PhD Students Mark Milestone in Graduate Division’s Inaugural Candidacy Ceremony

71 UCSF PhD candidates pose for a photo outside Genentech Hall
PhD candidates from 15 Graduate Division programs gather for a group photo before the Graduate Division's first-ever Candidacy Ceremony. All photos by Sonya Yruel Photography.

 

“Good job. Well done. But this is just the beginning…”

With these succinct words of affirmation to the assembled PhD candidates, Nicquet Blake, PhD, dean of the Graduate Division and vice provost of Student Academic Affairs, summed up a key reality of the Graduate Division’s first-ever Candidacy Ceremony: this was indeed an occasion to celebrate the accomplishments that brought them this far on their journey, but also a chance to anticipate with clear eyes the many challenges and opportunities still to come in their path to earning a PhD and in their careers beyond.

Celebrating Early and Often

Faculty mentors, friends, family, and staff members gathered at the Rutter Center at UCSF Mission Bay campus on Feb. 25 to formally congratulate 71 PhD students who passed their qualifying exams in 2024 and have advanced to the phase of their PhD program in which they will focus on dissertation research.

The ceremony featured a talk by Janet Shim, PhD, a professor of Sociology at UCSF and herself a UCSF PhD alum. Shim encouraged the students to “celebrate early and often” in ways big and small to help stay resilient amid the inevitable uncertainties, delays, frustrations, and other challenges of academic research which, she reminded them, are “perfectly normal.” See Dr. Shim's address.


Janet Shim

"Scholarship and research aren’t by any means an easy road to go, but it is one of the few occupations where we’re supposed to dream…that’s actually part of the job. Don’t be afraid to dream big."

Janet Shim, PhD, Professor of Sociology
Candidacy Speaker


Akin to a white coat ceremony common in the professional schools and somewhat reminiscent of a commencement, but not exactly either, this event instead featured each student being presented by a faculty member with a lightweight blue softshell jacket emblazoned with the Graduate Division logo. After coating was completed, Dean Blake lead students in reciting the PhD creed, which was developed in collaboration with some of the participating students. A reception with light refreshments and plenty of photo ops wrapped up the event.

Watch: Behind the scenes reel of Candidacy Ceremony group photo

Carlota Pereda Serras is coated by advisers
Carlota Pereda Serras, in the Pharmaceutical Sciences and Pharmacogenomics program, celebrates being coated as her advisers Carlo Condello and Marina Sirota look on.

 

Guests in the audience cheer for a student as they are coated
Guests cheer for a PhD candidate as they are coated.

 

“I took a lot away from the speaker’s emphasis on 'celebrating early and often.' There’s no downside to celebration, and I found it gratifying that you all acknowledged that advancing to candidacy was a challenging process. Some might call it a given, but that’s not true… Hopefully this can be the start of a new tradition, and one that more people will opt in to.”

Nilla Sivakumar
Neuroscience PhD candidate

Nilla Sivakumar chats with a fellow PhD candidate
Nilla Sivakumar chats with a fellow PhD candidate following the ceremony.

 

candidates recite the phd creed
Candidates recite the PhD creed after being coated.

 

Adrian Erlebacher (right) congratulates student Vinh Khang Nguyen after coating
Adrian Erlebacher, director of the Biomedical Sciences PhD program, congratulates Vinh Khang Nguyen, one of several students he coated during the ceremony, while Janet Shim and Dean Nicquet Blake look on.

 

“Obtaining a PhD is a long journey, filled with many challenges and successes. It was really great to be able to participate in a celebration of a major milestone on this journey…We are very proud of our students and look forward to all of their upcoming accomplishments!”

Adrian Erlebacher, MD, PhD
Professor of Laboratory Medicine
Director of the Biomedical Sciences PhD program

Jaela Caston watches candidacy coating
PhD candidates watch fellow students being coated.

 

PhD candidates in the DSCB program pose for the picture
Posing with posies: Candidates in the Developmental and Stem Cell Biology program pause for a photo op.

 

D'Anne Duncan with students after the ceremony
Assistant Dean D'Anne Duncan (center) shares a moment with PhD candidates.

 

students and faculty from nursing and sociology programs pose together
Students and faculty members from Nursing PhD program and Sociology PhD program gather with Dean Blake (far left) after coating.
candidates in BMI program
PhD candidates in the Biological and Medical Informatics program.

 

Grad Division staff gather for a photo
Members of the Graduate Division team celebrate a successful inaugural Candidacy Ceremony.

 

Watch a recording of the 2025 Candidacy Ceremony


All photos by Sonya Yruel Photography.