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Annual DCGSAC Events
Career Symposium
DCGSAC has sponsored a number of symposia focused on career options for PhD chemists. Since this first symposium was held in 1999, DCGSAC has been dedicated to inviting highly qualified, relevant guest speakers who can inform and enlighten graduate students in chemistry to the many career options available to a PhD chemist. Simultaneously, speakers are selected to help broaden graduate students' career horizons by maintaining a special focus on non-traditional careers. Speakers representing numerous interests and industries have attended, including pharmaceuticals, materials, start-ups, national agencies, and consulting, to name a few.
Monthly Pizza Lunch/ Social Hour
DCGSAC hosts monthly pizza lunches to facilitate fellowship and good conversation over delicious pizza! Pizza is sold at $1 a slice and one drink is free with purchase. On special occasions, we offer a free slice for showing holiday spirit or free pizza during graduate student appreciation week.
Holiday Party
DCGSAC organizes the annual holiday party held at the Alice Campbell Alumni center in December. Graduate students, post docs, and faculty join together for an evening of heavy hors-d'oeuvres and assortment of drinks including a cash bar. Throughout the evening, we project holiday themed group photos submitted for the Annual Group Photo contest. The best group photo, as determined by popular vote that night, will receive a free pizza party. We continue our generous tradition of collecting toys for the Toys for Tots organization. The first 50 guests to donate an unused toy or $5 cash receives an extra drink ticket!
Fall Picnic
DCGSAC hosts an annual free fall picnic lunch catered by Hickory River Smokehouse. This event is held at Crystal Lake Park in Urbana with lunch being served at 11:30 am and games beginning at 1:00 pm. All graduate students, faculty, staff, friends, and family are welcome to attend.
Not only does the fall picnic give you a chance to get to know your fellow graduate students and talk to the faculty outside lab, it's a chance for you to win honor and glory for your division! The areas compete in both physical and mental events with the winner taking home the coveted trophy and bragging rights for the year. The events this year will involve Trivial Pursuit, Volleyball, Soccer, and Ultimate Frisbee.
Spring Picnic
Along with the fall picnic, DCGSAC organizes the free spring picnic close to Roger Adams Laboratory as another chance for graduate students, faculty, and support staff to spend time together outside of work.
Gripefest
DCGSAC organizes the Gripefest forum to provide an opportunity for graduate students to voice their concerns, complaints, and suggestions directly to the department head. Refreshments are provided.