GAPSA - Graduate and Professional Student Assembly

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