On September 21, 2017, the Mechanical Engineering department formally recognized the creation of a new Mechanical Engineering Graduate Student Council (MEGSC). The MEGSC’s mission is to represent the views and recommendations of the ME graduate student body to the Department of Mechanical Engineering in a manner that will mutually improve both entities. The three pillars that the MEGSC is focused on include Academic Service, Departmental Service, and the Graduate Experience. There are four PhD students and five Masters students representing the graduate student body on the MEGSC for the 2017 – 2018 term.
The MEGSC is working with the department to establish graduate student representation (non-voting) on four faculty committees. These committees are the Honors and Awards Committee, the Graduate Studies and Research Committee, the Curriculum Committee, and New Faculty Search Committees. The purpose of having MEGSC Representatives serve on faculty committees is to provide faculty members with the graduate students’ perspective on the topics and issues the committees decide on. The MEGSC student Representatives will also be exposed to a new avenue of faculty life through exposure to the committee process. This will be especially helpful for the PhD Representatives considering going into Academia.
MEGSC Representatives are also collaborating with department faculty and staff to improve the graduate student research culture, recruitment process, and overall graduate student experience in the department of Mechanical Engineering. The MEGSC is currently organizing two events for the Fall 2017 semester; a Mechanical Engineering Department Tailgate for Clemson’s homecoming football game against Wake Forest (October 7, 2017) and the graduate student poster competition during research week (October 23 through October 30). The goal of these events is to provide an opportunity for all students, faculty, staff, and alumni to connect outside of classes and labs and to promote the graduate research being performed by the Mechanical Engineering departments graduate students.
The MEGSC is looking forward to working closely with faculty and staff to establish a long-term positive influence in the Mechanical Engineering department.
