Giving Graduate Students a Voice

For Elyse Vincent, being elected as the new president of the Graduate Student Government Association (GSGA) has thrown up, at least initially, a bit of a learning curve—understandable considering this is her first experience in student government. But she possesses the qualities that make for a good and effective leader—advocacy, teamwork and a desire to build community. 

“I saw an opportunity to use these skills to serve my peers at SU,” says Vincent, who is in her first year in the Master of Arts in Psychology (MAP) program.

Important to Vincent as president is to give a real voice to those who may otherwise not be afforded opportunities to express themselves freely. This is reflected in the name change this year to the Graduate Student Government Association, or GSGA, highlighting a growing call for graduate students to have a voice on campus that is uniquely their own, says Vincent.

Another element critical to her role is that of a listener, cultivating an environment where grad students can “be in dialogue with one another to ensure we maintain a powerful sense of community support on campus,” she says.

In this Q&A Vincent discusses what drew her to SU and the MAP program, her priorities as president, her post-graduation aspirations and more.

What brought you to SU for graduate school? 

Vincent: I first learned about Seattle University when I was researching graduate programs in Seattle after my husband was accepted to the University of Washington for his PhD. Seattle University stood out because of the MAP program. Philosophy and the human experience have always been deeply fascinating topics and I love the field of psychology, but I had not yet found a path that reconciled the two. The MAP program is an existential-phenomenological psychology program. I knew right away I had found my place. This was reaffirmed when I visited the campus once we moved to Seattle.

Why did you want to be president of the GSGA?

Vincent: I became connected with student and campus life through my graduate assistantship at the Wellness and Health Promotion office. I have worked hard with my peers to cultivate programming and resources that are graduate-specific. I saw this position as another avenue to support and care for my classmates, peers and the broader community at SU.

What are your priorities as president? 

Vincent: As president, I want to be the facilitator of GSGA. I view our Executives and Board of Representatives as equal partners in serving our constituents. My priority is to listen to them and foster a collaborative environment geared toward serving our constituents. As an organization, we want to build a legacy of community support and engagement for graduates on campus. This is quite the legacy to begin and I am confident my team can accomplish this goal.

What are some specific ways you are working with graduate students? 

Vincent: With the help of our Executive of Finance, we allocated a $10,000 donation to the Wellness Food Cafe because it is the most used resource on campus by graduates. We also are attentive to the perspectives of our graduates. Our representatives have devoted office hours to meeting with constituents and the deans of their colleges to ensure graduate voices are heard. This allowed GSGA to meet with Student Government of Seattle University, the undergraduate student governing body, and university administrators to be a voice for our constituents and collaborate to ensure students feel supported and cared for on campus.

What are some challenges and opportunities unique to graduate and professional students? 

Vincent: Community. Plain and simple. Graduate school is an experience of enrichment, reward and it is also exhausting. Because everyone is busy balancing work, school and life it can feel like you are at max capacity 24/7. To push through this journey of struggle and growth, it is essential to have community, but this is challenging to maintain with everything else. Additionally, most graduates commute and do not live on campus, so there is not the same ease of access to community here. But it would be in error to assume that graduates are disinterested in having community at Seattle University. They are seeking it out and GSGA is here to provide them with a starting point that will hopefully lead to more connections across campus.

What is most rewarding about your role as president? 

Vincent: Providing a sense of connection and showing my peers they matter brings me the most fulfillment in this role. I am also super grateful to my team. … It is a reward to know I have people who are doing the work, have a passion for it and show up every week.

What are your plans post-graduation? 

Vincent: A long-term goal is to pursue further education to become a clinical psychologist. However, I would like to gain experience as a therapist and seek licensure as an LMHC (Licensed Mental Health Counselor) before that venture. I am a lifelong learner and love school, so I hope to continue my education.

What would you say to incoming or new graduate and professional students who want to engage both don’t know where to start? 

Vincent: Come to our General Assembly meetings (Thursdays, 4:30–5:30 p.m. in Pigott 102). We would love to meet you, hear your perspectives and gain insight into the best ways to serve you!