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UW–Madison names Jeeva Premkumar Winter 2025 student speaker
The winter commencement speaker was selected through a competitive process led by senior class officers in consultation with the office of the chancellor.
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Staff Reporter - Sat, 06, Dec 2025
- 14:55 EST
- 15
Jeeva Immanuel Premkumar / Photo: Althea Dotzour / UW–Madison
The University of Wisconsin–Madison named chemical engineering major Jeeva Immanuel Premkumar as the student speaker for its winter 2025 commencement.
Premkumar, who was born in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and raised in Kenya and India, will address graduates on the value of stepping outside familiar boundaries—a message shaped by his academic training, global upbringing and early experience adapting to Wisconsin winters.
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He recalled taking what he described as a formative “leap” into an icy Lake Mendota shortly after arriving on campus, an incident he said shifted his understanding of confidence and opportunity.
“It helped me realize the importance of having the confidence to step out of my comfort zone, to reach for opportunities. That’s the message I want to share at commencement,” he said.
The winter commencement speaker was selected through a competitive process led by senior class officers in consultation with the office of the chancellor.
Premkumar said in his application that he sought the role of student speaker precisely because he initially found the idea intimidating, describing it as consistent with his commitment to taking on unfamiliar challenges.
As an undergraduate research assistant in the Kamp Lab at the UW School of Medicine and Public Health, Premkumar conducted stem cell research on heart disease, specializing in cell culture, flow cytometry and imaging to study cardiomyocyte and fibroblast function.
His work led to an American Heart Association research fellowship, where he designed and tested miniature heart tissue models and presented his findings.
Premkumar also gained industry experience across biotechnology and engineering. At Moderna, he worked as a technical development co-op in drug product development, contributing to the formulation of aerosolized mRNA for respiratory drug delivery and collaborating with cross-functional teams.
As an engineering and maintenance intern with Lactalis Heritage Dairy in Wausau, he supported approximately $1.3 million in utility system upgrades, troubleshooting equipment and coordinating with contractors to improve plant reliability.
Beyond research and industry placements, Premkumar engaged in public service and global education efforts. He received a Wisconsin Idea Fellowship from the Morgridge Center for Public Service and partnered with the nonprofit Let Africa Live to expand educational access for children affected by conflict in eastern Congo. On campus, he served as a College of Engineering representative in the Associated Students of Madison, working on funding issues, advocacy and legislative affairs.
He was elected to the International Student Services Advisory Board, representing more than 7,000 international students from over 120 countries, and led advocacy initiatives recognized with a university service award.
He also mentored prospective international students through the Mentor Collective program, guiding them through admissions, course planning and campus life.
Premkumar is set to graduate with a Bachelor of Science in chemical engineering.The ceremony for doctoral, law, medical professional, master’s and bachelor’s degree candidates will be held at 10 a.m. on Dec. 14 at the Kohl Center.
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