My time in the BGSA as the VP of Records has been invaluable to my social and professional development. During my time on the executive board, I was able to make connections with students in other disciplines who I would not have had the chance to meet otherwise. I am grateful for the opportunity to create a stronger sense of community among graduate students.

Working with the BGSA in an executive board position has been a great opportunity for me to grow in my professional life. As someone resurrecting a new committee, I was delighted to find the ample resource the BGSA has to make my vision a reality. Everyone is extremely collaborative and happy to help. It is also a very rewarding contribution to an organization that so tangibly improves the lives and careers of my peers.

My name is Shriya Kamlapurkar, and I am a second-year student in the Molecular Pharmacology Graduate Program. I got involved with the BGSA during my first year to represent my class, and in the past year, I served as the co-VP of Programming of BGSA. In this position, I planned social and professional development events for the School of Medicine graduate students. Being a part of BGSA allowed me to interact with Pitt alumni, staff from the SOM graduate studies office, and professionals from different career paths in the field of biomedical sciences, allowing me to expand my professional network. BGSA has also provided me with a platform to voice my opinion about issues important to graduate students and given me a sense of community. The relationships I've built through BGSA have been invaluable to me, and I am grateful for the efforts the BGSA takes to improve the graduate school experience for all SOM students.

I have been an active member of the BGSA since coming to Pitt. It has given me the opportunity to make new friendships and network with numerous Pitt alumni. Holding a leadership position in the BGSA has allowed me to make an impact on the student body as a whole, making a difference in the student experience. Additionally, it has taught me leadership, time management, communication, and teamwork skills, just to name a few. Being involved in the BGSA has given me a more diverse perspective and has helped me grow not only professionally but also personally. The skills acquired during my time in the BGSA will be used well beyond graduate school and will be beneficial for my future career. I highly encourage graduate students to be active members of the BGSA and hold leadership roles when possible. Overall, it has been an invaluable experience for me.

As the VP of Finance, I had the opportunity to learn how to finance and budget for a diverse number of professional and social student-run events. As the Travel Awards Chair, I was able to get an insider’s view of how student applications for financial aid are judged. Both positions provide valuable experiences in managing finances while aiding with creating and supporting opportunities for students to further their graduate experience.

Being in the BGSA has been an extremely valuable experience that has allowed me to gain skills that not everyone receives during their graduate training. I’ve learned how to plan professional and social events and see how a university operates to put these events on. As I discover more about academia, I’ve come to realize all the events we attend, someone had to plan all the logistics and most of us don’t get a chance to experience that in our training period. The BGSA has also helped me grow my community of fellow graduate students and form lasting relationships with the graduate school administration.

I have participated in the BGSA as both the mental health liaison and the MGDB representative during my time in graduate school. I enjoyed being part of the BGSA because it provided me with the opportunity to think beyond myself and consider how individuals can function to improve the greater good in the School of Medicine community. Being part of the BGSA has enabled me to form connections with younger graduate students and has consistently reminded me that having fun is a very important part of life and graduate school. Through the BGSA, I learned about event planning, networking, cooperation, and complex systems. Additionally, being part of the BGSA has helped me to grow my social skills and emotional intelligence. I intend to continue using all of these skills beyond graduate school and am grateful for my time in the BGSA.

Being the chair of the Buddy Program strengthened my leadership and mentorship skills. With twenty students reporting to me, I learned to balance and validate individual opinions, but still introduce changes to the program that would benefit the most students. I also gained practice receiving feedback from others and setting my own pride aside in order to make improvements. These skills will be vital as I endeavor to start my own lab and continue to mentor students. In addition, I refined my skills in organizing, budgeting, and marketing events. The Buddy Program also allowed me to meet a variety of students from different programs and walks of life. I have gained friends and scientific collaborators through being a part of this program, and it opened my eyes to other worldviews that I wouldn’t have learned about by staying in my own little program bubble. Ultimately, I am grateful for my time in the BGSA as I know that it has made me a better leader, scientist, and friend.

Being a part of the BGSA has helped me hone professional skills that will be crucial through the rest of my career. I have worked in collaboration with students, faculty, and experts from various fields which has developed my interpersonal skills and ability to work in a team setting. I have also enhanced my organizational and administrative capabilities which will be applicable to any career path I may take. I am grateful for the way that the BGSA has helped build my sense of community within the school and has supported me in and out of the lab.

My involvement in the BGSA has profoundly impacted my personal and professional growth. As a co-chair for the diversity and inclusion committee, working closely with my co-chair Olayemi Akinyele, I have gained invaluable experience in delegation, teamwork, and leadership while striving towards our shared objective of promoting diversity and equity in STEM. Participating in the BGSA has allowed me to develop critical skills such as effective communication, organization, and leadership that have been essential to my success in and beyond graduate school. Furthermore, the connections and friendships I have made within the organization have provided me with a supportive network of peers who have been instrumental in my growth and development. I am deeply grateful for the opportunities that the BGSA has offered me.

I have participated in the BGSA in several capacities including serving as a Big Buddy, a D&I committee member, and as an MPGP program representative. The BGSA has fostered a vibrant and inclusive community, enabling me to connect with fellow biomedical graduate students who share similar passions and aspirations which has been invaluable in building my professional connections and furthering my career. The BGSA has been instrumental in not only nurturing my leadership skills but also honing my adaptability, resourcefulness, and time management capabilities. In addition, the BGSA takes a comprehensive approach to support the personal and professional growth of all the graduate students in the School of Medicine and ensuring that all their voices are heard by the University of Pittsburgh at large. Overall, the BGSA has been an indispensable resource throughout my graduate school experience, and I am grateful for the opportunities and experiences it has provided me.

During my time at the BGSA, I wore many hats with my titles; VP of University Relations, VP of Programming, and President. With each hat came a different facet of the organization, ranging from learning how to fundraise with other groups to how to advocate for students during a transition to virtual education. Each opportunity taught me some small professional skills. They also taught me a larger skill, that I use every day in my current professional life. My time in the lab equipped me with the technical knowledge and problem-solving skills to be successful in my career. It was as a member of the BGSA leadership, however, that I learned how to work as a team of my peers. My time in the BGSA refined my ability to work as part of a larger group: how to break large multi-person tasks into discrete blocks, how to delegate to and work under others, and how to appreciate how an individual contribution helps push a larger project or goal forward. The BGSA offered me an opportunity to work on aspects of professionalism beyond what you are typically exposed to during graduate school.

The BGSA was also a huge part of my community at the University of Pittsburgh. The BGSA allowed me to build a network of friends and colleagues across different student groups and departments at the University. The BGSA allowed me to mentor younger students and learn the ropes of graduate life from older students. The BGSA served as a platform to address issues relevant to my life as a graduate student. The BGSA was also a monthly get-together with friends and coworkers. Ultimately, the BGSA profoundly shaped my graduate school experience and has equipped me with skills I use every day in my post-graduate life. It was a truly rewarding experience I would recommend to any graduate student looking for personal and professional growth outside the lab.

I was involved in the BGSA during my graduate career as an MPGP program representative, a member of the D&I subcommittee, and the first Mental Health Liaison (MHL). Each of these positions allowed me to think creatively, work with different communities, communicate in unique ways, and provided me with a greater sense of connection and confidence. As a program representative, I was able to organize events and communicate with my peers in the MPGP. As a member of the newly formed D&I committee in 2020, I was able to collaborate with other members and organize a series of informative sessions that discussed the legacies of racism, the Black Lives Matter movement, and continued racial disparities in STEM fields. As the MHL, I compiled a mental health guide of the mental health services that Pitt helps graduate students get connected with the services they need as well as organized substance-free events for BGSA members. These experiences allowed me to find other meaningful work outside of the laboratory. Being involved in the BGSA has allowed me to think about—and more importantly enjoy—the other aspects of life by facilitating social and career development events, communicating with new people, and allowing me to develop my communication and organization skills. I highly recommend becoming involved with the BGSA while at Pitt.

I have participated in the BGSA both as the Molecular Pharmacology Program representative and as the Vice President of Records. As a member of the BGSA, I strengthened my leadership skills and learned to work as a member of a large team from diverse backgrounds to accomplish goals. These goals were focused on improving the graduate school experience for current and future students, which was extremely rewarding. By participating in the BGSA I learned about time management, event organization, and community engagement. Furthermore, I made new connections and friendships that will last a lifetime. Being a member of the BGSA was a vital part of my graduate school experience and something I would encourage others to get involved with.

When I began my graduate education at the UPSOM, I wasn’t entirely sure how well I fit into the student body. There were also numerous issues my colleagues habitually complained about, so I decided instead to act. I pitched the idea for a Diversity & Inclusion committee dedicated to SOM Grad students and served as co-chair for this position, where I learned community outreach, negotiation, event planning, and how to share the responsibilities of the chair. The support from the BGSA members was overwhelming and unwavering. I have since served in other capacities including as President, where I gained insight into navigating politics in upper management, persuasive public speaking, delegation, financial and operational knowledge, interpersonal and communication skills as well as timely decision-making and problem-solving skills. My time in the BGSA allowed me to grow and expand my network, gain the admiration of my colleagues and faculty, and develop lifelong friends for which I am forever grateful. I managed to advocate for increased diversity and support of our student body, participate in salary negotiations, grow post-pandemic student involvement in the BGSA, and participate in the institution of the Office of the Learning Environment and Ombudspersons to name a few. I highly encourage all students to participate in the BGSA, the benefits are too numerous to list and too heavy to weigh.

My name is Michelle Lynskey and I am a 5th year graduate student in the Molecular Pharmacology Program within the School of Medicine. I have been a part of the BGSA since my second year at Pitt. I started as the Pharmacology student representative. Since then, I have held positions such as BGSA Newsletter Editor, VP of Programming, and currently, VP of Communications. Through the BGSA, I have gained a variety of skills such as science communication, planning and coordination of large events, website design, and helping to disperse information to the entire SOM. I truly think that the BGSA has helped to shape my life in grad school and has allowed me to explore different aspects of science and marketing that I would not have had otherwise. In addition to professional growth, the BGSA has also helped me to feel a sense of community at Pitt beyond my grad program. Grad school can be tough! But interacting and speaking with other grad students throughout the process has helped me about making my every day feel worthwhile. I highly recommend that new students join the BGSA as it will hopefully become as large of a part of your life as it has mine.

My name is Nicole Kaminski and I graduated from the Molecular Pharmacology program in July of 2022 and am currently a research scientist at a biotech startup in Boston. I became involved with the BGSA my very first semester of my first year in graduate school. I could immediately tell that by being a part of the BGSA I would be able to play a role in growing and developing the SOM graduate community. I began as an IBGP first year representative then moved on to Pharmacology representative in my second year. As program representative, I was able to build upon my listening and communication skills which I use in my current job. In my third year I decided to become further involved on the executive board as VP of Communications. In this position, gained technical skills in web design and newsletter organization which I have found to be applicable to almost any real-world job situation. In my fourth year, after such a great experience in the BGSA, I decided to fully commit and become President. I have not held a more satisfying position than this to date. The leadership experience I gained and the difference I felt I made in the SOM grad community was one of my biggest accomplishments in graduate school. This position taught me how to manage both people and projects, which again is a skill I utilize every day in my current job. The last role I held in my fifth and final year of graduate school was VP of Programs. While President was the most rewarding position, I largely credit the VP of Programming role to how I almost seamlessly ended up with a job in industry after graduate school. In this position I planned professional development events for other graduate students. In doing so, I was able to easily network with Pitt SOM alumni and tailer events to my needs as a graduate student looking for a job. While I gained many soft and hard skills applicable to my work today through the BGSA, I also gained many friendships that have lasted past graduate school. Some of my favorite memories are from BGSA events. I’m glad I took the time to take a break from the bench and schoolwork because I truly feel like I would’ve missed out on some of the best experiences I had in grad school otherwise.