NEWS

Louisiana Tech University College of Engineering and Science (COES) graduate students have elected three new members to serve on the Graduate Student Council (GSC) for the rest of the 2023-24 academic year.

Students elected Mohammad Jabed Perves Bappy (president), Kritik Saxena (vice president), and Tobias Misicko (treasurer). Md Reazul Islam Jamil (general secretary) and Mohammad Tarikuzzaman (public relations officer) will continue to serve.

The COES Graduate Student Council is an organization that allows graduate students to have a direct input and impact on how the graduate students within the College of Engineering and Science are represented. As the Interim Associate Dean of Graduate Studies, Dr. Daniela Mainardi, states, “The Graduate Student Council plays an important role in the COES, as it represents the voice and concerns of the College’s graduate students. I hope to see the newly elected student council actively engaging with graduate students, understanding their needs and perspectives, and enthusiastically working towards fostering a positive and enriching environment within our College.”

The newly elected Graduate Council has many duties and plans to uphold. They help plan and lead on-campus social events and meet with College leadership on behalf of the greater student body. In this way, they not only help build a better community amongst COES graduate students but also provide innovative solutions to whatever problems arise for students throughout the academic year.

“As the new Graduate Student Council President,” Bappy puts it, “I came to Louisiana Tech with a lot of enthusiasm and ambition to acquire not only academic excellence but also to achieve leadership and communication skills and foster community engagement. I’m thankful to all COES graduate students for giving me this opportunity to serve in this esteemed position and fulfill my ambitions.”

Bappy, Saxena, Jamil, Misicko, and Tarikuzzaman plan to provide the graduate students of the College of Engineering and Science with the best possible representation. In their remaining term, in addition to general student body meetings, they also plan to hold a series of academic events and seminars to provide the most opportunities for the students of the college.

Bappy states, “We are working on escalating the trust, dependability, and visibility of GSC to all COES students so that they feel free to share both their difficulties and achievements. Together we will try to organize symposiums, meetings, and events that will be highly engaging and helpful for the students to showcase their academic and research activities.”

Events such as these include the Graduate Student Symposium, a Spring Quarter 2024 event dedicated to highlighting all the amazing work the COES graduate students have accomplished throughout the year. The Council also plans to hold a Career Fair for COES graduate students this upcoming academic quarter to provide students leaving the College a pathway to employment and success. They also hope to create greater connections with companies to provide internships through the career services program.