Stacey Wagner, Assistant Vice President for Graduate Programs at the Knight Campus delivered the following remarks:

It is my distinct pleasure to celebrate the remarkable achievements of all of our Knight Campus students graduating today: those of you receiving a master’s degree through our time tested, highly impactful Graduate Internship Program, as well as graduates of the Knight Campus’s thriving Bioengineering Ph.D. program, students receiving a Bioengineering minor, and our Knight Campus Undergraduate Scholars who are also celebrating successes in their respective major departments. 

The Knight Campus Undergraduate Scholars (KCUS) program boasts 13 graduates – four from the 2022 cohort and nine from the 2023 cohort. KCUS is a comprehensive research experience designed to develop the next generation of leading researchers. The program immerses a cohort of students in a full year of research in a Knight Campus affiliated lab from January to December each year.

The Department of Bioengineering is celebrating the first bioengineering minors — seven students — marking the first students to graduate with any type of engineering specialization from the University of Oregon.

The Human Performance Alliance is recognizing 9 graduates this year and weaves together three synergistic scientific programs to accelerate high-impact advances in human performance. Involving collaborators from multiple disciplines and institutions around the country, these programs provide both breadth and depth in exploring and applying the fundamentals of peak performance to human health and well-being. 

The Knight Campus Graduate Internship Program (KCGIP) is nationally recognized for its innovative approach to graduate education – designed to meet the technology needs of industrial, academic, clinical, and national labs. The program has an incredible 99 percent graduation rate and more than half of the students identifying with groups, including women, traditionally underrepresented in STEM fields. We celebrate the 89 graduates of KCGIP, the accelerated master’s program at Knight Campus.

And we can’t forget the student workers who help keep Knight Campus humming day-in and day-out. Congratulations to the three student workers graduating in 2024!

For all of you, today marks the culmination of an intense and transformative journey, one that has seen you grow not only as scholars but also as citizen-scientists ready to make a significant impact in your chosen fields.

As the majority of the graduates we are celebrating today are from the Graduate Internship Program, I am going to focus a bit on your journey now. Over the course of your studies, you have delved deeply into cutting-edge disciplines in semiconductors, optics, bioinformatics, molecular sensors, and polymers. These fields are at the forefront of technological and scientific advancement, driving innovations that are critical to human health and the sustainability of our future. Your dedication to these complex subjects, combined with your practical experience gained through paid internships, has equipped you with a unique blend of knowledge, hands-on skills, and the ability to thrive in a team.

The rigorous formal instruction you have undergone, complemented by real-world application, has prepared you to tackle some of the most pressing challenges of our time. Whether you are staying in Oregon or moving to other parts of the United States, the industries, and organizations you are entering will benefit immensely from your expertise and fresh perspectives.

Moreover, your journey here has been enriched by substantial professional development training. These have not only honed your technical abilities but also emphasized the importance of inclusion, understanding a variety of perspectives, communication, and relationship building. In today's interconnected world, these skills are invaluable. They will enable you to lead with empathy, collaborate effectively, and drive innovation within diverse teams.

We are immensely proud of all our graduates. I speak on behalf of the faculty and administrators at the Knight Campus when I say that your hard work, resilience, and commitment to excellence inspires us every day. As you step into your future roles, remember that you carry with you the legacy of the Knight Campus. You are joining an impactful and connected community as alumni. We have every confidence that you will continue to achieve great things and look forward to hearing about your many successes. So please stay in touch so we can celebrate your wins, and because you have the Knight Campus’s ongoing support as you continue your journey.

Congratulations to each and every one of you. May your careers be filled with discovery, innovation, and the fulfillment that comes from making a positive impact on the world.

Thank you.