Our Genetic Counseling program aims to provide comprehensive support to our students as they navigate the demands of graduate school, and to strive for overall well-being.
Support Services at UCONN
- The Genetic Counseling Program faculty strongly support the mission of the University of Connecticut to provide an outstanding educational experience for each student. Accessibility and inclusion are requisite to meeting this mission and as such the Program faculty work with the Center for Students with Disabilities (CSD) to provide permanent or temporary services for assistance. Take some time to look around the CSD website and learn about their services, programs, guidelines, and your rights as a student. If you might need academic accommodations, please reach out to CSD to start discussing the process for requesting an accommodation, required documentation, etc. You can also reach out to Program Leadership if you need assistance.
- The Graduate Student and Postdoctoral Affairs (GSPA) team supports graduate education by developing engaged communities across multiple disciplines at the University of Connecticut. We help graduate students and postdoctoral scholars achieve their academic, professional, and personal goals during their time at the University of Connecticut
- The Graduate School at UConn fully understands the important role that family plays in the graduate student experience. We recognize family members as part of the overall support unit for students, and part of the team that encourages personal and professional success. The Office of Institutional Equity (OIE) has developed a list of resources to help pregnant and parenting Graduate students, which we strongly advise you to visit if applicable.
- The academic calendar highlights the dates and deadlines for the University which you should be aware of as students make decisions about their individual status.
- Graduate and undergraduate students can seek academic support from the Writing Center and the Academic Achievement Center. The Writing Center provides online writing assistance to both undergraduate and graduate students. An overview of support for graduate students is available at this link; undergraduates can view this link to learn about available services. The Academic Achievement Center (AAC) offers an array of academic support services, including coaching, mentoring, and student success workshops. Although many of the offerings are geared toward undergraduate students, graduate students can contact the AAC directly to discuss specific support needs and will be referred to available resources. Undergraduate students may seek support from the Q-Center for classes that have a quantitative component. Specifically, the Q-Center provides direct assistance to students via peer tutoring, review sessions, and the creation of innovative learning tools.
- Graduate Student Affairs Office of The Graduate School: The Graduate Student Affairs Staff can answer questions about both academic and non-academic resources that are available to graduate students and advisement on strategies for dealing with challenges. If you are struggling to determine what academic resources are available, you can email gradschool@uconn.edu and a staff member can help connect you to the most appropriate resources. They also administer requests for late course drops and for leaves of absence. Graduate students who feel the need to step away from their academic studies temporarily or to withdraw from their program can find more information about taking a leave of absence or voluntary separation at The Graduate School website or by emailing gradseparation@uconn.edu.
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The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) affords students certain rights with respect to their education records. Rights and exceptions can be found at https://ferpa.uconn.edu/notification/
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Our Genetic Counseling PSM Program strongly affirms the mission of UConn’s Office for Diversity and Inclusion to advocate for access and equity across all university units, to welcome and celebrate the experiences of individuals regardless of background through innovative educational programs, and to transform campus climate to build a more welcoming and inclusive community.
Affinity and Belonging in Genetic Counseling
As the genetic counseling community continues to work towards increased diversity and representation, a number of grassroots efforts to build community, a sense of inclusion, and provide support and mentorship for prospective/current students and practicing GCs have been developed. UConn GC Program Leadership will coordinate direct invitations and connections to the following groups for students who are interested.
DisabilityGC Network: The DisabilityGC Network is a community of genetic counselors and current genetic counseling students who have a disability, chronic illness, mental illness, or other major medical condition. They work to elevate the voices of disabled GCs by advocating for accommodations, acceptance, and support within NSGC and workplaces.
Alliance for Genomic Justice: AGJ aims to provide educational and career support as well as community outreach to underserved and underrepresented patients.
LGBTQI+ Genetic Counselors Network: Safe space for LGBTQ+ students and genetic counselors to discuss research, projects, and support, along with hosting a monthly virtual processing group.
La Casita: Affinity group for current genetic counseling students and recent grads (~2 years post-graduation) who identify as Hispanic/Latinx. Provides a space to openly discuss our school/rotation experiences, provide each other support, and have a community and network within the broader genetic counseling community.
SPLAGEN: Latin American Professional Society for Genetic Counseling. The Society’s mission is to promote awareness and access of genetics services and counseling in Latin America by fostering education, advocacy, research, and public policy.
Minority Genetic Professionals Network (MGPN): MGPN serves as an organized space where racially and ethnically diverse genetic professionals and students can connect and have support to become leaders in their professions.
GOLDEN: Genetics Opportunities, Learning, Development, and Empowerment Network. GOLDEN is dedicated to increasing the awareness of genetic counseling among Black students, primarily at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU). For prospective genetic counselors, GOLDEN also provides mentorship throughout the graduate school application process.
Affinity Groups at UCONN