Student Organizations

Penn GSE students are involved in a range of campus activities. Our student organizations are founded and managed by GSE students, representing the identities, issues, and interests of our diverse community.  

Announcements of events for all GSE student organizations can be found in the Inside Penn GSE newsletter and on the Events Calendar.

5 students sit or stand around a patio table in chilly spring weather
A representative from GSE Student Government poses with 3 student award recipients, who are holding their award plates

Organizations at Penn GSE

GSE Student Government (GSESG)

GSE Student Government (GSESG) is an important part of student life at Penn GSE. In addition to representing the student body of Penn GSE, the GSESG supports and allocates funds to all student organizations. Contact Student Government if you want to get involved during the academic year. 

Pride Alliance

Pride Alliance is a student organization that aims to create a welcoming, supportive, and safe environment for LGBTQQIAPP (lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer, questioning, intersex, asexual, pansexual, and polyamorous) and allied students, faculty, and staff in Penn GSE. We facilitate open and honest dialogue around gender and sexuality issues in education, and provide educational and social programming for all. OutEd hopes to encourage positive social change in Penn GSE and beyond, by promoting our four core tenets of advocacy, academic dialogue, education, and community outreach.​ For more information, please contact penngse.pridealliance@gmail.com.​​

We Support Diversity of Mind (WSDM)

We Support Diversity of Mind (WSDM) was founded to enhance the overall community for students of color at Penn GSE. Through academic, social/networking, and community engagement events, WSDM provides support, awareness, and leadership opportunities for Penn GSE students of color and seeks to build bridges to faculty and alumni of color to maximize the student learning experience. For more information, please contact us at gse.wsdm@gmail.com.

University-wide Graduate Student Organizations

Graduate and Professional Student Association (GAPSA)

Graduate and Professional Student Association (GAPSA) is the University-wide government for graduate and professional students, interacting regularly with the President, Provost, Board of Trustees, and other University officials. GAPSA is governed by elected representatives from each of Penn's twelve schools and a student executive board. GAPSA also works with the student governments of individual schools and with other specialized student governments at Penn. 

Black Graduate And Professional Student Assembly (BGAPSA)

Black Graduate And Professional Student Assembly (BGAPSA) is a student organization committed to enhancing the quality of life for Black graduate and professional students and facilitating dialogue across the different graduate and professional groups. To learn more, visit the BGAPSA website

Black Graduate Women's Association (BGWA)

Black Graduate Women's Association (BGWA) is devoted to providing a space that fosters well-being, dialogue, scholarship, community, and leadership development in the lives of graduate women of the African Diaspora at the University of Pennsylvania and beyond. Contact: bgwa.upenn@gmail.com.

Chinese Students and Scholars Association at Penn (CSSAP)

Chinese Students and Scholars Association at Penn (CSSAP) strives to improve the mutual understanding and friendship among CSSAP members, to protect members' legal rights, to provide members with necessary services, and to contribute to the cultural diversity of the Penn community. Contact: cssapsurvey@yahoo.com.

Korean Graduate Student Association

Korean Graduate Student Association introduces Korean culture and tradition to the University of Pennsylvania community. For more information visit the Korean Graduate Student Association website

Lambda Grads

Lambda Grads is the university-wide LGBTQ student organization, representing all LGBTQ graduate and professional students at the University of Pennsylvania. We work to cultivate an active and welcoming community for LGBTQ students and their allies. To learn more, visit Lambda Grads on Facebook

Latin American Graduate and Professional Student Assembly (LAGAPSA)

Latin American Graduate and Professional Student Assembly (LAGAPSA) enhances the quality of life for graduate and professional students of Latin American, Latino, and/or Hispanic descent at the University of Pennsylvania through a centralized, campus-wide organizational structure that addresses their academic, social, political, and cultural needs and concerns through programming, services, and advocacy. To learn more, visit the LAGAPSA website. Contact: lagapsa.upenn@gmail.com

Jewish Graduate Student Network

Jewish Graduate Student Network is a program of Hillel of Greater Philadelphia, serving all of the Jewish graduate and professional students in Philadelphia through campus and city events. For more info, visit the Jewish Graduate Student Network website

Muslim Student Association

Muslim Student Association seeks to build faith and community by fostering a space under the guidance of Islamic principles. For more information, visit the Penn MSA website

Pan Asian American Graduate Student Association (PAAGSA)

Pan Asian American Graduate Student Association (PAAGSA) seeks to improve the academic and social lives of Asian and Asian-American graduate and professional students at Penn and increase their awareness about Asian/Asian-American issues. For more information, visit the PAAGSA website. Contact: paagsa@gmail.com.  

TEDxPenn

TEDxPenn is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. TEDxPenn was created in 2010 to share innovation and research within the Penn community and to create a forum for discussion. We realize that much of the work done by Penn alumni, faculty, and students goes largely unnoticed on campus. It is our goal to provide a forum in which to spread that knowledge and transform the way we think. In turn, we hope that the Penn community will be challenged by what they experience to change their community for the better. For more information, contact tedxpenn@gmail.com or visit the TEDxPenn website.

Turkish Student Association

Turkish Student Association provides a platform for bringing the Turkish community in Philadelphia together, for promoting exchange of information, and for introducing Turkish culture and Turkey to the international community. Contact: turks@dolphin.upenn.edu.

Visit the Grad Center at Penn's Graduate Student Groups page for more information.