USD Alumnus Selected as a 2026 Knight-Hennessy Scholar
Swanson, who is originally from Mitchell, South Dakota, graduated summa cum laude with a B.S. in sustainability and political science and a minor in biology, with a dream to leverage legal advocacy and policymaking in efforts to make the global food system more sustainable and resilient, amid accelerating climate change.
“I am incredibly humbled and honored to represent both USD and South Dakota through this opportunity,” said Swanson. “I hope to be a strong representative and advocate for both. I am excited to begin this next chapter and am deeply grateful to everyone at USD who helped make it possible.”
Drawn to the Knight-Hennessy Scholarship because of its strong interdisciplinary focus, Swanson looks forward to collaborating with other scholars to address worldly challenges in a variety of industries. Likewise, the program’s emphasis on global understanding, collaborative learning and leadership, he says, will help him effectively prepare to address challenges in the areas of food systems, economy, energy and land use throughout his legal career.
“I aspire to be an environmental attorney who advances sustainability and environmental protection through law,” said Swanson. “I believe the scholarship will be a valuable complement to my legal education. It will also broaden my perspective beyond the Midwest, California and the United States through a more global lens.”
Swanson credits his USD professors and coaches with helping him think ambitiously about his future and encouraging him to pursue his goals.
“I’ve enjoyed working with Caleb on his applications over the past several years; this honor is well-deserved,” said Melissa Berninger, director of the USD Honors program. “I am excited for him to begin this next step towards reaching his goals. Caleb is a great student, an active community member and a genuinely kind person. I look forward to following his career.”
He’s also grateful for the opportunities he had at USD as an Honors student, a team captain on the USD Division I swim team, a member of the nationally prestigious Phi Beta Kappa Honors Society, president of the USD Environmental Club, president of the Student Government Association and various internships. In 2023, he was also recognized as a Harry S. Truman Scholar and an NCAA postgraduate scholar.
All these opportunities, he says, helped prepare him for the Knight-Hennessy scholarship.
“Being part of the swim team and the Student Government Association strengthened my skills in leadership and taught me how to keep a systems-oriented mindset and an open mind,” said Swanson. “My sustainability and political science education taught me to think about and approach issues from a place of curiosity, which I believe has prepared me to make the most of the opportunity I now have as a Knight-Hennessy Scholar.”
He thanks his USD education for strengthening his commitment to ensuring South Dakota voices, specifically rural communities, are heard.
“My time at USD reinforced my commitment to ensuring that the voices and perspectives of South Dakota and rural America are considered and valued in national and global conversations. I hope to carry that perspective with me both in the Knight-Hennessy Scholars community and throughout my career as an environmental attorney.”
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