Director of Graduate Recruitment Millersville University York, Pennsylvania, United States
Please provide a one-paragraph overview of the session. (200 words or less): This presentation explores how the Trump administration reshaped graduate admissions in U.S. higher education through restrictive immigration policies, anti-diversity measures, and public rhetoric that fostered nationalism and institutional distrust. Key actions—such as the travel bans, visa delays, and the attempt to expel international students during the COVID-19 pandemic—contributed to a significant decline in international applications and disrupted the global appeal of U.S. graduate programs. Simultaneously, Executive Order 13950 and federal challenges to affirmative action signaled a retreat from diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts, pressuring institutions to reconsider how they define merit and implement holistic review. The administration's broader hostility toward science, research funding, and public education further undermined graduate study as a public good. This session critically examines these policies and their long-term implications, highlighting both institutional resistance and ongoing challenges in rebuilding inclusive admissions frameworks.
Session Agenda/Outline (200 words or less): I. Introduction II. Immigration Policies and International Students III. Rhetoric and Nationalism IV. Dismantling of Diversity and Inclusion Efforts V. Budget and Research Cuts VI. Pandemic Response and Graduate Admissions VII. Institutional Responses and Resistance VIII. Lasting Impacts and Policy Continuities IX. Conclusion
Learning Objectives:
Identify at least three specific federal policies enacted during the Trump administration that directly influenced graduate admissions in U.S. higher education.
Explain how changes to immigration and visa policies between 2017–2021 affected international student enrollment trends.
Analyze the impact of anti-DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) initiatives and legal challenges to affirmative action on graduate admissions practices.
Evaluate how institutional responses—such as test-optional policies and legal action—mitigated the effects of federal interventions.
Reflect on the long-term implications of the Trump-era policies and propose at least one strategy for creating a more inclusive and resilient admissions process moving forward.
