Every year, the American Institute of Professional Geologists names their Student Chapter of the Year award. This year, Eastern Michigan University’s GeoClub tied with Western Michigan University’s geology club for the title for the 2026 award.
The AIPG is a national association that works to promote and support geology. Individuals and organizations can be members. EMU’s GeoClub has been a chapter of the AIPG since 2006.
The Student Chapter of the Year award is decided by the AIPG’s Education Committee based off every chapter’s annual report. The report includes the student officers, all members, number of meetings per year, activities within the university, activities within the community, fundraisers and any interactions with the local section of the AIPG.
The past three years, Western Michigan University has won student chapter of the year, with Eastern Michigan as the runner up.
Christopher Gellasch, a professor in Eastern’s geography and geology department, has been the faculty advisor for the GeoClub for eight years. Gellasch said Western is at an advantage with a much bigger geology program and graduate student involvement in their chapter. The determination of Eastern’s students has a big impact, Gellasch said.
The push for more outreach is part of what cinched the win for Eastern, said 2025-26 GeoClub President Alexander Bashaw. The club has been working towards interacting more with the community. Last year, the club started an event called Ypsi Earth where members educated residents on geology; they also provided a service for people to bring their rocks and minerals to be identified by the students, Bashaw said.
“We’re letting people know we are here. We love rocks and you should love rocks, too,” Bashaw said.
Another way that GeoClub pushed for the win is through great advertising, Bashaw said. There was a lot of merchandising with shirts, sweatshirts, stickers and rocks.
“I think it was a mix of financial success, tenacity and dedicated outreach,” Bashaw said.
The GeoClub has come a long way from where it began, said geography and geology professor Christine Clark, the former faculty advisor of the GeoClub. Clark was the one who established the club as a chapter of the AIPG back in 2006.
“So, I started at Eastern in 2002. GeoClub existed before that, but ... it was one of those clubs that kind of was variable. It wasn't very strong,” Clark said.
Being a part of the AIPG helps students' network and visualize the career paths they can take, Clark said. The AIPG provides information for the students to look into becoming professional geologists themselves, Clark said.
That focus on career paths is also part of what the AIPG is looking for Student Chapter of the Year, Gellasch said, as well as involvement with the local AIPG section. Luckily, the Michigan section of AIPG is very strong, Gellasch said.
The natural resources in Michigan including copper, iron and salt are part of why the state has such a vibrant geologist community, Clark explained. “
I think we just have a lot of interesting geology here. And because of that, because of the history of that, the Michigan Legislature, the Michigan government, has supported the geologic sciences in one way or another,” Clark said.
The GeoClub is not just for aspiring geologists or even science majors; everyone is welcome to join. There are trips to quarries and caves and chances to learn about science and the natural world, Bashaw said.
“GeoClub doesn't require you to love geology. It just asks that you have the passion to learn about it,” Bashaw said.
Although Eastern tied for the win, it’s still a wonderful accomplishment, Clark said; even runner up was amazing. The students have worked really hard to build a strong club that will last for many more students to come, Clark said.
“What is really amazing, that mindset that just because we're at Eastern doesn't mean that we can't do things of the same quality that you would get at any other institution,” Clark said.
