Our Goals
Facilitate positive and productive student-faculty interactions
GLC seeks to encourage the students and faculty to interact in meaningful ways, including through the implementation of faculty research seminars and faculty-student lunches. With the research seminars, we bring our own faculty members in front of the department for our weekly colloquium to introduce a fun fact about themselves and present current research topics. With the faculty-student lunches, we seek to bring together faculty members to discuss a variety of topics including entrepreneurship, pursuing a teaching line career, and something with a small group of students during lunch.
Foster department community
GLC seeks to foster departmental community through the CHEMUnity mentor/mentee program, pairing older graduate students with first years as they arrive. Quarterly, GLC hosts CHEMUnity social events including a game night at a games cafe in Chicago, ice cream social, and a dinner and game night on campus!
Suggest and enact departmental change in accordance with feedback
Annually, GLC sends out a survey to the department in order to gain feedback on quality of life for graduate students. This anonymous data is aggregated and processed in order to identify the impact of GLC programs on quality of life, and to identify areas of improvement within the department. This data is then compiled and presented, along with proposed solutions and ideas, before the Graduate Affairs Committee to develop methods for departmental change.
Address graduate student concerns as they arise
GLC seeks to address graduate student concerns as they arise, being receptive to communication via the organization email, or in person with the members of the organization. GLC also works extensively with the Graduate Program Assistants to ensure that graduate students are aware of the potential resources available to them, and how to get in contact with them.