In the heart of Florida State University’s campus, a vibrant melting pot of cultures thrives within the Congress of Graduate Students (COGS). COGS, which includes representatives from nine countries this year, serves as a crucial platform where international students can advocate for their needs, celebrate their heritage, and shape their academic journey.
Part of the Student Government Association framework, COGS is the official representative body for post-baccalaureate, special, masters, specialist, professional and doctoral students at FSU. Currently, international students make up 16% of the graduate student body on FSU’s campus and 26% of COGS’ current representatives.
“With international students being such a large and impactful part of FSU’s graduate population, it is essential that international students feel like their governing bodies care about their views and actively seek them out,” said Jack Rowan, speaker of the 33rd Congress of Graduate Students and a student in the College of Law. “[COGS] has a proud history of being a place where international graduate students can be heard and serve as leaders for the Congress and the Graduate Student Body.”
Shahin Alam, who is currently pursuing a doctorate in civil and environmental engineering, serves as a COGS representative for the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering. Originally from Bangladesh, Alam got involved in COGS to support the communities he represents.
“As an immigrant, I am especially committed to promoting international diversity and fostering global understanding within the FSU community,” he said. “Through my volunteer work, I am empowered to advocate for graduate students, issuing resolutions representing their views and needs.”
Ridwan Balogun, originally from Nigeria, serves as a representative for the College of Arts and Sciences and as the organization’s deputy speaker for judicial affairs. He’s currently working on his doctorate in history and ethnography of religion. Balogun joined COGS after connecting with Alaba Ilesanmi, a Nigerian doctoral student in the College of Music who served as a representative in spring 2023 and showed him the ropes of the organization.
“By combining my support efforts, active participation and information-sharing, I contribute to the larger COGS framework while ensuring that international students, particularly those from Africa, have their needs represented and addressed,” Balogun said.
Francis Ebuara, originally from Nigeria, is a representative for the College of Arts and Sciences pursuing a doctorate in biological science. He was originally introduced to COGS at the international student orientation held by the Center for Global Engagement when he first came to FSU and was immediately fascinated with the organization’s ideals of service, leadership and support.
“It’s been incredible how COGS has shaped me as a person, leader and servant,” Ebuara said. “Whenever I prepare for a COGS meeting or debate a bill, my focus is always on how best it will serve the community that entrusted me with this responsibility. Being in COGS has given me a strong sense of responsibility and inspired other international students to believe that they not only belong but can also actively contribute to campus leadership.”
Originally from Bangladesh, Shezin Houssain is a doctoral candidate at the School of Information serving as a representative for the College of Communication and Information. She joined COGS to help address the various challenges that graduate students encounter.
“As an international student at FSU, my involvement with COGS has significantly enhanced my leadership skills and provided me with valuable insights into the academic administration process,” Houssain said. “Through my participation, I have gained a deeper understanding of key aspects such as negotiation, budget allocation and voting on bills during COGS sessions. These experiences, many of which were new to me, have broadened my perspective and equipped me to be a more effective advocate for the needs of graduate students.
Rowan is committed to increasing international student representation in the future.
“COGS is the place where international students can find student government funding to support celebrations of their culture, whether it be Diwali, Dashain or Eid,” Rowan said. “We will always fight for our international students and work to ensure that their institution represents them. As we move into the 33rd Congress, COGS will continue to recruit and uplift our international students.”
For more information on the Congress of Graduate Students and the work it does, how to get involved, and more, visit sga.fsu.edu/student-government/congress-graduate-students.