OAR²
About Us
OAR² aims to increase the participation and success of students who come from backgrounds traditionally underrepresented in graduate education, such as students of color in all disciplines and women in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM).
Background
In June of 2020, Dean James Antony wrote a statement “Addressing Racism and White Supremacy” that contained five commitments to be undertaken by UC San Diego’s Division of Graduate Education and Postdoctoral Affairs “aimed at dismantling the systemic, often unacknowledged, forms of racism that are sewn into the very fabric of our society.”
The office of Outreach, Access, Recruitment, and Retention (written as OAR² or OAR^2, and pronounced as “O-A-R squared”) is the fulfillment of one of those commitments. Housed within the Division of Graduate Education and Postdoctoral Affairs, OAR² staff will develop initiatives and programs aimed at enhancing the university's graduate and professional student diversity. The specific focus of OAR² will be to increase the participation and success of students who come from backgrounds traditionally underrepresented in graduate education.
Get to know us and what we do
Meet the OAR² Team
Our student-centered team leads programming designed to provide support systems for our UC San Diego graduate students and make graduate education accessible for prospective students.
OAR² Programs and Initiatives
Our programs and initiatives provide opportunities for students to gain a supportive community, mentorship, research experiences, and summer programming.