Holmes Research and Dissertation Retreat

The College of Education is hosting the 2026 Holmes Research and Dissertation Retreat. UMD doctoral students are invited to attend a national writing and professional development retreat designed to help them strengthen their research, advance dissertation progress and build connections with peers and mentors. Workshops will be led by faculty in the College of Education, and other local insitutions. Students in any program are welcome to register - content is not specific to the field of education.

Goals:

Support scholars in progressing toward doctoral degree milestones

Strengthen scholars’ research design, analysis, and writing skills.

Foster peer relationships to sustain scholars beyond the retreat.

Retreat Tracks:

Doctoral Students Approaching or Starting Candidacy – Developing research questions, refining proposals, selecting methodologies, and navigating the IRB process.

Doctoral Candidates – Data collection and analysis, dissertation writing, preparing for the defense, and planning post-graduation career steps.

Activities:

Workshops – Led by faculty and research experts, covering topics such as research methods, literature reviews, academic writing, and dissemination strategies.

Writing Time & Feedback – Half of each day is dedicated to independent writing with faculty mentors on-site for immediate feedback and guidance, ensuring you make tangible progress on your research during the Retreat.

Networking Opportunities – Informal gatherings and structured activities to connect with peers and host institution faculty.

This event is being offered in partnership with the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education and is sponsored by Google.