This article is published in the March 2025 issue.

Infographic: The Impact of NSF CSGrad4US on Graduate School Success for Returning Professionals

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By Eniola Idowu, Research Associate, CERP

For professionals transitioning from industry to academia, pursuing a graduate degree in computing can present various challenges. Many returning students face hurdles like adapting to academic culture, honing research skills, and building a strong support system. These challenges can be particularly daunting without mentorship and guidance. 

To address these needs, the NSF CSGrad4US Mentoring Program, a collaboration between the Computing Research Association’s Committees on Education (CRA-E) and Widening Participation (CRA-WP), was specifically designed to support and mentor recipients of the NSF CSGrad4US Graduate Fellowships who are returning to graduate school for a PhD in computing after working in industry. Through mentorship, coaching, and structured guidance, the program helps participants navigate the process of graduate school applications, admissions, and the transition into academic life.

Over the past two years, the Center for Evaluating the Research Pipeline (CERP) has conducted a comprehensive, multi-year evaluation of the program’s impact. Using a comparative pre-posttest design, the series of infographics presented below highlight key insights from Year 2 of the evaluation. It compares the first-year experiences of program participants with a matched group of first-year doctoral students, who also transitioned from the workforce, and participated in the Fall 2022 and 2023 Data Buddies Surveys. 

The data presented focuses on 20 mentees from Cohort 1 (out of 31 mentees total) and 26 from Cohort 2 (out of 68 mentees total), who enrolled in doctoral programs. 

Creating a Sense of Belonging in Graduate School

The importance of feeling connected and part of an academic community is necessary, especially for students transitioning into graduate programs after years in the workforce. Here’s how the NSF CSGrad4US Mentoring Program made a difference:

1. Cohort 1 mentees showed significant improvement in feeling part of a community of scientists compared to their peers, which may help them to feel connected to their peers and other networks in their programs.

2. By the end of their first year, Cohort 2 mentees also showed a noticeable improvement in their overall sense of belonging.  

Fostering Graduate School Confidence and Preparedness

  1. Cohort 1 was more likely to agree that they will have a successful graduate experience, which indicates how NSF CSGrad4US mentorship helped them to establish strong expectations for their graduate school readiness.
  2. Both Cohorts 1 and 2 felt equally confident that they received valuable research experience, which highlights the program’s impact in preparing program participants for the research demands of graduate school.

Positive Impact of NSF CSGrad4US on Achieving Graduate School Goals 

Both cohorts of NSF CSGrad4US mentees reported that the program significantly helped them achieve their graduate school aspirations:

  1. The program prepared the participants with the necessary guidance not just for applying to graduate programs, but also for navigating their first year successfully.
  2. Mentees expressed feeling more confident in achieving their graduate school goals, thanks to the continuous mentorship and peer support.

Implications for the Broader Computing Community

The results from this evaluation offer valuable insights for the broader computing community, particularly in fostering the success of graduate students from non-traditional pathways:

  1. Building a sense of belonging and confidence is essential to fostering student success. The program’s focus on creating a supportive academic community and network helps mentees to feel connected with their peers in graduate school.
  2. Structured coaching and mentorship are needed in helping students navigate the transition into graduate school and receiving the support needed to thrive.
  3. The program aims to strengthen the graduate school pipeline in computing and support those transitioning from industry to academia.

By continuing to highlight the impact of NSF CSGrad4US Mentoring Program, the computing community can create more inclusive environments that empower returning students to succeed in graduate school by strengthening the pipeline of talented researchers in the field.

Notes: 

  • The data analyzed for these analyses were collected by the Center for Evaluating the Research Pipeline via the following evaluation surveys:
    • NSF CSGrad4US Cohort 1 Follow-Up Program Surveys 
    • NSF CSGrad4US Cohort 2 Follow-Up Program Surveys
    • Fall 2022 Data Buddies Survey
    • Fall 2023 Data Buddies Survey
  • Due to attrition in longitudinal sizes, sample sizes and survey response rates are small for both cohorts. 
  • The statistical analysis included in the first and second graphs was conducted using a paired sample t- test. An asterisk (*) in the graphic indicates that group differences in means differ at p < .05.

This analysis is brought to you by the CRA’s Center for Evaluating the Research Pipeline (CERP). CERP provides social science research and comparative evaluation for the computing community. Subscribe to the CERP newsletter here. Check out CERP’s activities and find out how to engage on CERP’s website. For more information on the analyses and program impact, please refer to the evaluation reports here.

This material is based upon work supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation under grant numbers CNS-2123180 and CNS-2231962. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. National Science Foundation.