Thank you for stopping by to learn more about the ACPA Graduate Students and New Professionals Community of Practice (GSNPCOP). Take some time to look through our content and don’t hesitate to share how you’d like to get involved. Use the menu below to jump to a section of interest.
Please contact us at [email protected] or connect with the members of our Directorate Body with questions or ideas.
Our Mission
The Graduate Students and New Professionals Community of Practice (GSNPCOP) is one of the entity groups within ACPA charged to develop and deliver year-round programs and services focused on enriching and supporting the needs of graduate students and new professionals in student affairs and higher education.
Our Vision
GSNPCOP strives to be the centralized gateway, network, and resource for graduate students and new professionals that elevates current issues, addresses institutionalized culture, produces scholarly work, and implements innovative practices that promote systemic change in order to transform higher education and student affairs.
our history
1988 // The Graduate Students and New Professionals Community of Practice (GSNPCOP) was created as a standing committee through the work of 1987’s Graduate Student Member-at-Large, Anne Eskridge
2011 // The Standing Committee matured to a more defined Directorate structure with positions and requisite skills defined. Communication with the Standing Committee constituency was improved by an improved newsletter, including regular versions made available online through the ACPA homepage. The “inverted funnel model” of leadership development through the Standing Committee was introduced.
2015 // The Standing Committee transitioned to be a Coalition. The change represented several positive advances the Standing Committee was able to accomplish for the support of graduate students and new professionals within the field of student affairs.
2017 // The association decided that a Coalition was not the best place for Graduate Student and New Professionals. Shortly after, Communities of Practices were established, and one Community of Practice was established for Mid-Level Professionals. In the summer of that same year, the Coalition officially changed its name to the Graduate Students and New Professionals Community of Practice.
ACPA Ambassador Program
Ambassadors are graduate students and new professionals working on campuses internationally to expand the knowledge of ACPA through a curriculum-based engagement experience. Our virtual program requires Ambassadors to serve as a liaison to their campuses and professional networks regarding ACPA-specific content, maintain virtual presence in the Community of Practice and enhance its vision and goals, and, if attending, volunteer at ACPA’s annual convention. During a designated cohort term, Ambassadors engage in valuable networking and professional development opportunities and are also prepared for future engagement and leadership roles in ACPA. Click on the Get Involved section to learn more about the application process.
To contact the Ambassadors team, email us at [email protected]. You can also learn more about our program and connect with us through our social media:
- Like us on Facebook
- Follow us on Instagram (@gsnpambassadors)
- Follow us on Twitter (@gsnpambassadors)
Have you been a part of the Ambassadors Program in the past? Please join our LinkedIn Alumni Network!
The 8th Vector
The 8th Vector is a student affairs and higher education-related blog created by GSNPCOP. It has been historically known as a newsletter and has undergone many changes to draw interest and provide an effective resource for our members.
The blog features the work of graduate students and new professionals in higher education in any form: traditional articles, op-eds, posters, podcasts, poetry, art, and more. We will showcase any content or resources members would like to share with others. Materials are gathered on a rolling basis and will be published to the site upon 8th Vector Team approval.
If you have questions or feedback contact us at [email protected].
News & Updates
The Liaison | Vol. 1
Monthly Newsletter Highlighting ACPA-Sponsored Events
2021 GSNPCOP Sponsored Programs
The Personal is Professional: Exploring Emerging Student Affairs Professionals’ Intimacies Monday, March 8th, 2021 2:30PM-3:30PM EST Presenters: Ashley N Robinson - University of Connecticut; Sade Erinfolami - Sade Erinfolami Tania Flores University of Connecticut;...
GSNPCoP Convention Scholarship
The GSNPCoP Convention Scholarship awards graduate student and new professional ACPA members with financial assistance to attend the Annual ACPA Convention each year. The Community of Practice understands that it may be difficult for some graduate students and new...
Apply to be the GSNPCOP Scholar-in-Residence
The ACPA Graduate Students and New Professionals Community of Practice (GSNPCoP) invites a distinguished scholar to assist in the academic and professional development of the GSNPCoP membership. This individual will be encouraged to utilize their research interests to...
GSNPCOP 2019-2020 Scholar in Residence: Dr. Sonja Ardoin
Biography Sonja Ardoin, Ph.D. is a learner, educator, facilitator, and author. Proud of her hometown of Vidrine, Louisiana, her working class, Cajun roots, and her first-generation college student to PhD journey, Sonja holds degrees from LSU, Florida State, and NC...
Recordings of Past Webinars
October 2020
First Year Out: Work Your Plan, Plan Your Work (COVID-19 edition)
February 2020 (Co-Sponsored with the Commission for Student Conduct & Legal Issues)
Student Affairs Legal 101 for Graduate Students and New Professionals
October 2019
Making It Happen: Latinx Doctoral Students’ Experiences Navigating the Terminal Degree
October 2019
Perspectives on Writing and Publishing for Graduate Students
September 2019 (Co-Sponsored with the Commission for Student Involvement)
Advising a Student Programming Board as a New Professional
June 2019 (Co-Sponsored with the Mid-Level Community of Practice)
Supervising the “Current Generation”: Millennials & Generation Z!
upcoming events
Managing Up: Strategies to Navigate Positional and Power Dynamics Webinar
About You know it's important to effectively manage people who report to you, but did you know you can also manage up to the people who manage you? Someone might […]
Find out more »emPOWER hour
About Join us for a bi-monthly social hour specifically designed for graduate students and new professionals. We are hosting an emPOWER hour to discuss current hot topics in higher education/student […]
Find out more »Meet the Directorate
Tye Wesley
Chair
she/her/hers
Radford University
Ambassador Team
Julie Townley
Vice Chair
She/Her/Hers
University of North Texas
Zith Toth-Gaddis
Assistant Vice Chair
She/Her/Hers
St. Olaf College
Olivia Maldonado
Assistant Vice Chair
She/Her/Hers
Radford University
Antonia Tway
Coordinator
She/Her/Hers
Rose Glenn
Coordinator
She/Her/Hers
Massachusetts Maritime Academy
Rick Cazzato Jr.
Coordinator
He/Him/His
Washington University in St. Louis
Tamarah Frank
Coordinator
She/Her/Hers
University of Colorado – Boulder
Brandon E. Rodriguez
Coordinator
He/Him/His
Oregon Institute of Technology
Cortlyn Raymond
Coordinator
She/Her/Hers
Pitzer College
Oksana Maksimov
Coordinator
She/Her/Hers
External Affairs Team
Jasmyne Channel
Vice Chair
She/Her/Hers
University of Oregon
Hannah White
Coordinator of Scholarships
She/Her/Hers
University of Oregon
Taylor Swan
Coordinator for Sponsored Programs
She/Her/Hers
Vriginia Tech
Networking Team
Tavarius (Tav) Horne
Vice Chair
He/Him/His
University of Washington
Alex Rosenbery
Coordinator for Convention Colleagues
They/Them/Theirs
Clemson University
Emily Rasch
Coordinator for Socials
She/Her/Hers
Southern Methodist University
Operations Team
Luke Klefstad
Vice Chair
He/Him/His
Carleton College
Briana Fleming
Coordinator for 8th Vector - Editor
She/Her/Hers
Sponsors for Educational Opportunity
Beck Hawkins
Coordinator for 8th Vector - Marketing
They/Them/Theirs, He/Him/His
University of Wisconsin-La Crosse
Holly Loberg
Coordinator for Records & Website
She/Her/Hers
Riverland Community College
Jordan Williams
Coordinator for Assessment
She/Her/Hers
Washington University in St. Louis
Professional Development Team
Jess Shapiro
Vice Chair
She/Her/Hers
Ithaca College
Stella Wang
Coordinator for Professional Engagement
She/Her/Hers
University of Louisville
Rachelle Brown
Coordinator for Professional Engagement
She/Her/Hers
University of Memphis
Zachary Smith
Coordinator for Professional Engagement
He/Him/His
Macalester College
Hannah Aksamit
Coordinator for Special Events
She/Her/Hers
California Polytechnic State University
Get Involved in gsnpcop
Become a member of the Graduate Students & New Professionals Community of Practice! Actively participate in opportunities that provide resources and support to members, both personally and professionally, with care, respect, and encouragement.
Ready to join?
Joining an Entity through the ACPA Member Portal automatically identifies you as a member of that Entity! You will begin to receive Entity communications through their respective email listserv and have access to any resources they share!
- Login to your ACPA Member Account
- Click on Community Groups (Chatter)
- Click Groups
- Click Active Groups
- Find the entity you want to join and within that group, click +Join
Contact GSNPCOP via email at [email protected] to learn more about ACPA’s Graduate Students & New Professionals Community of Practice.
Any ACPA member can become involved and there are varying levels of involvement:
- Become an Ambassador
- Submit to the 8th Vector
- Attend our open business meeting at the annual ACPA convention
- Review program proposals for the Convention
- Submit a sponsored program proposal for Convention
- Host a webinar
Additional Involvement Opportunities
ACPA Ambassadors
Individuals interested in serving as an Ambassador must apply and be selected for our cohort-style program. There are either one or two cohorts offered each academic year before annual convention begins. An update will be posted to this website and our various social media accounts regarding each cohort’s application process. Should you have any questions regarding our next cohort application process, please email [email protected].
Note: being an ACPA member at the time of application is not a requirement.
gsnpcop Awards
The depth and quality of work by student affairs educators, higher education scholars, and faculty colleagues too often goes unrecognized. Get Involved with GSNPCOP by recognizing and nominating a colleague, supervisor or supervisee, mentor, or other leader for an Award.
Start gathering information today and get ready to recognize colleagues!
Nominations will close November 1, 2021.
Outstanding Master’s Student
This award is given to a current master’s degree student in a higher education or student affairs related program. The recipient of this award will have made a positive contribution (either through research or service to the profession) to the field of student affairs and/or has made significant contributions to their graduate program and institution.
Outstanding Doctoral Student
This award is given to a current doctoral student in a higher education or student affairs related program. The recipient of this award will have made a positive contribution (either through research or service to the profession) to the field of student affairs and/or has made significant contributions to their graduate program and institution
Outstanding New Professional
This award is given to an individual in their first five years of professional (post-graduate) employment. The recipient of this award will have demonstrated outstanding contributions to their department, institution, and the field of student affairs (either through research or professional service). This individual should demonstrate a propensity for developing students and utilizing theory in practice.
Outstanding Mentor to Graduate Students
This award is given to an outstanding student affairs professional or graduate preparation faculty member who goes above and beyond in their efforts to provide guidance and support to graduate students in higher education or a student affairs related graduate program.
Outstanding Mentor to New Professionals
This award is given to an outstanding student affairs professional who goes above and beyond in their efforts to provide guidance and support to new practitioners in the field of Student Affairs.
Outstanding Dedication to Professional Service
This award is given to a new professional or graduate student in higher education or a student affairs related field who demonstrates an outstanding commitment to the field of student affairs through involvement in professional associations (both local, regional, and national), committees, conferences, and/or graduate program recruitment.
Unsung Hero Award
This award is given to a graduate student or new professional initiating and leading action to remove barriers and improve equity and access in higher education. They constantly seek to improve the campus environment to enhance the experience of historically underrepresented student populations through concrete action in their communities.
Advancing Equity Award
This award is given to a graduate student or new professional initiating and leading action to remove barriers and improve equity in higher education. This person is dedicated to researching, understanding, and improving systemic barriers to historically underrepresented students.
Call for Awards Reviewers
We are looking for volunteers to review award nominations for our convention awards. Once award nominations close, we will send you an email with more details and instructions.