Topic D: GSA Session Growing and Fostering a

Robust Graduate Student Association

 Please be aware that this session will be recorded

We ask that you update your the attendee (Zoom) name to include
your university acronym
LEARNING
OBJECTIVES

❖ Define the term “robust” and explain the importance of an

structured organization/association
❖ Examine areas of improvement to develop a robust organization
❖ Construct a program review and devise an improved plan of action

❖ Identify resources available to Graduate/Professional Student

Associations
 DEFINE
“ROBUST”
Robust
ro·bust | \ rō-ˈbəst , ˈrō-(ˌ)bəst \

adjective

“strongly formed or constructed : STURDY”

- Merriam Webster Dictionary

ELEMENTS OF
A
ROBUST GSA

❖ Mission & Purpose

❖ Advocating for Graduate Student Needs

❖ Offering Engagement Opportunities

❖ Providing Resources for Professional

Development

❖ Effectively Use Marketing Strategies

WHAT THE LEADERSHIP?
 PROGRAM
REVIEW CYCLE
Evaluation

Development
Assessment &
Strategy

Implementation
 Evaluation Development & Strategy

Any effort to use assessment evidence to improve effectiveness The plan of action used to address concerns discovered in the
evaluation:
● Goals
● Objectives
● Person Responsible
● Resources Needed
● Timeline
● Evaluation Measures

Implementation Assessment

The act of putting something into action: Any effort to gather, analyze and interpret evidence which
describes effectiveness
● Functional Organization Improvements
Questions:
● Programming
● Did our new goals work or make an impact?
● Branding & Outreach
● What are long-term implications of these changes?
KEY TIPS FOR
GSA LEADERS

LISTEN. LEARN. LEAVE.

 OTHER
RESOURCES

❖ National Postdoctoral Association

➢ https://www.nationalpostdoc.org/

❖ National Association of Graduate-Professional Students

➢ http://nagps.org/

❖ Graduate Career Consortium

➢ https://gradcareerconsortium.org/

❖ North Carolina Association of Student Governments (UNCASG)

➢ https://www.uncasg.org/
 THANK YOU!
Elijah R. McCoy
President - Graduate Student Association emccoy@wcu.edu www.linkedin.com/in/elijahmccoy7
Western Carolina University