The Graduate Student Council elected commencement speakers for the master’s and doctoral student commencements at their April general body meeting. Akashleena Mallick GS, a master’s student in public health, and Melaine Ferdinand-King GS, a doctoral candidate in Africana Studies, will speak at the master’s and doctoral commencement ceremony, respectively.
Three speaker nominees were chosen for each position from a pool of self-nominated candidates by the nominations committee. Only two candidates spoke for the doctoral commencement speaker, as one finalist dropped out before the meeting. The chosen candidates each read an excerpt of their commencement speech at the meeting.
As the meeting continued, GSC President Kevin LoGiudice ScM’21 GS said the candidate posters for the GSC executive board election have been released. Candidacy applications for the chair of communications, chair of technology and co-chair of social events remain open, and elections for all executive positions will take place at the general board meeting next month.
GSC also has partnered with B-Well Health to set up new wellness stations for graduate students around campus, announced Jean Jerome GS, GSC chair of diversity, equity and inclusion. Wellness carts will be added to the GSL, River House and several other locations frequented by graduate students.
Sofia Verba GS, GSC chair of student life, reported that a new refrigerator had been installed into the Graduate Student Lounge to hold items for social events. The smaller fridge previously present will now be used exclusively for the graduate food pantry.
Ian Ritter is a senior staff writer covering graduate schools and students. He is a sophomore from New Jersey studying Chemistry and International and Public Affairs. When he’s not at the Herald, you can find him playing clarinet or explaining the rules of kickball to confused listeners.
