Nancy Knight, currently manager of Engineering Graduate Programs for the College of Engineering and graduate coordinator for the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, has been named the college’s first director of Diversity and Graduate Student Affairs.

Knight will assume her new responsibilities full-time effective September 1, after which she will continue to manage graduate student affairs for the college, including recruiting plans, grant statistics, visit program coordination, and fellowship administration. In addition, she will coordinate diversity affairs for undergraduate and graduate students in the college.

“The creation of this position demonstrates the College of Engineering’s commitment to enhancing its diversity programs,” said Associate Dean for Academic Programs and Budget Diane Rover. “It also recognizes Nancy's long experience with and dedication to promoting diversity.”

Knight will provide direction for established diversity programs, such as the LEAD program, and will work with other directors to coordinate activities across different units in the college and the campus to leverage best practices, joint programming, and resources focusing on a common mission of helping students succeed.

Knight has worked with prospective and current college students for over 15 years, joining the College of Engineering in 1997. A national leader in graduate admissions, she served as conference chair for the 2003 annual meeting of the National Association of Graduate Admissions Professionals, and will serve as Program Chair for the organization’s 2006 annual meeting in Las Vegas.  

Knight’s work in diversity recruiting and programming earned her the University Member of the Year Award from GEM, the National Consortium for Graduate Degrees in Science and Engineering, Inc. She has given invited talks about graduate school preparation and planning at national and regional meetings of numerous educational and professional organizations.  

Knight earned her Bachelor of Arts in Spanish and Latin American Studies and Master of Science in Higher Education, both from Iowa State University.