AMES, Iowa - Nancy Knight, manager of graduate programs for Iowa State University's College of Engineering, has been named 2004 University Member of the Year by the National Consortium for Graduate Degrees for Minorities in Engineering and Science, Inc. (GEM). Knight was recognized June 10 at the consortium's annual conference in Las Vegas.
Knight was acknowledged for her efforts to recruit African American, American Indian and Hispanic American students to Iowa State through the consortium's graduate engineering fellowship programs. Under her leadership, these historically underrepresented students are recruited to ISU College of Engineering research programs to work with faculty, and are given financial support while they pursue master's and doctoral degrees.
"Nancy is one of the nation's most talented people in this field, and we're delighted that GEM has acknowledged what we've long known," said Jim Melsa, dean of Iowa State's College of Engineering. "The historical challenge of minority recruitment and retention in a state like Iowa only emphasizes the noteworthiness of this recognition."
Knight received both her bachelor's degree in Spanish and Latin American international studies and her master's degree in higher education from Iowa State. She has worked in higher education for more than 15 years in the areas of financial aid, undergraduate and graduate admissions, and career services.
Knight has served as GEM representative for Iowa State since 1999. She also was chair of the 2003 annual meeting of the National Association of Graduate Admissions. Besides coordinating graduate recruiting and outreach for all eight departments in Iowa State's College of Engineering, Knight manages graduate student services for the college's largest department, electrical and computer engineering.