On Thursday, Jan. 23, the Biomedical Engineering Society hosted its first bake sale since restarting the organization. The group is working to regain its status as a nationally recognized chapter after losing recognition during the pandemic.
What is BMES working towards?
The goal of the bake sale was for BMES to become a nationally recognized chapter again. The organization lost national recognition during the pandemic, largely due to expenses and the requirement to have a minimum of 10 members.
This is significant for Wright State University students who aim to pursue biomedical engineering.
According to the Biomedical Engineering Honor Society, joining the society “can help students gain recognition for their academic achievements, network with diverse professionals and peers in the field, access valuable resources and scholarships and contribute to fostering diversity and inclusivity within the discipline.”
BMES restarted in 2023 and initially focused on outreach, but they have since met the member requirement and begun fundraising.
Graduate Student Vera Peters is the off-campus advisor for BMES.
“We haven’t been super successful with fundraising efforts in the past,” Peters said. “Any money we can raise has been really awesome.”
The goal of the club
According to its long-time members, the main goal of BMES is to join students together.
“We like to focus primarily on creating a space for people studying biomedical engineering on campus, since a lot of us are kind of spread out,” Peters said. “It’s a nice place for everyone to come together.”
However, BMES is not exclusive to biomedical engineering majors.
Peters described their attempt to balance the organization's professionalism with accessibility.
“We try to keep it biomedical related but also open enough so that if you’re not biomedical, you can still join and participate.”
She also noted that first- and second-year students may be unfamiliar with some higher-level terminology and concepts within the field. This underscores the need for accessibility in the organization, as well as opportunities for advancement.
BMES offers various academic and professional resources for its members, such as peer mentorship, guest speakers and networking opportunities.
Upcoming events
The WSU chapter of BMES plans to hold another bake sale for St. Patrick’s Day. They will also host special events for Valentine’s Day and Easter, which all students may attend.
Those interested in joining or supporting BMES can find more information on Engage.
