​Graduate Student Organizations

SOLES recognizes and appreciates that a great deal of learning is done outside of the classroom through student involvement. Students are invited to engage with the myriad organizations, events, speakers and support services made available within our school and the wider university.

  • Asian Students In Alliance (ASIA)

    Our Mission: Asian Students In Alliance (ASIA) is a graduate student organization with the goal of supporting and promoting diversity within the USD community by enhancing educational growth and compassionate community service through collaboration. We provide opportunities for professional development for our members.

    Our activities include events, research and academic educational programming that will support awareness, service and excellence with regards to working as future leaders focused on multicultural and diversity aspects of the graduate Asian students at SOLES and within the USD and local constituents.

    Faculty Advisor

    • Maya Kalyanpur
      Professor and Chair for the Department of Learning and Teaching
  • Black Graduate Student Association

    The Black Graduate Student Association (BGSA) is an interdisciplinary, student initiated, student-run organization that is dedicated to uniting students, faculty and alumni of African descent to create a sense of community at the University of San Diego. We encourage scholarship opportunities, promote social connections, community service and self-determination.

    The purpose of BGSA is to serve as a support network for graduate students of African descent and provide resources that will enhance academic and career success of current graduate and professional students. In addition, the purpose is to develop a network of emerging scholars who are dedicated and sensitive to the needs and concerns of an increasingly diverse academic community.

    BGSA membership is open to all graduate students, scholars, and/or individuals who are interested in supporting students of African descent in the pursuit of graduate and professional educational excellence. BGSA does not discriminate or limit its membership to any individual or group based on race, creed, color, nationality, ability or sexual orientation.

    Visit us on Facebook!

    Executive Council

    • Betelehem Desta
      President
      bmdesta@sandiego.edu
    • Emmanuel Molin
      Communications Director
    • Sean Green
      Member at Large

    Advisor

    • Joi Spencer
      Associate Dean and Professor
  • Chi Sigma Alpha

    Chi Sigma Alpha is an international honors society comprised of graduate students, alumni, faculty, and student affairs professionals to promote and recognize excellence in academics, research, and service to the profession of student affairs. Our purpose is to develop the profession of Student Affairs by supporting and enriching the experiences and development of its practitioners, especially at the graduate student level.

     
    Chi Sigma Alpha offers professional development funding and opportunities for its members in addition to opportunities to network with other Chi Sigma Alpha members and alumni at various professional conferences. Chi Sigma Alpha also offers opportunities for both members and non-members to facilitate workshops, presentations, and activities which benefit current and/or future Student Affairs Practitioners.

     
    For more information, please contact any member of the Executive Council!

    Executive Council

    • Chris-Marcus Kitchings
      President
      ckitchings@sandiego.edu
    • Mandy Mekhail
      Vice President
    • Lauren Wong
      Treasurer
    • Mariana Ortega
      Secretary
    • Martel Serwenda
      Director of Public Relations
    • Vacant
      Director of Professional Development
    • Vacant
      Director of Special Events
    • Vacant
      GSC Liaison
    • Vacant
      SGSA Liaison
    • Vacant
      Historian
    • Mariann Sanchez, Director of Graduate Student
      Advisor

    Representatives

    • Vacant, CMHC 1st year
      Representative
    • Vacant, SC 1st year
      Representative

    Advisor

    • Dr. Kristopher Hall
      Assistant Professor, Clinical Mental Health Counseling, Department of Counseling & Marital and Family Therapy
  • Chi Sigma Iota- Sigma Delta Chapter

    Chi Sigma Iota is the international honor society for the counseling profession comprised of graduate students, alumni, and faculty. We are dedicated to promoting and developing future counselors’ professional growth while fostering a sense of community within the Sigma Delta Chapter.

    Our calendar year consists of multiple professional development and social events as well as workshops related to the counseling profession and service projects. We have connections with community organizations that work with survivors of trauma as well as annual workshops for Expressive Arts Therapy.

    For more information, please contact any member of the Executive Board!

    Chi Sigma Iota- Sigma Delta Chapter

    • Dr. Kristopher Hall
      Faculty Advisor
    • Dr. Nedeljko Golubovic
      Faculty Advisor
  • Graduate Student Council

    We serve the needs of the graduate and law students, building a strong and successful graduate community. We invite you to join us in realizing these goals.

    The purpose of the Graduate Student Council (GSC) is to represent all USD graduate and law students to the university administration with the mission to:

    • build and maintain a strong USD graduate student community;
    • advocate for graduate student issues;
    • ensure adequate graduate student representation on university committees;
    • work collaboratively with, and advise, university administration to improve the level of graduate studies.

    The Graduate Student Council By-Laws, originally ratified by unanimous vote of the Graduate Student Council on the seventh day of the month of September in the year 2009 in the city of San Diego, California, are recognized to be the governing document of the Graduate Student Council of the University of San Diego. 

    Graduate Student Council Goals 2016 - 2017

     

    Contact Us

    Office: Student Life Pavilion, Room 401
    Phone: (619) 260-2227
    Email: usd.gsc@gmail.com

    Find us on Facebook!

  • Latinx Graduate Student Association

    The Latinx Graduate Student Association (LGSA) is an organization dedicated to creating a support and social network for Chicanx/Latinx graduate students at the University of San Diego (USD).

    LGSA contributes to USD's principles by upholding values of social justice, equity, family, culture, and academic excellence through the promotion of scholarship, advocacy, and qtorship/femtorship/mentorship. We encourage and facilitate communication between graduate students and faculty who identify as Latinx, Afro-Latinx, Asian-Latinx, Mexican/Mexican-American, Filipinx/Filpinx-American and other underrepresented communities at USD through coalition-building and allyship.

    LGSA brings together Latinx graduate students who are committed to:

    Existing and thriving at the University of San Diego
    Advocating for equitable opportunities, educational outcomes, and representation at the student, administrative and faculty level
    Creating comunidad together at SOLES and USD
    Promoting the recruitment and retention of Latinx graduate students
    Qtoring/Femtoring/Mentoring and supporting SOLES Latinx graduate students in pursuit of academic excellence, degree completion and professional goals
    Stimulating and supporting scholarly efforts, research and publication opportunities to include the study of Latinx culture and its contributions to academia, education and leadership
    Increasing scholarship funds and financial support for SOLES Latinx graduate students;
    Supporting the professional development of Latinx Graduate students; and
    Connecting with SOLES Latinx alumni

    Faculty Advisor

  • LGBTQIA+ Graduate Student Association

    The purpose of LGBTQIA+ Graduate Student Association is to

    A. Create a community who identifies as and supports LGBTQ+ individuals and allies.
    B. Create a safe, welcoming, and inclusive space that embraces and connects people of all sexualities, gender identities, and gender expressions.
    C. Acknowledge, advocate, and celebrate intersectionalities and recognize that individuals are composed of multiple identities.
    D. Strive to encourage and promote graduate students building coalitions with faculty/staff and other students on campus in order to explore how sexualities and gender identities/expressions shape the student experience.

    PAGE: https://www.facebook.com/usdlgbtqiagsa/
    GROUP: https://www.facebook.com/groups/usdlgbtqiagsa/

    LGBTQIA+ Graduate Student Association

    • David Alejandrx Cervantes
      Faculty Advisor
    • Lauren Wong
      President
    • Cristian Mcgouh
      Vice President
    • Lauren Levy & Nick Porter
      Co-Directors of Internal Affairs
    • Jeremy Bloom
      Director of External Affairs
    • Vacant
      Director of Finance
  • SOLES Graduate Student Association (SGSA)

    The SOLES Graduate Student Association (SGSA) is a student-governed association supporting our graduate and doctoral students in their scholastic, co-curricular and social experiences. The goal of the SGSA is to support the development of a professional, scholastic and social community in the School of Leadership and Education Sciences.

    The SGSA hosts a number of events for students and faculty, including the SOLES holiday party, local volunteering trips and networking socials. The SGSA also awards professional development, research-oriented grants to SOLES students.

    View position descriptions

    For more information contact usdsolesgsa@gmail.com

    Executive Council

    • Cristian McGough
      President
    • Christian Perez
      Communications Director
    • Shannon O'Neil
      Special Events Director
    • Fiona King
      Financial Director

    Representatives

    • Donna Soukantouy
      1st year
    • Kimberly Guzman
      1st year
    • Rosa Hernandez
      Counseling & Marital and Family Therapy
    • Chris-Marcus Kitchings
      Graduate Student Council
    • Delia Contreras
      Graduate Student Council
    • Rogelio Espinoza
      Graduate Student Council
    • Vacant
      Learning and Teaching
    • Vacant
      Leadership Studies
    • Vacant
      Doctoral