Vendor Show SP26

On May 4th, BGSA’s Treasurer Fariha Islam led our very first Vendor Expo, and it was a huge success! With over 100 attendees and seven participating vendors, including Complete Genomics, Neta Scientific, Keyence, Mirus Bio, USA Scientific, Electron Microscopy Sciences, and Biocytogen, the event raised a little over $4,000 to support future BGSA events and initiatives.
The expo brought together graduate students, faculty, post-docs, undergraduates, and industry representatives for a day full of networking, scientific community building, and learning about new technologies and opportunities in research. Attendees were encouraged to visit vendors, ask questions, and make connections, with a free lunch awarded to participants who visited at least five vendor tables.
One of the most exciting parts of the event was seeing students from across departments connect in one shared space. We even had a few undergraduates involved, including caricaturist Alyson Sanchez, a UIC IDEAS pre-art education major and graphic aide at MeSA, who added a fun and creative touch to the event.
The BGSA also went all out, decorating the space with banners, welcome signs, and event décor to make the expo feel welcoming and memorable. A special shoutout goes to our Events Coordinator, Jamie Kaiser, whose resourcefulness helped us create a professional-looking event while staying within budget.
Most importantly, we are incredibly grateful to everyone who attended, supported, volunteered, or helped spread the word. Seeing so many people come together reminded us of how important spaces like these are for building community within the sciences at UIC.
We hope to see you at our future events, especially our next BGSA Vendor Expo this November!