The persistent under-representation of students from groups historically underrepresented in Computer Science and Engineering (CS&E) presents a significant challenge to achieving diversity within the field. A workforce with diverse experiences and perspectives is essential for creating innovations that serve all members of society. Existing documented efforts to broaden diversity in CS&E are time-intensive and do not quantify attraction to graduate studies.

This paper aims to bridge that gap by presenting a detailed design for a one-day workshop that includes presentations from research professors, hands-on demos, a panel discussion with graduate students in CS&E, and a participation survey. By engaging students historically underrepresented in CS&E in the topic of graduate school, we aim to increase the diversity of students who apply to and attend graduate school, and ultimately enter the workforce through industry or the professoriate, thus making the field more diverse and representative of varied perspectives.

We held the aforementioned workshop at a Hispanic-Serving Institution in April 2024. The event successfully attracted members of historically under-represented groups. Our survey results show that 78% of the participants agreed or strongly agreed that the event increased their interest in graduate school, 72% were more likely to seek further information about attending graduate school, and 67% increased their interest in Computer Science and Engineering research. Our experience shows that one-day events focused on engaging students in the topic of graduate school in CS&E can positively impact attendee’s interest in graduate school and provide valuable information about the application process and graduate school experience.