Thank you to everyone who attended Karaoke & Lavender Graduation last week! It was really nice getting to say goodbye to our seniors while slaying songs! Unfortunately only two people filled out that lavender graduation form so let’s go and celebrate those two incredible seniors (srsly guys we’ll miss you so much 😭)

 

• First up we have our incredible Business Manager Dean Clasby! Dean will be graduating with a BS degree in Physics & Astronomy and after graduation, he will be doing a PhD in Biomedical Engineering at the University of Rochester! Thank you for your hard work with managing our budget & finances for the conference this year. We’re so glad you will be staying with us in Rochester! Can’t wait to kidnap you at our events next year!
• Second we have Erica Li, who is graduating with a BS in Computer Science and a Minor in Economics, and attended the conference with us last semester! Thanks for all the memories, you will be missed sorely!

     Next up, we have new E-board! Thank you to everyone who applied and voted in the election. Without further ado, please welcome our new & revamped E-board for next year!

• Co-President: Sree Chatterjee (they/any), Computational Biology & Data Science (omg that’s me guys!!)
• Co-President & Social Chair: Leila Ramirez (they/them), Neuroscience
• Business Manager: Nick Vento (he/they), Microbiology
• Secretary: Trenell Holmes (he/him), Computer Science
• Publicity Chair: Brianna Simon (she/her), Computer Science
• Conference & Industry Chair: Rainah Allen (she/her), Computer Science & Financial Economics

     ​​​​​​​Thank you so much to Rainah and Brianna for everything you’ve done as Co-Presidents this year! You two have really made oSTEM so unique & special and although you’ll be stepping back next year, we’re glad you will still be there to support us!

oSTEM

- Join our brand new & incredibly awesome (and totally not unfinished…) Discord Server: Link

     If you don’t have Discord..make one now cuz we’re officially pivoting!! Come join in to connect with other students, learn about new opportunities and get updates on our events! Our server is still in progress (#finals week), but we will have many real time updates and changes to the server very soon.

- Website

     Visit our CCC website to browse through our compiled Resources & Opportunities (scholarships, conferences, etc.), read more about our iconic E-Board, and find other general oSTEM links. The website is regularly updated, if you spot any issues or know of an R&O we haven’t included, our Feedback Form is always open!

Outside

- oSTEM Scholarship Program: Applications due May 18, 2025

     oSTEM's 2025 Scholarship Program is now open, offering $183k in scholarships to support LGBTQ+ students in STEM! With 41 scholarships available, ranging from $2,500 to $5,000, we're committed to empowering the next generation of LGBTQ+ STEM leaders. Whether you're in community college, undergrad, or grad school, there's an opportunity for you! The application just opened and the deadline to apply is May 18th, so there’s plenty of time! You can learn more and apply here.

The strong sisters told the brothers that there were two important things to remember about the coming revolutions. The first is that we will get our asses kicked. The second is that we will win.

- Anonymous Queers (Queers Read This)

      This past school year was filled with many emotions, from triumphs and celebration to uncertainty and despair, and despite all we’ve been through, our community is still standing strong and we don’t intend to leave anytime soon. I’m sure I speak for everyone when I say that it’s disheartening to see the rollbacks in protections for our community and a general shift in a negative direction across both policies and general sentiment. Our hearts go out to everyone who may be experiencing turmoil and anxiety in their hometowns, or even schools and communities outside of Rochester. I think we’re fortunate to have a school and community that values diversity and inclusion, but that’s often hard to find and as someone who was late in discovering their identity (and yeah if you read some of these past newsletters you’ll know I end up being really vulnerable here 😭), I can say it’s a challenge knowing how to identify safe spaces and places where I can feel comfortable expressing myself.

      Yet in spite of these challenges, we must learn to move forward and continue being who we are and find & cultivate spaces of acceptance. You might not know this, but these queer highlights originate from Queers Read This, a highly influential zine from the 1990s started by queer activists. While a lot of its language has been updated, the zine still reflects the emotions experienced by queer people during the time of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in response to perceived complacency and urging for a fight for survival. I’ve gone through some of the zine before and used it as the basis for highlights, but I can definitely say this fight still echoes today, especially during the current political climate. And admittedly as someone who is not a very political or confrontational person by nature, learning about myself has made me realize how hard it is to stay quiet; honestly our existence should not even be political in nature but we’re forced to do this because of the actions of lawmakers.

​​​​​​​      So in these hard times, remember that you are loved and accepted, and let’s learn to see eye to eye with each other and unite because just expressing ourselves and being kind to one another is a powerful statement itself. Despite what some people might tell you, empathy is not a fundamental weakness or “bug”; it’s how we bring people together and change others.

​​​​​​​      With that said, good luck on finals, and we’ll see you all next semester!!