Student Organization

Bloustein Graduate Student Association

Mission Statement

The Bloustein Graduate Student Association (BGSA) seeks to encourage and facilitate open communication among students, faculty, staff and administration, to represent and advocate for the interests of planning, policy, and health administration graduate students, and to promote and enact necessary improvements, so as to enhance the overall educational experience.

About

The Bloustein Graduate Student Association (BGSA), formerly the Rutgers Association of Policy and Planning Students (RAPPS), is an advocacy group for students of the Public Policy, Urban Planning & Policy Development, Health Administration, and Public Informatics master’s program. We are a liaison between students and the departments, the Bloustein School, and Rutgers University. We provide an organized voice for students and also a means of organizing for issues (including socializing) of student interest. In Spring 1999, urban planning students joined together with policy students to change the name and purpose of RAPPS to include Public Policy students. In Fall 2017, the group further evolved to the BGSA to incorporate students in the health administration and future programs.

Board

  • President – Vivek Dsouza, MCRP
  • Secretary – Apoorva Singh, MHA
  • GSA Representative and Treasurer – Saul Ruddick-Schulman, MCRP
  • Vice President of Urban Planning – MD Shahadat Hossain, MCRP
  • Vice President of Public Policy – Iman Basit, MPP
  • Vice President of Public Informatics Program – Shravani Kallur, MPI
  • Vice President of Health Administration Program – Matthew Rivera, MHA
  • Communications Chair – Raveena Chowdary Bandaru, MCRP
  • Social Chair – Gabriela Duncan, MCRP
  • Social Justice Chair – Cybil Bailey, MCRP
  • Mentorship Program Coordinator – Maham Khurshid, MCRP/MPI
  • Student Representative to the American Planning Association – Carmen Rosario, MCRP
  • Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy Senator –  Mrudhula Sai Boppey, MCRP