Justin Gibson ’24 and Antonia Blank have been named president and vice president, respectively, of Graduate Student Government (GSG) following the organization’s electoral process this spring. In their roles, the two support Clemson graduate students by fostering connection and representing and advocating for them in front of University leadership.
Gibson’s presidential term got underway as he welcomed new graduate students at Orientation on Aug. 12, followed by remarks a few days later at New Student Convocation on Aug. 17. A 2024 Clemson graduate with a degree in biological sciences, Gibson served as chief parliamentary counsel and director of governance, elections and legislative affairs in GSG from January until he was elected president. He also served on three committees with GSG prior to his presidency: finance and funding, advocacy and policy affairs, and research and career development.
A graduate research assistant pursuing a Ph.D. in bioengineering, Gibson ran on a platform of transforming advocacy into strategic partnership, investing more in graduate researchers and teachers, and improving graduate commute logistics to reduce stress for students. He also wants to establish a strong culture of service and fun for graduate students.
“We need more transparency with how we operate and what we actually do in GSG,” says Gibson, a native of Spartanburg, South Carolina and third-generation Clemson student. “We’re enthusiastic about serving and being present for our graduate student population.”
Gibson closed his remarks at Convocation by encouraging new graduate students to find a healthy work-life integration as they navigate life at Clemson.
“It’s easy to get tunnel vision amidst your research, your teaching, and the long, quiet hours of your work,” he says. “But please remember to look up from your desk, lean on your peers, and take pride in the fact that you are no longer just studying your field — you are actively shaping it.”
Blank, a native of Hildesheim, Germany, first came to Clemson in July 2022 through a scholarship program as an intern with the Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences. She returned in 2023 to write her bachelor’s thesis in the Department of Genetics and Biochemistry before being hired as a lab tech that December. She started her Ph.D. program in biochemistry and molecular biology in August 2024.
Blank also served prior to the vice presidential appointment. She chaired the research and career development committee, one of 11 committees that make up GSG (along with three satellite councils for other University campuses around the state).
“I’m looking forward to working with all the amazing people we have on board,” she says. “We have great events planned, and I’m excited to see our grad students benefit from that.”
