Affinity groups provide space for graduate students to (1) Build community with peers who share experiences, backgrounds, & social identities; (2) Connect with personal and professional support; and (3) Deepen collective learning around shared interests.
Graduate Affinity Groups
The Office of Graduate Student Life in the Division of Student Affairs coordinates student-designed and student-run Graduate Affinity Groups for students to connect across shared backgrounds and life experiences.
Students interested in participating in or running their own Graduate Affinity Group can learn more on the Office of Graduate Student Life's website.
Questions? Contact Ghada Endick, Assistant Dean for Graduate Student Life in the Division of Student Affairs (gendick@echo.rutgers.edu).
~Graduate Affinity Groups emerged from the ideation and advocacy of students on the SGS DEI Graduate Student Advisory Committee.~
Affinity-Based Graduate Student Organizations
In addition to the new year-long, discussion-based affinity groups organized by SGS and the Office of Graduate Student Life (details above), students may also get involved with Graduate Student Organizations to connect with peers who share social identities and experiences. The Graduate Student Association hosts a number of affinity-based Graduate Student Organizations, including:
- Council of Black Graduates
- Rutgers Graduate Christian Fellowship
- Rutgers GRADient (LGBT+ group)
- Rutgers Taiwanese GSA/ Rutgers Taiwan Study Association
- Supporting Parents and Caregivers at Rutgers
- Women’s Leadership Coalition (Graduate Organization)
- Korean Graduate Student Association
- Rutgers New Brunswick SACNAS (Advancing Chicanos/Hispanics & Native Americans in Science)
Consult the complete list of Graduate Student Organizations to learn more about how to get involved with each organization.
Affinity-Based Organizations in the Biomedical and Health Sciences
Biomedical and Health Sciences students in New Brunswick/Piscataway and in Newark can build community with peers through the following affinity group spaces designed specifically for biomedical and health sciences students:
- Minority Student Association (SGS Biomedical and Health Sciences: Newark Health Science Campus)
- Women in Biomedical Sciences (SGS Biomedical and Health Sciences: Newark Health Science Campus)
- OUT@NJMS (the LGBTQA student organization of Rutgers New Jersey Medical School)
Affinity-Based Organizations within the Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology
GSAPP houses identity-based affinity groups to support GSAPP students, including:
- The Hispanic Organization of Professional Psychology Students (HOPPS)
- The Jewish Student Alliance (JSA)
- Queer Student Association (QSA)
- Focus on Our DIversity
To learn more about these and other student groups in GSAPP, visit https://gsapp.rutgers.edu/current-students/student-groups.
More resources related to students’ social identities
- Campus map of single-use restrooms: http://socialjustice.rutgers.edu/trans-ru/
- LGBTQA Housing Options: http://socialjustice.rutgers.edu/housing-options/
- Resources for transgender, gender nonconforming and gender questioning students, faculty and staff: http://socialjustice.rutgers.edu/trans-ru/
- Rutgers University name change form: http://socialjustice.rutgers.edu/trans-ru/on-campus-preferred-name-change/
- The Center for Social Justice Education and LGBTQ Communities: http://socialjustice.rutgers.edu/
- Interfaith Meditation/Prayer spaces on campus: http://www.cilru.org/religious-organization-prayer-space
- Supporting Muslim Students During Ramadan: Link
- Lactation rooms on campus: https://swc.rutgers.edu/node/21
- The Center for Disability Services: https://oasa.rbhs.rutgers.edu/office-of-disability-services/
- Neurodiversity Taskforce: https://rcaas.rutgers.edu/about/neurodiversity-task-force