UM-Flint Chemistry Club earns ACS Outstanding Chapter Award for 12th time

The University of Michigan-Flint's Chemistry Club, a student chapter of the American Chemical Society, has been recognized with an Outstanding Chapter Award for the 12th time in 24 years. The repeat honor highlights the organization's sustained excellence among ACS student chapters across the country.

The award places UM-Flint's chapter among the top 5% of more than 1,000 active student chapters nationwide, recognizing the club's efforts in professional development, community outreach and student engagement during the 2024-25 academic year. The award also marks the second consecutive year the club has achieved outstanding status, a feat last accomplished before the COVID-19 pandemic.

Cecilia Piskoti, a senior chemistry major from Fenton, serves as the Chemistry Club president. She views the club's rich history as an integral part of its success.

"Our consistent recognition from ACS, in my opinion, comes down to the infrastructure we already have after being an established club for so long," she said. "For years, officers have made supplies and archived instructions for dozens of demos, which we continue to perform today. We're already well known in the community, which makes it easy to book events, especially ones we've done in previous years, like BioBlitz or Inclusive Halloween."

The Chemistry Club became an official ACS student affiliate chapter in 2002, competing against chapters from across the country and around the world ever since. To qualify for recognition, chapters must submit comprehensive reports detailing their activities in categories including professional development, social activities, community outreach and participation in National Chemistry Week.

Another key to the club's success has been its established community outreach program, particularly its "Demo Squad," which performs hands-on chemical demonstrations for audiences of all ages. The group has developed strong partnerships with local organizations, including the Sloan Museum of Discovery, and has become a staple of STEM-focused events on the UM-Flint campus, such as Super Science Friday.

"I think our established demo and outreach programs are a big part of our success," Tischler said. "I know that we did not win outstanding until we really got that established, and that took several years to get going."

The club's inclusive approach has also contributed to its sustained success. Membership is open to all students regardless of major, and the organization maintains a balance between academic activities and social events to keep students engaged.

"Some of my most outstanding officers have not been chemistry majors," Tischler said. "It just depends on who wants to do the work and dedicate themselves to it."

Alumni support has proven crucial to maintaining the club's momentum. During last year's Super Science Friday event, former club officers returned to help train current students in performing large-scale demonstrations.

"Half of our volunteers were returning alumni club officers that came back to train the new students, show them all of our big, flashy demos—they loved coming back and doing that," Tischler said.

The outstanding award includes an invitation to present a poster at the ACS National Meeting in the spring, during which student representatives will attend an award ceremony with the ACS president and network with chapters from around the world.

The Chemistry Club meets regularly throughout the academic year, with activities ranging from lab coat tie-dying to creating terrariums in Erlenmeyer flasks for Earth Day. The club recently attended BioBlitz at For-Mar Nature Preserve & Arboretum, where they presented on several topics explaining the interplay of numerous chemical reactions found in nature.

For Piskoti, the club's busy schedule and flexibility are what make it so valuable to students and to the surrounding community.

"Chem Club is set up to be something that can grow and adapt to our community's needs very easily," she said. "I've already heard a lot of different ideas for new events and demos from members and club officers, and I think having the freedom to pursue these new ideas while maintaining our regular events schedule is what makes being a part of this club so 'outstanding.'"

UM-Flint offers undergraduate degrees in biochemistry and green chemistry, as well as a minor in chemistry. Visit the College of Innovation and Technology's website to learn more about these programs.