Join Group

Website Mission Membership Benefits

Mission
The Graduate Students of Color Alliance (GSOCA) at the University of Southern Mississippi (USM) is an organization established for People of Color (POC) and associated allies who are in pursuit of or have attained a graduate degree. Our organization values community, equity, unity, and scholarship, as these are key to promoting academic and professional success as well as personal growth. We seek to foster interdisciplinary cohesion, solidarity, and equitable change on the USM campus for graduate students of color to have the opportunity to expand their academic horizons and have a haven for support. Through working in an interdisciplinary capacity, the GSOCA plans to support each other by (1) facilitating a supportive network for graduate students of color both past and present; (2) fostering multicultural understanding (e.g., respect, support, recognition of challenges, community-building) within GSOCA members; (3) facilitating interdisciplinary cohesion and research ; (4) supporting and promoting efforts to enhance multicultural awareness across graduate school students, faculty, and staff; (5) fundraising to expand the representation of POC in research samples and advance research impacting POC communities in Mississippi; and (6) supporting (e.g., didactics, mentoring) undergraduate students of color aiming to pursue graduate degrees.

Membership Benefits
1. Supportive Professional & Academic Network
Access to a community of current and past graduate students of color and allies for mentorship, collaboration, and career support.

Opportunities to connect across disciplines for interdisciplinary research and academic growth.

2. Multicultural Understanding & Community-Building
A safe and inclusive space for POC graduate students to share experiences, challenges, and successes.

Events and initiatives promoting cultural awareness, respect, and solidarity among members.

3. Research & Academic Advancement
Support for interdisciplinary research collaborations that amplify POC voices and perspectives.

Fundraising efforts to increase POC representation in research samples and advance studies impacting marginalized communities in Mississippi.

4. Advocacy & Institutional Change
A platform to advocate for equity and inclusion within USM’s graduate programs, faculty, and staff.

Opportunities to engage in initiatives that promote diversity in academia.

5. Mentorship & Leadership Development
Mentorship opportunities for undergraduate students of color aspiring to pursue graduate degrees.

Professional development through workshops, didactics, and guidance on navigating academia.

6. Personal Growth & Belonging
A supportive haven for personal and professional growth, fostering resilience and confidence.

Social and networking events to strengthen bonds and reduce isolation among graduate students of color.