources, such as the CARE team, Campus Recreation, Financial Aid, Career Services, University Libraries, and more. More information is available online.