Four Graduate Students win 2024 Student Group Presidents’ Awards

Four exemplary and dedicated Graduate Students in the Department of Chemistry have been named the winners of the 2024 Student Group Presidents’ Awards. Members of the Department of Chemistry’s student groups – Chemistry Graduate Student Committee (CGSC) and Women+ In Chemistry (WIC+) – came together to select the award recipients, students who have demonstrated long-lasting commitment to and leadership within the respective student groups.

The 2024 Student Group Presidents’ Award Winners:

Bella Borgula (CGSC)

Bella has been a dedicated member of the Chemistry Graduate Student Committee for several years, acting as both Secretary and President in her time as a grad student. She has made sure that some of CGSC’s most popular events, like the annual Summer Boat Cruise, continued to occur despite the challenges student groups faced following the covid pandemic. She also took charge of the creation, ordering, purchasing, and distribution of MIT chemistry sweatshirts which were extremely popular and had a significant impact on our sense of community as a department. Bella continually shows her dedication to the department and student well-being through her involvement in CSGC. Her leadership has ensured the continual success of this group and its longevity in the department.

Christa Imrich (CGSC)

Christa has demonstrated outstanding commitment to CGSC which is an incredibly valuable group for the chemistry department. Christa acted first as a general member, then Treasurer, and is now in her second year of acting as President of the group. She has implemented a number of great ideas for increasing popularity of the group while also maintaining the department’s well-loved events such as Final Call Before Fall. Christa has also worked hard to bring both social and career development events to the department after the lockdown due to COVID-19. These events have revitalized involvement in student groups and bolstered the spirit of the department.

So Young Lee (WIC+)

So Young is a highly dedicated and cherished member of the WIC+ community. She did a tremendous job as Outreach Coordinator this past year and has gone above and beyond in leading a multitude of outreach and professional development events from introducing middle and high schoolers to careers in chemistry, to running mentorship programs, to leading key networking events such as the MIT/Merck Symposium, Future Faculty Symposium, and coffee hours with seminar speakers. We are grateful to have such an exceptional member of WIC+ and the chemistry department.

Molly Warndorf (WIC+)

Molly has been an invaluable member of the WIC+ community. During her time as co-president, secretary, and GSC representative, Molly has been a generous, kind, industrious, and highly motivated leader. She has organized many successful professional development, networking, and social events fostering a sense of community and empowerment for female-identifying grad students and post-docs. She is an extraordinary leader, and we are truly grateful for all of Molly’s contributions to WIC+, the chemistry department, and MIT. 

The Department of Chemistry is are grateful to these students for all they have done for our community.