ACS Student Affiliate Chapter Wins Outstanding Award Second Year in a Row

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Macon—Mercer University’s student affiliate chapter of the American Chemical Society (ACS) received an Outstanding award for its chapter activities during the 2003-2004 academic year. This is the second year in a row that the Mercer University chapter has received this honor.

The 2003-2004 student officers Ron Hunter, president; Ketan Patel, vice president; Holly Cagle, secretary; and Delaram Moshkelani, treasurer. Assistant Professors of Chemistry Dr. Nancy Dopke and Dr. Arthur Salido are co-advisers for the group.

“I’m extremely happy that we received the Outstanding award once again,” Hunter said. “The chapter, as a whole, really deserved the award because of all the commitment and heart every member showed throughout the course of the year. In short, we sowed great things and reaped a great reward.”

The Outstanding award is the highest award given to a student affiliate chapter by the national organization. The Mercer chapter was one of the 26 chapters out of more than 960 in the nation selected for an Outstanding award.  Chapters are selected based upon a review of their annual report that details the chapter’s activities for the academic year.

“Earning an Outstanding Award two years in a row is a testament to the commitment of our student officers and members,” said Dr. Nancy Dopke, an assistant professor of chemistry at Mercer and one of the chapter’s co-advisers. “I am very proud of their ability to maintain traditions and at the same time seek new projects and activities for the group.  We all worked hard the entire year to bring Chemistry to the campus and greater Macon community.”

In addition to other activities, the Mercer chapter continued many traditions in the 2003-2004 year, including sending college students into the elementary schools to do hands-on science activities with elementary students, hosting a Boy Scout Merit Badge Day and celebrating National Chemistry Week.  The students also started a new book share program in which they sent donated science books overseas to a school in need of textbooks. Chapter members also attended the Southeast Regional Meeting of the ACS. Four students presented undergraduate research posters, and the past president and advisors participated in a Successful Student Affiliates Chapter Session.
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