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.
Download the BGSA Constitution (PDF)
About BGSA
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 – Arnav Prakash, MCRP
- Vice President of Urban Planning – Akshita Saini, MCRP
- Vice President of Public Policy – Sahar Khan Sherwani, MPP
- Vice President of Ph.D. – Soo Yeon Lim, Ph.D. in Planning and Public Policy
- Vice President of Health Administration Program and GSA Representative and Treasurer – Dipti Shah, MHA
- Vice President of Public Informatics Program – vacant
- Secretary and Communications Chair – Sharvari Kolte, MHA
- Social Chair – vacant
- Social Justice Chair – Zohra Aslam, MCRP
- Mentorship Program Coordinator – Doug Leung, MCRP
- Student Representative to the American Planning Association – Olubori Agboola, MCRP
- Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy Senator – Miguel Garcia, MCRP