The OSU chapter of the Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science was named the 2025 Chapter of the Year by the national organization, out of more than 150 chapters nationwide.
With an active membership of nearly 150 students, the chapter’s advisors say it’s the student officers’ commitment to engagement and organization that really sets SACNAS at OSU apart.
In 2024-25, the executive team organized a total of 42 events and implemented a new participation tracking system to better gauge how students were showing up and getting involved. The team also applied for and received four grants, all while maintaining their own studies.
“Officers are not getting paid — it’s all volunteer work,” said Clarisa Caballero-Ignacio, faculty advisor and former SACNAS president herself. “And a lot of the students come back as officers because they want to give back, because of the community and support that SACNAS provides.”
The mission of SACNAS is to empower underrepresented students and foster their success in STEM fields, as well as provide community. It also gives students and faculty space to show up as their authentic selves, Caballero-Ignacio said, as members are encouraged to wear their cultural clothing and jewelry, especially at the national conference.
Felice Yarbough has been the graduate teaching assistant advisor for SACNAS since she came to OSU in 2023 for her master’s in fisheries, wildlife and conservation sciences. She was impressed with the organization from the start.
“When I came to OSU as a grad student, I felt like the SACNAS chapter at OSU was a well-oiled machine,” she said. “The student leadership team changes every year, which always has challenges, but the legacy of having a good chapter is important to them. The continuous commitment of the students ultimately has put us in a position to win chapter of the year at the national level.”
SACNAS officers gain useful career experience through organizing events, keeping track of membership and doing community outreach, she said. And they learn an important life skill: how to set healthy boundaries.
“You can’t do it all, and our chapter is a great place to learn that,” Yarbough said. “In the real world, sometimes you have to say no.”
At OSU, SACNAS is housed in the College of Agricultural Sciences but has members from all across the university. Caballero-Ignacio works in AgSci as the coordinator of student outreach and retention. She also graduated from the college with a bachelor’s degree in bioresource research with a concentration in toxicology.
Club membership is not limited to undergraduates. The chapter hosts events and workshops for grad students, and the national SACNAS organization offers professional programs for graduates and postdocs.
In her role, Yarbough said she enjoys supporting students as an advisor while also benefiting from SACNAS involvement as a grad student. One of her favorite parts of the year is the annual National Diversity in STEM conference, where thousands of SACNAS members from across the country come together for cultural celebrations, information sessions, student presentations and more.
OSU was lead sponsor for NDiSTEM in Portland in 2023, where President Jayathi Murthy gave remarks during the opening ceremony and reiterated the university’s commitment to creating pathways for equitable access to STEM fields and providing welcoming environments that value students’ full selves.
“Attending the SACNAS conference is participating in ceremony. A healing experience. An atmosphere of joy and excellence,” Yarbough said. “I’m so grateful to have been in community with so many others who are passionate about belonging in STEM.”
OSU SACNAS will send 18 students to this year’s conference in October, where they’ll officially receive the Chapter of the Year award.
SACNAS holds twice-monthly general meetings, and is hosting an open house from 6-7 p.m. on Oct. 8 in LINC 307. For more information, check the OSU SACNAS website or the Instagram account.
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