WRIGHT COLLEGE ACS CHAPTER WINS AWARD

On March 14th, Wright College's Student Chapter of the American Chemical Society (WCSC-ACS), added a fourth victory to their three consecutive Outstanding Awards, (Outstanding is the highest ranking award among a few others namely: Green Awards, Commendable and Honorable Mention). They did not, however, win the Green Award. This was because of their weak focus on environmental science activities which they hope to broaden soon. The local chapter received the award based on the activities they provided, including academic tutoring and blood drive planning.

The American Chemical Society (ACS) is a non-profit association that strives to educate the public, advance the sciences through peer reviewed journals and research, enable career development for its participants, and assist future chemists. Annually, the ACS hosts award ceremonies and undergraduate programs at the national meeting for all participants from other universities and colleges across the country.

In Fall 2011, Wright College Student Chapter was founded by its current faculty advisor, Dr. Doris Espiritu. It was not until Spring 2012 that Wright College’s Chapter was officially recognized by the parent council. Since that year, the WCSC-ACS has been faring well, racking up Outstanding Awards consecutively for three years. Currently, it is headed by two presidents: Monet Worsham and Rachel Weaver.

The chief purposes of the association include assisting students majoring in scientific professional fields, especially those related chemical sciences. They also offer scholarships programs for members, hold events for networking and professional development events, complementary tutoring to supplement that which Wright offers, and hosts community service outreach to grade schools and high schools. In addition to these provisions, the WCSC-ACS also hosts webinars on different themes, the most recent being “The Role of Chemistry in Global Security.”

The WSCS-ACS intends on expanding their focus on activities relating to environmental sciences. They have already taken a wide pace to increase their chances of winning a Green Award. They recently teamed up with environmental club on Earth Day to craft lapel pins and are currently working on enlightening the public about the environment.