The GGO provides an open and scholarly graduate community for OSU geography graduate students, as well as other graduate students interested in geography. The GGO provides forums for grads to: 1) engage in scholarly discussions, 2) discuss professional development, 3) participate in social and learning opportunities outside of the formal academic setting, and 4) promote geographic scholarship throughout the university and beyond. All graduate students in the Department of Geography are GGO members and membership is also open to other graduate students with an interest in the discipline and departmental affairs. We have general meetings, special meetings, and various social gatherings; these meetings are usually announced using the geog-grad email list. We encourage new students to join our meetings and events. For questions, please feel free to ask any of our 2014-2015 GGO officers.
Current GGO Officers
Chair: Young Rae Choi
Chair Description: schedules and runs GGO meetings, assists other members with GGO events and social activities, and communicates relevant information about the department and university to grad students. The chair also meets or communicates as needed with appropriate faculty, the department chair, and the GGO faculty advisor to share the collective concerns of graduate students.
Treasurer: Christine Chen
Treasurer Description: is responsible for the group’s finances and requests funds for events from the Ohio Union.
Secretary: Dan D’Amico
Secretary Description: takes and publishes minutes from GGO meetings, maintains the GGO Carmen page, and generally assists with all GGO executive committee activities.
Social Chair: Austin Kocher
Social Chair Description: plans graduate social events (such as game nights, hiking trips, and volunteer activities) and coordinates with staff on department social events (such as coffee hours and picnics). The Social Chair also coordinates new and prospective student activities.
Faculty Meeting Representative: Austin Kocher
Faculty Meeting Representative Description: attends monthly faculty meetings to keep grads informed of department affairs and to share graduate concerns with faculty as appropriate.
Graduate Studies Committee Representative (PhD): Calvin Tribby
Graduate Studies Committee (GSC) Representatives Description: attend and represent graduates at meetings of the graduate studies committee. One position is reserved for masters level students, the other for PhD level students.
Graduate Studies Committee Representative (Masters): Josh Welty
Graduate Studies Committee (GSC) Representatives Description: attend and represent graduates at meetings of the graduate studies committee. One position is reserved for masters level students, the other for PhD level students.
Speakers Committee Representative: Natasha Sadoff
Speakers Committee Representative Description: works with the faculty and staff Speakers Committee to organize and conduct colloquium events.
Personnel Committee Representative: Ariel Rawson
Personnel Committee Representative Description: attends meetings of the personnel committee and ensures graduate student input is included in any departmental hiring decisions.
CGS Delegates (Geography and ASC): both positions open (as of 7/2014)
CGS Delegates Description: Both the Geography graduates and the ASC graduates are allotted one official delegate each to the Council of Graduate Students (CGS). The CGS is separate from the GGO, but elected delegates are considered GGO officers as they represent the interests of students in these programs. Delegates are expected to attend monthly CGS meetings, serve on at least one internal and one external committee, and pass along information and communications from the CGS.