Hi everyone! My name is Sophia Zaslow and I am a second-year PhD student in Dr. Lindsey Swierk’s lab. I am running for President of the Biology Graduate Student Organization. I served as the Event Coordinator for the BGSO this past year and I am excited for the opportunity to continue to serve the graduate students in the Biology department. My strong organization and communication skills make me well suited to take this leadership role. I look forward to the opportunity to support graduate student voices and continue to support community building within the department through the annual Symposium and other student-focused events.

Hello everyone! My name is Stephanie and I'm a 3rd year PhD student in the Biology department. I'm running for treasurer in the BGSO. It would be a privilege for me to serve the BGSO and contribute in a meaningful way, through maintaining our budget and ensuring that it is used to benefit our graduate community. 

Hi everyone!

I am Victoria Namiganda, a 3rd-year PhD candidate in the Biochemical, Cellular, and Molecular Biology (BCMB) program, and I am running for the position of BGSO senator.

Since coming to Binghamton, I have served as treasurer of the Graduate African Student Organization (GASO) (a sub-organization of SCMA). This opportunity allowed me to apply my organizational skills to manage budgets and ensure transparent financial reporting.

I currently serve as a senator for GASO, and I volunteer on the GSO DEI committee. These roles have taught me the importance of advocating for graduate students’ needs, providing clear updates, and ensuring that decisions at the GSO senate level reflect our community’s priorities.

As BGSO senator, I will actively bring BGSO’s perspectives to the GSO senate, share relevant senate updates with our members and continue supporting key BGSO events like the annual symposium. Having volunteered as a moderator and judge for past BGSO symposium, I understand how this event helps graduate students present their work and receive constructive feedback. I am committed to sustaining and strengthening such valuable events in the Biology Department.

My name is Favour Nwankpa, I am a current PhD student with the Sauer lab, with my research focused on identifying and characterizing the role of proteases in P.aeruginosa biofilm  matrix degradation. I have previously served in the executive board of GASO (Graduate African Student Organization) as the program coordinator which has equipped me with transferable leadership skills that will be beneficial to BGSO. I am interested in the alternative senator position. In this position I intend to advocate for the community in GSO senate meetings, representing our voice about issues relating to us as biology students and relating feedback. I am thrilled Thank you for this opportunity

Hi everyone! My name is Anastasia Rusnak, and I am a second-year PhD student in Adam Session's lab. I have seen firsthand how much of a positive impact the BGSO has on the graduate student community, and I would love to be a part of this organization. I believe my organizational and time management skills will make me an excellent candidate for the historian position.