Introducing Notre Dame’s CGSO

The Chemistry Graduate Student Organization (CGSO) of Notre Dame strives to provide all chemistry/biochemistry graduate students with opportunities to grow as a community and as professionals. Our social events range from fun and festive pumpkin carving to affinity group tea times to foster community and promote diversity. We collaborate with the Center for Career Development to provide professional development workshops tailored to the specific needs of our members. We are newly accredited with the American Chemical Society, and look forward to the opportunities that will provide our members in the near future. The CGSO maintains an anonymous virtual suggestion box for members to highlight areas in which the CGSO or the department can improve. Any concerns beyond our scope are passed up the chain to be addressed with the Chemistry Department’s Director of Graduate Studies each semester. Representatives of the CGSO attend Graduate Student Government meetings and relevant faculty meetings to ensure the needs of the Chemistry Department’s graduate students are heard.

CGSO E-Board and Representatives 2023-24

Back row, left to right: Ben Heiner (President), Alex Pittsford (Treasurer), Ethan Burghardt (Representative), Ola Awotunde (Diversity Leader), Kevin Catalfano (Outreach Coordinator), Alex Walter (Rep.), Cedrick Mukinay (Rep.), and Alyssa Wicks (Rep.).
Front row, left to right: Disha Patel (Rep.), Raúl Torres Cadena (Diversity Leader), Maddie Glennon (Vice President), Carmen Chamberlain (Secretary/Webmaster), Hannah Marietta (Activities Director), Anna Zepeda (Activities Director), Beth Anderson (Rep.), and Carmen Magestro (Rep.).
Not pictured: Ariel Thelander (Rep.)
Photo credit: Alyssa Wicks

General Events Calendar

Summer events typically include attending a South Bend Cubs baseball game, a picnic with kayaking at Potato Creek, and orientation festivities to welcome our new cohort and kickoff the academic year in August.

Our fall events calendar is jam-packed with affinity group tea times, a Town Hall with the Chemistry Department Director of Graduate Studies, 1+ professional development workshop(s), pumpkin carving, manning a concession stand at a home game to raise funds for the year, outreach events around the community, gingerbread house decorating, and more!

Spring brings the opportunity to welcome recruits, continued tea times, trivia/movie nights, and other social events, Science Alive, divisional Town Hall meetings, and the election of a new Executive Board and Representatives.

Check out our social media pages (linked at the bottom of the site) to see select photos of our recent events!