Graduate Student Association Mission

Graduate Student Association Mission

The mission of the Graduate Student Association supports the mission of the University by representing and advocating the interests of graduate students at Delaware State University, by providing a forum for free and open discussion of matters affecting this community, and by providing financial and organizational support for professional development and networking events within this community. Our desire is to create an environment for graduate students that provide co-curricular opportunities that advance student learning, foster respect from the DSU community, provide services for the DSU graduate community, and enhance the quality of life of the graduate student community.

The Goals of the DSU Graduate Student Association shall be: 

• To provide a central agency by which the members may promote the interest and welfare of the University community.
• To further the development of a wholesome relationship among the administration and the graduate student community.
• To encourage the participation of graduate students in the identification of problems that relate to the graduate student community and to assist in the solutions to those problems.

Objectives that meet goals:

• Establish a mechanism for timely information and programming exchange that addresses the needs of graduate students.
• Publish an annual report summarizing graduate student accomplishments, activities, and needs for the next fiscal year. 
• Collaborate with departments in the development and/or implementation of professional development and networking activities for graduate students.  
• Establish a graduate student council with a representative from each program who can advocate the needs of their respective colleagues.

Student Learning Outcomes and Competencies:

Participants will display proficiencies in the following areas:

Verbal and written communication skills – Participants in the graduate symposium will submit an abstract of their research or scholarly activity that will meet a content and formatting standard for acceptance. Symposium participants discuss their findings via a formal or poster presentation.

Critical Thinking Skills – Participants will be expected to develop strategies to address issues that impact their community of scholars and provide feedback in a timely fashion.

Teambuilding/Interpersonal Skills – Participants will be expected to plan networking activities that will provide a positive impact for their community of scholars

Scholarship - Participants will be expected to plan co-curricular activities that positively impact the intellectual climate at Delaware State University and surrounding community.