Creating Connections and Building Bridges

Graduate school can sometimes feel like you’re on an island, especially if you don’t spend very much time on campus and are not part of a cohort. Graduate students are often juggling multiple responsibilities and trying to make space in their calendar for work, school and life. 

At CCAPS, we want everyone to feel supported, respected and listened to. The Graduate Education Student Advisory Committee (GESAC) was created to help connect graduate students to college leadership, ensuring that all voices are heard.

Made up of student representatives from across CCAPS graduate programs, GESAC is a direct line of communication that aims to improve the graduate experience for everyone.

Stepping Up

For some students, the decision to join GESAC started with a nudge or a desire to see a more unified community. Cooper Gerads (MPS in Integrated Behavioral Health) hadn’t planned to apply until an instructor encouraged him. “I felt that I had gained enough experience to know the ins-and-outs of the program and had developed a relationship with quite a number of my peers,” Cooper shares. “I thought that these factors could make me a good candidate for the role.”

Others, like Olivia Carraher (Master of Biological Sciences), joined with a mission of unity: “I wanted to facilitate deeper connections with my classmates and create more opportunities for us to connect outside of classrooms. I am passionate about a sense of community, which can be harder for graduate students coming from all different places, timelines and backgrounds.”

For students in online programs, GESAC is a vital link. Rena Martine (MPS in Sexual Health) was encouraged by her advisor to advocate for the unique needs of online students. “We are in an online learning environment and have needs and concerns that are unique to the program,” she explains. Similarly, Olivia Tregilgas (Master of Biological Sciences) saw it as an opportunity to “become actively engaged in addressing any concerns and areas of improvement needed.”

Making an Impact

So what does GESAC actually do? The topics are as broad as the student body itself, including AI policies, grading response times, online orientation, networking and jobs, events and community-building, student well-being and the creation of study spaces. But the focus is always on how these student leaders can voice the concerns of their peers.

“GESAC aims to voice students' concerns so that their input is included in CCAPS' decision-making process as it relates to policymaking, potential changes and communication,” says Cooper. “The hope is that common ground is found between students and faculty to make decisions that balance each group's needs.”

Olivia C. adds that they strive to be a “centralized hub for communication” for all graduate students. “With different program requirements, each program has a unique need that we hope to address and tailor to them.”

Skills That Go Beyond the Classroom

Students who serve on the committee are refining professional skills that last a lifetime.

• Listening and advocacy: “I keep an ear out for things that I hear from my peers ... it is my job as an advocate to make space for these concerns to be shared,” says Cooper.
• Leadership and collaboration: “I have used and improved skills like taking on leadership roles, speaking in front of groups, writing professional summaries and working collaboratively with others,” says Olivia T.
• Critical thinking: Rena emphasizes the use of “critical and long-term thinking.”
• Responsiveness and accountability: “We take all of the feedback seriously. I want all students to feel that they have a safe space to share with us what we can improve on and trust that we will act on it,” notes Olivia C.

The Benefits of Service

As a member of GESAC, students get to affect real change while building a network outside of their own program. Cooper notes that GESAC “aims to bridge this gap” between students and faculty, while Olivia C. describes the “sense of pride” that comes from representing her program.

Here’s what the current team has to say:

• Olivia Carraher: “If you feel passionate about your program and want to be part of facilitating change and improvements for your cohort, this is the place for you!”
• Cooper Gerads: “I would strongly encourage you to do so! Consider applying — you may have more to contribute than you expect!”
• Rena Martine: “If you're enrolled in a primarily online program ... GESAC offers a meaningful way to bridge that gap. It creates opportunities to engage beyond the virtual classroom.”
• Olivia Tregilgas: “It has been a great collaborative experience and leadership opportunity, without too much of a time commitment."

If you are a current CCAPS graduate student who is interested in this opportunity, reach out to us! Connect with your advisor or email [email protected]. Prospective representatives self-nominate and are selected by Graduate Education staff and faculty.