By Jay Robb (he/him), communications manager
For McMaster’s residence move-in weekend, Jim Ghoshdastidar was a volunteer behind the wheel of a golf cart shuttling families around campus. He worked 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. both Saturday and Sunday. He arrived for his Saturday shift at 7 a.m.
In just over a week, Ghoshdastidar will trade the golf cart for a classroom and become Prof G for more than 1,900 undergrads taking intro chemistry. He’ll also restart his weekly ChemClub social get-togethers and his Chem Cram mid-term and final exam prep sessions.
An assistant professor in the Department of Chemistry & Chemical Biology, Prof G has volunteered at 18 residence move-ins while studying and teaching at Queen’s University, McGill University, Acadia University and now Mac.
“I’ve been helping out since before our incoming first-years were even born,” says Ghoshdastidar. “Getting to welcome students and their families and represent the university – what an amazing privilege that is to be a part of. You never know what the students’ journeys were like to get here so it’s important to offer a warm welcome.”
Ghoshdastidar rocked different socks over the weekend, going with Mac and McGill socks on Saturday and Mac and Queen’s socks on Sunday.
Parents were surprised to learn their driver’s a prof who was volunteering his weekend to welcome first-years to campus. Every returning student helping during residence move-in who’s taken Prof G’s intro chemistry course made a point of waving or going in for handshakes and fist bumps. And then there was the crew of Science students who packed the golf cart and serenaded Prof G with the Faculty cheer.
“This is the most fun I’ve had in my 20 years of teaching,” says Ghoshdastidar.
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