About Us

Black Graduate Students Association
418 Santa Theresa Street
Stanford University
Stanford, Ca 94305-4009
http://www.stanford.edu/group/bgsa/
bgsa_core_07-08@lists.stanford.edu

From its inception in the 1960's, the members of Stanford's BGSA have dedicated themselves to this mission. Our organization was created to ensure the continuation of civil rights era achievements, as well as build a positive environment for the growing Black graduate community at Stanford. Continuing and expanding this legacy, BGSA members reached out to undergraduates in 1981 by jumpstarting the Partners in Academic Excellence mentorship program that still continues today. The Faculty PhD Forums, which began in 1992, also continue to guide BGSA members.

Our mission is to

Serve the academic, cultural, and communal needs of Stanford's Black graduate and professional students-a population of over 300 people
Strengthen the relationships among Black students and faculty across all Stanford schools and
Facilitate campus-wide intellectual dialogue concerning Black community and diversity within higher education. While we work toward achieving all aspects of this broad mission, our chief goal is to foster the continued academic excellence of our members through a variety of highly effective forums.

PhD Forums

Initiated in 1992, Ph.D. forums draw doctoral students and faculty from across various schools and disciplines. These gatherings provide further opportunities for graduate students to exchange ideas with their peers and distinguished faculty members

Journeys Forum

This program was inspired by Maya Angelou's book entitled Wouldn't Take Nothing for my Journey Now. The program seeks to connect current Black graduate women with women faculty members who can serve as role models and informal academic advisors. Journeys is an on-going series of conversations and events where participants are able to explore the nature of Black women's life journeys in academia and other professions. It also serves as a forum in which faculty women and graduate students present research of interest to Black women.

Visible Men Forum

This program serves as a gathering for Black men in the academic community. The purpose of the program is to provide personal monitoring, research centered advising, and community development opportunities for Black men in the graduate student community.

Monthly Academic-Community Exchange

These monthly meetings give our members the opportunity to interact with various community leaders dedicated to empowering and uplifting Black America, by building bridges between the knowledge gained in academia and the social needs of the larger African American community. Meetings are also an opportunity to share information and organize upcoming events, as well as create a context for social exchange, community development, and a sense of family among our members. Dinner is provided for our members.

Oral Communication Workshop/PhD Forum

The Ph.D. forums were initiated in 1992, and have been successful in drawing doctoral students and faculty from across various schools and disciplines. Furthermore, these quarterly gatherings provide further opportunities for graduate students to exchange ideas with their peers and distinguished faculty members. During each forum, graduate students discuss and refine their research and academic concerns with faculty.

Graduate Diversity Admit Weekend (GDAW)

BGSA participates in the planning and execution of this event that is cosponsored by several graduate schools and graduate student organizations. BGSA sponsors a welcome event/social mixer for the admitted minority students during GDAW (Graduate Diversity Admit Weekend). This event assists campus efforts to increase graduate level diversity at Stanford.

Community and Outreach

We plan joint activities with the Black Business Student Association, the Black Student Association, and a number of undergraduate organizations. BGSA also extends our community outside of Stanford by engaging in a number of Bay area community and social events

Cultural Arts Event

Each year, the BGSA sponsors one large event in which we invite prominent figures within the Black community to share messages through various art forms. Last year, we invited Sonia Sanchez and Aya de Leon, dynamic poets throughout the nation and Bay Area, respectively. This year, we will deliver the message of integrating academic goals with our community responsibility through a family-oriented visual arts extravaganza. Open to the campus and surrounding community, this event will promote interaction between undergraduates, graduates, and alumni.

Educational Film Screening

Annually, we screen an educational film/documentary followed by lively discussions.

Community Building

Coming soon...

Social Events

The Black Gravity, bi-annual barbecues, welcome reception, and annual ski trip are all traditional social events that have created the backbone of a social community that creates a supportive environment BGSA members

BGSA Member Retreat to Tahoe

This is an annual member retreat at Lake Tahoe, which allows bonding between Stanford BGSA members, as well as with similar student organizations at nearby universities. We hold one of our Visible Men/Journeys forums while at the retreat. Well over half of the funding for the retreat comes from fees charged to the participating members. Members also pay for any ski activities and equipment rental. Normally 40-50 members attend the weekend retreat.

The barbecue, welcome reception, and annual ski trip are all traditional social events that have created the backbone of a social community within BGSA.

Community Outreach

Each of this year's outreach events will be a day of service, in which BGSA members donate their time to help strengthen the surrounding Bay Area community. In accordance with the BGSA theme for the year, Community Service and Involvement, these events will provide services to those in need-such as volunteering at a soup kitchen, children's hospital, and Habitat for Humanity.