At the College of Biological Science (CBS), we encourage students to get involved on campus. Joining clubs and associations affiliated with the University of Guelph offers numerous benefits in your professional and personal life and enhances your experience as a university student.
The university offers dozens of clubs across a wide variety of interests that you are encouraged to join as a CBS student. You will also find department-specific associations and affiliated clubs that you will learn more about in your area of study.
Student clubs are a great way to connect with peers, make friends and immerse yourself in the areas that matter most to you. Here are a few you can consider joining this year:
The Biochemistry Student Association (BiocSA) aims to educate and empower the student body. During meetings, students can expect to discuss topics in biochemistry, microbiology, and molecular and cellular biology. BiocSA welcomes all students and can provide academic support when needed.
The University of Guelph Wildlife Club [1] (WLC) has a close-knit alumni community providing a number of networking, volunteer, and employment opportunities to students who are passionate about wildlife and nature. The group has a number of partnerships with local organizations, including Wild Ontario and Guelph Field Naturalists. They host experiential learning trips ranging from camping at Bruce Peninsula National Park to exploring the behind the scenes of the Toronto Zoo.
The Guelph Neuroscience Student Association [2] is open to all students and highlights the importance of learning in both an academic and social atmosphere. With neuroscience being a relatively new major at U of G, this club engages students through mixers with professors, events with guest speakers, and graduate student seminars.
The Guelph Women in Leadership [3] group, founded in 2014, advocates for gender equity and female empowerment. They strive to educate, empower, and inspire students who identify as female through unique workshops, facilitated conversations surrounding gender equity, and networking opportunities.
All CBS students also have the opportunity to join the College of Biological Sciences Student Council [4] (CBSSC). CBSSC is a student run organization, representing over 4000 undergraduate CBS students. The council is involved in a variety of committees and has several affiliated clubs, ensuring that all CBS students are represented accurately. They aim to improve every CBS student’s social and academic life.
This year, the executive team is led by incoming President Kristine Sondergaard. As president, Sondergaard is the primary liaison between the CBS Dean’s Office and the student body and works as an external liaison with other student organizations across the university.
This years’ executive team hopes to continue a number of initiatives from previous years, including the Peer Mentorship Program which partners incoming first year students with upper year students to assist with the transition into university. They also plan on joining forces with the ADA Office to continue the implementation of a program designed to assist students in applying for research positions within CBS.
Four positions on the CBSSC are reserved for first year students and are open to students from all three CBS departments. To inquire about how to get involved, contact cbssc@uoguelph.ca [5] or reach out to them on Instagram @cbssc [6].
“On behalf of the CBSSC, I’d like to welcome our new students and welcome back our upper year students,” said Sondergaard. “We’re looking forward to hosting lots of social and academic events, giveaways, and more this year! See you on campus soon!”
Stay tuned for some upcoming virtual and in-person CBSSC Orientation Week events this September. We will be making some announcements in early August!
For more information about all the clubs and associations at the University of Guelph, visit the GryphLife page [7].
