Abbey Thompson

The Assistant Dean for Access, Engagement and Funding plays a central role in creating an inclusive and multicultural educational landscape in graduate education at UW–Madison. This includes oversight of programming in the Office of Access, Engagement and Funding. The Assistant Dean role advances inclusive excellence goals and belonging across the university through participation in the Division of Diversity, Equity and Educational Achievement’s network of school/college Campus Diversity Representatives. Additionally, Abbey will oversee the Graduate School’s fellowship and funding competitions, serve as the coordinating unit for external fellowships, and provide assistance on campus-wide funding issues.

Abbey’s proven success includes more than 15 years of leading, developing, and implementing programs for the recruitment and retention of underrepresented students and more than 14 years of administering graduate fellowship award processes and managing program budgets. Prior to joining the Graduate School as Assistant Dean, she was the Associate Director of the Science and Medicine Graduate Research Scholars (SciMed GRS) program on UW–Madison’s campus, which she helped establish in 2008 and where she served as program coordinator until 2018.