GAPSA - Graduate and Professional Student Assembly
Like Us on Facebook and visit our website - http://gapsa.upenn.edu - to stay current on events and opportunities exclusively for Penn Grad Students!
History and Introduction
by Steven Lin, GAPSA Chair 2013-2014
One of the greatest benefits of attending Penn is, inarguably, the opportunity to embrace a culture of intellectualism, innovation, and diversity. It is for this reason that more than 10,000 students each year from across the United States and the world choose to be at one of the twelve graduate and professional schools Penn. In this
sea of opportunities, what the Graduate and Professional Student Assembly strives to accomplish is to integrate students with a unique Penn experience spanning disciplines. The beginning of graduate student government at Penn can be traced to the 1950s, when a group of students began meeting to discuss and work on issues pertaining to graduate student life. In 1979, the Board of Trustees formally sanctioned GAPSA into Statutes of the University, marking GAPSA's entry into Penn's core body of governing laws. The first General Assembly meeting gathered on September 24, 1979. More than three decades later, GAPSA continues to be a thriving organization with membership open to all membership and involvement of the twelve graduate and professional schools at Penn. It has continued to fulfill its mission in empowering students, advocating on their behalf, and supporting countless academic, professional, and social initiatives. In 2012, GAPSA hosted the Ivy Plus Summit, a gathering of the student government leaders throughout the Ivy League partner institutions and MIT. Furthermore, over the years, Penn has become one of the most well-funded and involved student governments in the world. Even as GAPSA continues to establish and promote relationships among student leaders nationally, it remains committed to what the needs of the students at Penn. On this website you will find contact information for me and my peers on the GAPSA Executive Board and your school representatives on the General Assembly. Whether you have questions about GAPSA events, ways to get involved, or just want to reach out to us, we want to hear from you. We are conveniently located on the third floor of the Graduate Student Center, and you are more than welcome to schedule a time to meet with us. GAPSA does not exist without your support. I hope that GAPSA will be a part of your Penn experience, and thank you for being a part of GAPSA. Sincerely,
Steven Lin
03/18/2025
GAPSA Director Positions OPEN March 28!
Are you ready to make a real impact on the graduate and professional student community at Penn? GAPSA is excited to announce that applications for Director positions will officially open on March 28! This is your chance to step into a leadership role, drive initiatives, and shape the future of our community.
- Why apply?
-> Be a part of meaningful change and create lasting impact!
-> Stipend: Executive Board roles come with a GAPSA Service Award of up to $3,000 per academic year. (Eligibility and limitations apply.)
Important: You must be enrolled in a program and registered for courses through May 2026 to apply.
Not selected for Director? No worries! Deputy Director positions will also be available!
Mark your calendars: The application form will be available starting March 28. Don’t miss out on this incredible opportunity to lead and make a difference!
03/18/2025
Spring Gala Menu:
Wondering if we have vegetarian options to go with your drinks? Not sure if we will have your favorite dish? Thinking some cookies would go great with your favorite beverage? Well then take a gander at our menu for Spring Gala! March 22nd (8pm) at The Fillmore!
Tickets in bio!
03/17/2025
GAPSA Gives Back: Clothing Drive
Have old clothes that you want to donate for goodwill? GAPSA will be collecting gently used clothes from March 17th through March 21st at the Graduate Student Center (3615 Locust Walk) between 9am and 5pm. Designated charities include Bethesda Project, Broad Street Love, and the Salvation Army. Last year’s drive collected 189 items!
Let us know what songs you want to hear at Spring Gala (March 22nd)! Looking for some more R&B in that mix? Want to hear EDM all night long? Got that one needle drop your dying to hear? Then let us know! Our DJ will be taking genre and individual song requests!
Link in the bio!
03/15/2025
GAPSA Broadway Series: &Juliet
Our Broadway Series is back with its second show of the year! &Juliet is a contemporary jukebox musical that reimagines Shakespeare’s classic tragedy by asking: What if Juliet chose to live after Romeo’s death? Get whisked away on a fabulous journey as she ditches her famous ending for a fresh beginning and a second chance at life and love—her way. We have three different show times, all at the Academy of Music!
Link in the bio!
03/14/2025
Research Student Town Hall
With recent federal executive orders and regulations, the GAPSA Research Council is hosting a Town Hall on 3/19 from 4 - 6 pm at ARCH 108 to listen to our students’ voices, help navigate the new landscape, and create a safe space for open discussion.
4 - 5 pm: Graduate students only
5 - 6 pm: Administration staffs from the Provost’s Office and Graduate Student Center will join us.
To submit your questions and concerns anonymously in advance, please use the QR code on the poster or the link provided here.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the GAPSA Research Council Chair .
03/10/2025
Calling all creatives and connoisseurs of cultural couture! We are excited to invite you to participate in GAPSA’s inaugural Cultural Fashion Show, an event designed to bring together graduate students at Penn to celebrate diversity, creativity, and craftsmanship through fashion. Whether you knit, sew, bead, or have acquired pieces of personal cultural significance, this event is an opportunity to share your garments with the community.
Link in bio!
03/10/2025
Are you traveling to attend workshop, conference and other academic-related events but looking for funding to cover the expenses?
GAPSA is here to help! GAPSA Individual Grants (President Gutmann Leadership Award, Professional Student Travel Grant, Research Student Travel Grant) are CLOSING TONIGHT (March 10, 2025).
Apply using the link in our bio!
03/07/2025
EXECUTIVE BOARD TAKEOVER
Learn more from our current executive board members’ experiences, duties, what they’ve been working on and their time commitments in these roles.
Next is our GAPSA Speaker, Bruce Zou!
Learn more about elections on gapsa.upenn.edu/elections and reach out to Bruce if you’re interested in running for this position and have specific questions!
03/05/2025
EXECUTIVE BOARD TAKEOVER
Learn more from our current executive board members’ experiences, duties, what they’ve been working on and their time commitments in these roles.
Next is our Research Council Chair, Ludwig Zhao!
Learn more about elections on gapsa.upenn.edu/elections and reach out to Ludwig if you’re interested in running for this position and have specific questions!
03/03/2025
EXECUTIVE BOARD TAKEOVER
Learn more from our current executive board members’ experiences, duties, what they’ve been working on and their time commitments in these roles.
Next is our Professional Council Chair, Daniel Ceva!
Learn more about elections on gapsa.upenn.edu/elections and reach out to Daniel if you’re interested in running for this position and have specific questions!
02/28/2025
Ready for our largest social event of the year! Need a break from everything? Wanna just have an awesome time with some new people from different schools at Penn? Then join us on March 22nd for our signature social event, Spring Gala! Doors open at 8 pm, and the fun doesn’t stop till midnight! Tickets sell for $35 and include food, drink, and lifelong memories!
Link in bio!
02/27/2025
EXECUTIVE BOARD TAKEOVER
Learn more from our current executive board members’ experiences, duties, what they’ve been working on and their time commitments in these roles.
Next is our Vice President for Programming, Adam Ziada!
Learn more about elections on gapsa.upenn.edu/elections and reach out to Adam if you’re interested in running for this position and have specific questions!
02/26/2025
EXECUTIVE BOARD TAKEOVER
Learn more from our current executive board members’ experiences, duties, what they’ve been working on and their time commitments in these roles.
Next is our Vice President for Finance, Joyce Boyi Zhang!
Learn more about elections on gapsa.upenn.edu/elections and reach out to Joyce if you’re interested in running for this position and have specific questions!
02/25/2025
GAPSA Gives Back!
Have old clothes that you want to donate for goodwill? GAPSA will be collecting gently used clothes from March 17th through March 21st at the Graduate Student Center (3615 Locust Walk) between 9am and 5pm. Designated charities include Bethesda Project, Broad Street Love, and the Salvation Army. Last year’s drive collected 189 items!
Learn more from our current executive board members’ experiences, duties, what they’ve been working on and their time commitments in these roles.
Next is our Executive Vice President, Stephen Lee!
Learn more about elections on gapsa.upenn.edu/elections and reach out to Stephen if you’re interested in running for this position and have specific questions!
02/24/2025
EXECUTIVE BOARD TAKEOVER
Learn more from our current executive board members’ experiences, duties, what they’ve been working on and their time commitments in these roles.
First up is our President, Meruyert Bizhanova!
Learn more about elections on gapsa.upenn.edu/elections and reach out to Meruyert if you’re interested in running for this position and have specific questions!
02/24/2025
EXECUTIVE BOARD TAKEOVER
Learn more from our current executive board members’ experiences, duties, what they’ve been working on and their time commitments in these roles.
First up is our President, Meruyert Bizhanova!
Learn more about elections on gapsa.upenn.edu/elections and reach out to Meruyert if you’re interested in running for this position and have questions!
Address
University Of Pennsylvania, Graduate Student Center, 3615 Locust Walk Philadelphia, PA 19104
Be the first to know and let us send you an email when GAPSA - Graduate and Professional Student Assembly posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.
Contact The University
Send a message to GAPSA - Graduate and Professional Student Assembly:
Greetings to all new and returning graduate students,
It is our pleasure to welcome you all to the 2019-2020 Academic Year. Whether you are new to campus or it feels like you have been here forever, the GAPSA executive board would like to take this opportunity to wish you well, introduce ourselves, and let you know about some of the resources and opportunities available to help you make the most of your time here.
The Graduate and Professional Student Assembly (GAPSA) is your student government. It exists to advocate on your behalf, represent you to the university administration and to the world, and to support your professional, educational, and personal goals. To do this, we offer funding for student groups and individuals; host events to connect you with your fellow students; work to connect you to university resources; advocate on your behalf to expand those resources or to change university policies; and represent graduate and professional concerns in a myriad of ways on countless committees and to virtually every office and center here at Penn, and beyond the bounds of the campus.
To hear more about us, and to get updates on the work we are doing, the events we are hosting, or the funding we have available, we encourage you to sign up for our weekly newsletter, to like us on Facebook, and to explore our website.
In the meantime, to kick off the new year and welcome you all in style, we invite you to get to know each other at our annual GradFest! This is a full week of events and activities to help you meet your fellow students, familiarize yourself with GAPSA and some of the other resources and groups available to you, and to take a well-deserved break from the hectic sprint that is the beginning of the semester. For details on these and a full listing of all the events, check out our GradFest webpage. We hope to see you all at some or all of these wonderful events!
On a more somber note, we would like to acknowledge the simple truth that graduate school can be difficult. It can be isolating, overwhelming, stressful - it can be all these things and more. But you are never alone in this. There are many people around you who care about you and resources available to support you, some of which are listed below:
Chaplain’s Office: (215) 898 - 8456
Penn Women’s Center: (215) 898 - 8611
Graduate Student Center: (215) 746-6868
Reach-A-Peer Helpline: 9pm - 1am by phone at (215) 573 - 2727, 24/7 texting support at (215) 515-7332
In-person peer support: Penn Franklins
If you feel a more urgent need to talk with someone, an on-call CAPS clinician will also be available at any time (24/7) to help you. They can be reached by calling (215) 898 - 7021 and pressing 1.
In addition to all of these, GAPSA itself is here to help. Not just because GAPSA is a resource, but because GAPSA is YOU. It’s us. Every Executive Member whose name appears at the bottom of this e-mail, every member of a GAPSA committee, every doctoral candidate conducting field research hundreds of miles away, every new Master’s student who is only learning about GAPSA for the first time in this very e-mail. Each and every one of us is a graduate and professional student at Penn, we are all a part of the GAPSA community, and we are all in this together.
At first, in the wake of last week’s tragedy loss, we worried this message would be disrespectful to, or at least discordant with, the grief on campus. But, in truth, there is seldom a more important time to be reminded that we are all a community. That none of us are alone. So, please, come out to one of our events. Get to know your fellow GAPSA members. Take advantage of the resources available to us. Together, we, as individuals and as a community, can improve our graduate school experience, supporting one another as students, as friends, and as human beings.
If you are interested in joining us in building a stronger, more vibrant graduate community, whether by organizing events, advocating for each other, or just joining the conversation, please reach out to the GAPSA Executive Board or General Assembly members.
The first General Assembly meeting of the year will be September 18, at 6 pm, in Amado Recital Hall, Irvine Auditorium. All members of GAPSA (that is, each and every one of us) are welcome to attend. If possible, we just ask that you e-mail our Chair for Operations, Aalok Thakkar ([email protected]), so that we can have an accurate headcount.
Together, we will make this a fantastic year for us all.
With best wishes for the year ahead,
The 2019-2020 GAPSA Executive Board
Like Us on Facebook and visit our website - 
