IU Student Organizations | SPEA
There are a number of groups that students can join to become active in SPEA life!
AmeriCorps Alums Bloomington
Diversity Project
Education Policy Student Association (EDPOSA)
Environmental Management Association (EMA)
Graduate Student Association (GSA)
Indiana Health Student Association (IHSA)
International Public Affairs Association (IPAA)
IU Graduate and Professional Student Organization (GPSO)
IU Student Association (IUSA)
Nonprofit Management Association (NMA)
Public Finance Association (PFA)
Students Taking Active Roles Today (START)
Sustainable Development Association (SDA)
AmeriCorps Alums Bloomington is a student organization that aims to connect, support and mobilize AmeriCorps Alums in order to strengthen our community and our nation. The primary functions are to:
- Create a network of AmeriCorps alumni in the IU community
- Connect local AmeriCorps alumni to other alumni on a state level
- Promote service initiatives
- Serve as an informational resource regarding AmeriCorps for Indiana University and the Bloomington community.
Please vist our blog for more information and become our friends on Facebook!
The Rutledge Diversity Project combines programming and social research to foster diversity within the SPEA graduate community. SPEA graduate students and staff come from all over the world and bring a wealth of different cultures and experiences. Social and informational events are coordinated by SPEA students, encouraging students to be open-minded, to interact and participate, and to voice their opinions in a constructive environment.
The Diversity Project is also dedicated to ongoing efforts to evaluate diversity at SPEA and measure the progress of the project. The overall goal is to provide a supportive and welcoming environment as well as a rich educational experience that will aid students as they prepare to live and work in our global society.
Education Policy Student Association (EDPOSA)
SPEA's Education Policy Student Association (EDPOSA) brings in many speakers who introduce us to current issues in education, such as David Harris from Indianapolis' The Mind Trust, Eric Tucker of the National Association for Urban Debate Leagues, and Teresa Lubbers, Indiana Commissioner for Higher Education. EDPOSA also holds screenings for relevant movies like The Lottery and Waiting for "Superman", as well as providing professional opportunities their members in the field of education through career panels, information sessions, and employment opportunities disseminated through the EDPOSA listserv.
EDPOSA enjoys partnering with other organizations to provide these opportunities for their members, and works in conjunction with the Nonprofit Management Association (NMA) at SPEA and the Literacy, Culture, and Language Education Graduate Student organization to provide unique programming for their members.
Environmental Management Association (EMA)
EMA's goal is to promote careers in environmental management and assist in career development by sponsoring workshops, presentations, and activities which provide students with information, skills, and networking opportunities relevant to environmental careers. EMA also helps foster networking opportunities with environmental professionals, and works with other environmental groups on campus to promote events that mesh with its goals.
EMA's membership is composed primarily of graduate and undergraduate students from a variety of departments and schools on the IU campus, including the School of Public and Environmental Affairs, the School of Law, and the Departments of Biology, Chemistry, and Geological Sciences. Membership is open to any student, staff member, faculty member or alumnus of Indiana University who is interested in environmental management.
Graduate Student Association (GSA)
The Graduate Student Association was created to perform four functions:
- Coordinate communication among the school's masters students.
- Coordinate communication between the student body and administration and faculty.
- Work to improve experiences for all of the school's masters students.
- Offer opportunities for leadership and involvement to the school's masters students.
Elected Graduate Student Association officers attend regular meetings with faculty and staff to discuss programs, policies and other aspects of the School of Public and Environmental Affairs experience. Active members of the Graduate Student Association attend committee meetings and coordinate projects, trips, activities and parties. Every person in the professional masters programs at SPEA-IUB is a member of the School of Public and Environmental Affairs Graduate Student Association (GSA).
If you want to learn more about the Graduate Student Association, look for "IU SPEA Graduate Student Association" on Facebook!
Indiana Health Student Association (IHSA)
IHSA is an organization for public health majors or anyone interested in the current trends of the health care industry. The objectives of IHSA are:
- to stimulate professional career development and leadership of its members;
- to provide the opportunity to assemble with students and faculty whose professional interests are in public and environmental health;
- to keep members informed of recent trends in health related areas;
- to encourage students to enter the many facets within the health field.
For more information on IHSA, please contact ihsa@indiana.edu.
International Public Affairs Association (IPAA)
The International Public Affairs Association (IPAA) provides a forum for international public affairs and policy issues while helping graduate students achieve careers in the field. IPAA is based in Indiana University's School of Public and Environmental Affairs (SPEA) and is open to all members of the IU community, including undergraduates, graduates, faculty and staff. We are always looking for members to join us at our events, from the annual spring research conference to international dinners. The IPAA offers members the opportunity to lead the planning of events by joining one of our many student-driven committees, including coffee hours, movie nights, and career development activities. For more information on our events and organization, please check out our International Public Affairs Association Blog or contact us at ipaa@indiana.edu.
IU Graduate and Professional Student Organization (GPSO)
The fundamental mission of the Indiana University Graduate and Professional Student Organization (GPSO) is to serve and advocate for the interests of graduate and professional students on the Bloomington campus. Having gained formal recognition as the government of the graduate and professional students at IUB, the GPSO functions as a united voice to express the concerns of this population to the administration, student body, and Bloomington community.
The Indiana University Student Association (IUSA) is the government of the Indiana University’s student body. It is composed of the Executive, Legislative, and Judicial branches. Students that participate in the Indiana University Student Association may serve as memebers of the supreme court, congress, or as student body president. The IU Student Association has served IU for over a half a century. In that time, the IU Student Association has successfully financed, advocated, and supported many projects across campus.
Nonprofit Management Association (NMA)
The Nonprofit Management Association (NMA) at Indiana University exists to assist and educate students interested in learning more about the dynamic nonprofit sector. The student association helps those interested in nonprofit management careers, as well as others who will deal with this sector professionally or personally. It is the NMA mission to help everyone understand and appreciate the rich diversity of the nonprofit sector and the limitless opportunities the sector offers each of us. Contact us at speanma@indiana.edu.
SPEA graduate students in public finance created PFA for a number of purposes:
- Assist in the professional, educational, and social development of college students interested in all aspects of municipal finance, both in the public and private sector.
- Promote the public finance program at SPEA within Indiana University, as well as nationally and internationally.
- Provide a structure for interaction between public finance students and the municipal finance community, business executives,and government finance officials.
PFA considers itself a member-driven organization, and the initiatives stated above are accomplished only by the collective efforts of the membership.
Students Taking Active Roles Today (START)
The purpose of the START Volunteer Program is to facilitate student, faculty, and staff involvement in the community through volunteer activities. START's belief is that "you learn best by giving something of yourself", and seeks to link school capabilities with community needs. A START core committee plans group projects and matches individual interests with volunteer opportunities. Core committee representatives recruit, place, and follow up with a variety of organizations such as Middle Way House shelter for battered women, the United Way, and Sycamore Land Trust.
START also sponsors one large group project each month that focuses on different needs of the community. To see our latest activities and announcements, please visit: http://speastart.blogspot.com.
Sustainable Development Association (SDA)
The Sustainable Development Association is a professional student organization housed in the School of Public and Environmental Affairs (SPEA). SDA aims to provide information in accordance with the sustainable development concentration as part of SPEA’s curriculum and to encourage sustainable behaviors among SPEA faculty, staff, and students, as well as providing information to students on careers, activities, and volunteer opportunities in the field of sustainable development. Follow SDA's Facebook page to keep up on all of their latest events!