The GPS conference originated when two forward-thinking graduate students, Héctor Pérez and Maribel Jaquez, conceived the idea of bringing STEM communities together in the Bay Area. Since then, the initiative has evolved into larger inclusivity, with Sebastián Ojeda, Emily Anne Vargas, Armando Urbina, Diego Jácome, Sandra Lara Galindo, and Daniel Perera Da Costa taking the mantle at USC from 2020 to 2024.
The Southern California Graduate Pathways to STEM (SoCal GPS) is a student-initiated conference aimed at empowering prospective graduate students in Southern California and surrounding areas through guidance regarding opportunities for pursuing graduate studies in engineering.
Attendees participate in informative workshops on graduate school preparation and the application process. The conference will also feature panel discussions highlighting diverse career paths with an advanced engineering degree.
With our 2025 conference, we hope to continue expanding our reach from years past. We want to exemplify diversity, inclusion and belonging as pillars that belong and exist within the academic community. Through thoughtful and intentional planning, this year’s conference planning committee will inspire the next generation of leading innovators and scientists toward advanced degrees that may propel them to academia, industry, government, or even entrepreneurship.
Prepare yourself to be inspired by those trailblazers before you. Graduate school is not only within grasp; it is a few resources short of success!
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VGSA promotes interaction among the graduate students in the Viterbi School of Engineering by hosting various academic, wellness, career, and social activities.
This program is open to all prospective graduate students. The Viterbi Graduate Student Association operates all of its programs and activities consistent with the University’s Notice of Non-Discrimination. Participation is not restricted based on race, sex, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or any other prohibited factor.
