Morgantown, W.Va. — The Physics and Astronomy Graduate Student Organization (PAGSO) was recognized April 21 at the Excellence Awards Banquet as the 2025-26 Outstanding Graduate Student Organization.
Hosted by WVU Student Engagement and Life, the Excellence Awards Banquet recognizes exceptional achievements by student organizations, student leaders, and faculty or staff advisors. The Outstanding Graduate Student Organization Award is presented to a group that demonstrates consistent flexibility, initiative, creativity, and perseverance, while making meaningful contributions to students, WVU, and the community.
Jackson Taylor, current president of PAGSO, described this year as a defining one for the organization.
“We were excited to inaugurate the PAGSO Service Award, recognizing our students’ outstanding commitment to community outreach and celebrating their impact for years to come,” Taylor said.
Funded entirely through donations raised by PAGSO via community events and initiatives such as the popular Pie-A-Professor fundraiser, the PAGSO Service Award was presented for the first time this semester to graduate students Danielle Maldonado and Matthew Bartnik.
“PAGSO has been able to accomplish so much this year within the department,” said Maggie Emig, current vice-president of PAGSO. “We have seen fun events, like a spelling bee and a PowerPoint night, as well as successful fundraising for the PAGSO Service Award.
“The organization has created community and support amongst graduate students and opened opportunities for students to engage with the graduate ombudsperson, highlighting university-level support for our students. This award shows that our efforts do not go unrecognized within the university.”
Other events and initiatives contributed to the organization’s success during the academic year, including:
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Bake sales, including seasonal events and a collaboration with SPS
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An “Observe the Moon” community outreach night
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Social events such as a white elephant exchange, board game night, and PowerPoint night
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Continued support of the PAGSO Relocation Closet
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Volunteer assistance with a successful Graduate Student Visit Day
Professor Alan Bristow, associate chair for graduate studies and research, praised the organization’s efforts.
“As faculty advisor to PAGSO, I am proud of their transformative outreach activities and their dedication to supporting incoming graduate students, both of which foster a great working environment and promote the department,” Bristow said.
Looking ahead, Sloane Sirota, current treasurer and incoming president for 2026-2027, expressed enthusiasm for the coming academic year.
“Being involved in PAGSO has helped me find my place in the department, and the organization has also grown a lot in the past few years,” Sirota said. “With initiatives like Pie-A-Professor and community-wide outreach events like Demo Day and the Magic of Physics, I look forward to continuing the efforts that got us this award and capitalizing on this momentum for the next year.”