Get Involved

Imagine. Advocate. Organize. Act.


CEPA is a unique student-led organization that provides a wide range of opportunities for students to engage in governance activities, policy research, and activism to address student concerns on campus.  Through CEPA you can get involved in exploring and practicing the ideas that you are learning about in you courses and take action on issues that are important to you and your fellow students. In addition to organizing around issues specific to UMass Amherst, you will also have the opportunity to engage in national dialog with other student leaders.    A few recent accomplishments include:

• amending the Code of Student Conduct
• educating the campus community about the “Dream Act” (Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors)
• leading the UMass system toward full divestment from fossil fuels
• participating in local and national Black Lives Matter organizing
• engaging the community in conversations about “Call Out and Call In” culture
• raising awareness about the experiences of underrepresented students
• participating in regional and national conferences
• organizing and participating in Lobby Day

Come work with us!! Take a look at some of the exciting opportunities that we have to offer you during your UMass journey.

CEPA Staff Positions

Get paid to do what you love and be a student leader! Every year CEPA hires (7) student staff members to accomplish the mission and goals of the organization for the year. Staff works collaboratively with other student groups across campus to bring awareness to issues impacting students. Their work includes: policy research & analysis, design and delivery of trainings, organization of student led campaigns, programming, and building coalition spaces among students to discuss impact of institutional policies on their campus experiences.

CEPA Internships

Do you have a project that you think will help move CEPA’s mission and goals forward?  Get credit for it!  CEPA works in partnership with the College of Education to provide between (1) and (3) credits for internships during the semester. Interns have the opportunity to work on projects that they design with their intern supervisor.  Past internship projects include:
• Writing and creating videos about the history of activism at UMass Amherst
• Researching and developing policy briefs on issues such as the Fight for $15 and the Voting Rights Advancement Act.
• Organizing educational programming for the campus and community.

Workshops and Trainings

CEPA is committed to building student power and raising the voices of students. CEPA sponsored trainings are designed to give students the tools and resources to effectively advocate for the issues that are important to them and campus – developing a foundation for students to become lifelong activist and organizers in their own communities after graduation.

Campus Engagement

Throughout the year CEPA organizes educational programming to engage students in discussions about issues and topics that impact them. Previous CEPA events include: documentary screenings, teach-ins, panel discussions, lobbying and phone banking, marches, and guest speakers.

Conferences

Each year CEPA members have the opportunity to participate in and present at a variety of local and national conferences. Previous conferences include:

USSA National Student Congress
National Student Power Summit
IMPACT National Conference
ECAASU (East Coast Asian American Student Union) Conference
National Student Labor Action Project (SLAP) Conference
Jobs with Justice Summer Education Series