Graduate Student Services

Graduate & Professional Student Council (GPSC)

GPSC

The Graduate & Professional Student Council (GPSC) at the University of South Florida strives to foster interdisciplinary interaction between graduate and professional students across the various graduate programs at the university through academic, social and community service activities, programs, and events. GPSC provides a voice for graduate and professional students through representation on university-wide committees and advocates for graduate students interests with Student Government and the USF administration. The goal of GPSC is to ensure that there is a vital, engaged, and informed graduate student community on the USF campus.

2023-2024 GPSC Officers

Sean Schrader, President

Skyy Barney, Vice President

Austin Katz, Treasurer

Gary Oliver, Advisor

Our Mission

The Graduate & Professional Student Council (GPSC) represents USF graduate and professional student interests pertaining to academic, social, and cultural issues by uniting the graduate voice on campus and advocating for deeper engagement between graduate students and the university.

View the GPSC Constitution

What does GPSC do?

What GPSC Does for You!

Just a few of the things that the Graduate & Professional Student Council does for Graduate Students at USF:

  • Advocate to assist graduate students traveling to professional conferences for presenting their research while advocating for significant increases and improvements to the Conference Travel Grant program. 
  • Recommend graduate students for appointment on university-wide committees and councils to represent the graduate student voice.
  • Meet with the Dean of Graduate Studies so that issues and concerns of graduate students are heard by the top administration as well as holding meetings with university administrators to voice graduate students' concerns. 
  • Help organize and support departmental graduate student organizations.
  • Offer monthly workshops on issues important to graduate students (i.e. how to write a vita/resume, interviewing skills, university resources for graduate students, tax workshops). Promote and conduct activities beneficial to Graduate Student Life such as networking events 
  • Maintain active membership in the National Association of Graduate and Professional Students

  • Represent USF Graduate Students during the National Association for Graduate and Professional Students (NAGPS) Legislative Action Day in the Capital.

  • Work on essential issues such as extended privileges for graduate students. Maintain a graduate student lounge and computer lab. Disseminate information of interest to USF graduate students (i.e., money for research, scholarships, policy changes, free workshops, etc.). 

  • Work with Student Government to express graduate students’ concerns with the Student Senate.

Highlighted Activities & Events

New Graduate Student Orientation
Graduate student orientation is cosponsored by GPSC each fall and spring semester. This is a great opportunity for new graduate students to meet other students from their colleges, programs and across campus. The event is usually well attended and will help you set the tone for your academic studies as a graduate student.

Week of Welcome (WOW)
At the beginning of each fall and spring semester, GPSC (and the Office of Graduate Studies) implements several activities to help welcome new and returning students during WOW. The goal of these activities is to help graduate students network through interdisciplinary interactions and engagements.

Graduate and Professional Student Appreciation Week
In 1993, the National Association of Graduate-Professional Students established an appreciation week to recognize the contributions, impact and value of graduate and professional students across the nation's campuses. The annual Appreciation week is generally celebrated in early April. In recognition of your contribution to your various colleges, departments, labs, classrooms and offices, the Office of Graduate Studies hosts several events for graduate and professional students throughout the week.

End of Semester Socials
Each semester, the GPSC and Office of Graduate Studies sponsors an "End of Semester Social" to close out the semester and to celebrate the accomplishments of graduate students for the semester

View ALL Events

Graduate Student Amenities

GPSC Study Lounge

As part of our efforts to provide services in support of graduate student success, the Graduate and Professional Student Council is proud to offer a study lounge for use by Graduate and Professional Students at USF.

Location: Graduate Studies, ALN 209
Hours of Operation: Monday - Friday, 8:00AM - 5:00PM
Services: Three computers, one printer (bring your own paper and print for free), sofas, vending machines, microwave, sink, coffee maker, tables with chairs

Contact GPSC

Mailing Address
4202 East Fowler Avenue ALN 226
Tampa Fl 33620-6900

Hours of Operation
8 a.m. - 5 p.m., Monday - Friday

Phone: (813) 974-7935
Email: gpsc@grad.usf.edu