Official Blog | UCGPC

During the UC Board of Regents assembly in May 2023, Dr. Evelyn Vazquez, a distinguished scholar hailing from UC Riverside’s Department of Social Medicine, Population, & Public Health, presented an insightful exhibit titled “The Trajectories of Underrepresented Graduate Students While in Graduate School.” The exhibit shed light on the experiences of ten low-income first-generation college students of diverse academic backgrounds during the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. Vazquez used Photovoice, a qualitative research approach, to showcase these students’ perspectives and the adverse environments they often confront in graduate school, including discrimination, anxiety, loneliness, and the detrimental effects on their physical and mental health. 

Through their photographs, the students depicted the challenges they often face, highlighting the impact of the pandemic on their academic and personal lives. The exhibit aimed to bring attention to these issues and urged academic institutions to provide supportive measures for Hispanic-Serving Institutions, like UC Riverside, UC Irvine, UC Santa Barbara, UC Davis, UC Merced, and UC Santa Cruz. The event garnered significant attention from prominent figures, including UCR Chancellor Kim Wilcox, UC Berkeley Chancellor Carol Christ, and various Regents, such as Jose Hernandez and Sandra Timmons. Dr. Vazquez’s exhibit served as a valuable contribution to the ongoing discussions around equity and inclusion in higher education.

Dr. Evelyn Vazquez’s fascinating exhibition at the UC Board of Regents meeting is a significant milestone in the collaboration between the UC Graduate and Professional Council (UCGPC) and the Engaging the Academy’s Taskforce. The exhibition “The Trajectories of Underrepresented Graduate Students While in Graduate School” is a powerful testament to UCGPC’s commitment to prioritizing student mental health. This gallery results from a year-long collaborative effort between UCGPC and the task force, reflecting their shared dedication to addressing the unique mental health challenges historically marginalized graduate and professional students face. It showcases the profound impact that can be achieved when organizations like UCGPC and passionate scholars like Dr. Vazquez join forces to bring attention to vital issues and work toward meaningful change. The exhibition is an excellent example of UCGPC’s annual priority, demonstrating its unwavering commitment to fostering a supportive and inclusive environment for all graduate students within the UC system.

UCR’s Drs. Vazquez, Cheney, Lakes, UCGPC, and Solid Ground Wellness organized capacity-building projects, including workshops and four podcast episodes. These episodes focus on the mental health of graduate and professional students who have been historically marginalized. The first episode will feature Dr. Danielle Mireles from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and will be recorded this June 2023.

The collaboration between UCGPC and Engaging the Academy’s Taskforce highlights the importance of graduate students in shaping policies and initiatives that directly affect their well-being. UCGPC values the voices and perspectives of graduate students, recognizing their contribution to driving meaningful change. By involving graduate students in decision-making, UCGPC ensures that their concerns and needs are adequately addressed. The exhibition is an excellent example of UCGPC’s advocacy efforts and how the UCGPC fee, included in tuition and fees, directly supports initiatives to improve graduate and professional student experiences in the UC. This reminds graduate students that their participation in UCGPC not only empowers them to contribute to positive change but also reinforces the understanding that their financial contributions are invested back into their own well-being and the well-being of their peers.