Courtesy of Saman Haddad

Saman Haddad LAW ’26 and Rosa Grijalva GRD ’28, a neuroscience doctoral student, were elected as the president and vice president of the Yale Graduate and Professional Student Senate, respectively.

The GPSS serves as the official student government for all graduate and professional students at Yale, advocating for graduate student interests in University policy. Both Haddad and Grijalva emphasized the importance of this student advocacy amid the current climate, growing political, institutional and financial pressures within and beyond the University. 

“I ran to help the Senate find ways to support students during this political crisis,” said Haddad. “From threats to research funding, to the targeting of non-citizen students, students are increasingly seeking coordinated, effective ways to voice their concerns. The Senate should be able to respond effectively when students ask us to step up.”

For Haddad, who served as GPSS vice president this past year and as a senator during his first year of law school, the role continues his commitment to institutional reform and cross-school advocacy. He described the Senate as “one of the rare spaces at Yale where cross-school collaboration actually thrives, and where a unified student voice can drive meaningful change.”

As a senator, Haddad served on the Advocacy and External Affairs Committees and became an executive board fellow during his first year. 

There, he helped spearhead a campaign with the Yale College Council to end legacy preference admissions in Connecticut. The campaign supported a bill that passed both the state Senate and Education Committee — a step forward, he said, in the broader fight for equity in higher education.

Another milestone under Haddad’s leadership came this year when the senate successfully adopted its first-ever policy platform, which codifies a set of core policy values intended to guide the GPSS’s External Affairs Committee on the senate’s legislative advocacy.

Over the past year, Haddad has also helped lead a $15 million renovation of 204 York St., the GPSS headquarters and home to Gryphon’s Pub.

“Yale’s GPSS is truly unique,” he said. “We independently own and operate one of the only student-run pubs in the country. That kind of autonomy is rare, and it empowers us to lead not just within Yale, but alongside it.”

Now, as president, Haddad said his top priority is strengthening GPSS as an institution. He also emphasized defending student free expression, supporting international and non-citizen students amid political uncertainty and rebuilding public trust in universities. 

Citing threats to research funding and the targeting of non-U.S. citizen students, he emphasized how the G&P community is increasingly seeking coordinated, effective ways to voice their concerns.

Joining him on the executive board is Grijalva, who is entering her fourth year of doctoral study and brings a strong track record of community engagement and creative programming.

“I immediately felt at home in the Community Engagement Committee,” Grijalva said. She joined GPSS in her second year and has since served as chair of the committee, organizing initiatives that bring students together and connect them with the wider New Haven community.

Grijalva has also laid the groundwork for long-term partnerships, including an initiative to connect G&P students with volunteer opportunities through Dwight Hall, Yale’s center for public service and social justice.

Under her leadership, the committee launched the first annual “It Takes a (Gingerbread) Village Holiday Drive”, raising over $1,000 in toys and funds for local organizations. She also piloted the Coils and Curls Initiative, which provides financial support for G&P students managing the costs of hair care for textured hair.

“Looking ahead to next year, it’s more important than ever that we stay engaged and thoughtful, both within our G&P community and with the broader New Haven community,” she said. “We need to ensure that basic needs, like housing, safety, food, and health, are met for every student.”

Outgoing GPSS President Alex Rich GRD ’27, who will continue to serve on the executive board next year as External Affairs Chair, praised both incoming leaders for their dedication and effectiveness. 

Rich also noted how Haddad, as GPSS Vice President, executed his work with “extraordinary empathy.” She said it was a joy to work with him throughout the year.

“He is one of the most passionate and driven people I know, and he almost exclusively directs his skills toward understanding and bettering the lived experiences of others,” said Rich. “Sam will be a bold, innovative and considerate leader in a time that demands such leadership more than ever.”

Rich expressed confidence that Grijalva, who has brought “amazing creativity and dedication” to GPSS, “will make a fantastic VP.” 

There are 8,750 graduate and professional students at Yale.