June 10, 2022

This year, our Graduate Student Association (GSA) and International Graduate Student Association (IGSA) strived to build a culture and tradition of service among the graduate student community.

Volunteer student representatives serving on the inaugural GSA Academic Affairs Committee (AAC), chaired by GSA Academic Chair Joseph Arrington, a DBA student in the LeBow College of Business, helped unite students from across colleges and schools to discuss issues of academic affairs and help foster opportunities for academic, professional, and personal growth and development, as well as have an opportunity to network with students outside of their college/school. The GSA AAC formed a subcommittee on service which was chaired by Drew Davis, MD student in the College of Medicine, and Geetha Valurouthu, a PhD student in Materials Science in the College of Engineering. In addition to organizing a Back-to-School Drive at the 2022 Drexel Emerging Graduate Scholars Conference, with help from GSA Vice President for Academic Affairs, London Thompson, EdD student in the School of Education, the group also participated in their first service project at the end of May with Small Things Inc, a nonprofit focused on raising and distributing funds to benefit our local and surrounding communities. The group packed boxes of food and supplies for local families and organizations in need. (View Photos)

At this year's Festival of Nations event on May 27 in the Drexel Recreation Center (View Photos), the IGSA, GSA, and International Student Union hosted a series of international students and organizations featuring samples of international foods, arts and crafts, games, dancing, prizes and more. Table host for India, Poojan Bhavsar, Master's student in Information Systems in the College of Computing and Informatics, collected cash donations at their table which featured the art of Indian Henna. They collected nearly $200 which was donated to Susan G. Komen via BAPS Charities during their May 22 Walk/Run event where they raised nearly $2,000. (View Photos)

We are so proud of our graduate students for their service! Thank you to everyone involved!