Third-year biomedical engineering student Riley Criss holds leadership positions in two engineering clubs that build a community for STEM students. 

Criss served as the treasurer of the Generational Relief in Prosthetics Club (GRiP) which works to design prosthetics and assistive devices that improve everyday functionality for humans and animals. She secured GRiP’s first-ever Student Government Association (SGA) funding allocation, which will finance cutting-edge software programs to create new devices and distribute them to the local community. This year, Criss has stepped into the role of GRiP President and continues to advocate for user-centric engineering to increase accessibility.  

Criss is also motivated to increase the visibility of women in STEM. She connects more than 50 students with mentors, peers and employers through the Society of Women Engineers (SWE). On the SWE fundraising committee and as the 2026-2027 SWE Fundraising Chair, Criss obtained funding for scholarships that will grant recipients the opportunity to pursue their academics and empower the next generation of women engineers at FSU.  

Outside of engineering, Criss was a First Year Abroad (FYA) student in Valencia, Spain, during the fall 2023 and spring 2024 semesters.  

Why did you choose Florida State University?

I chose to attend FSU not only for its academic excellence but also for its dedication to student development. While touring campuses, I looked for a school where the students genuinely wanted to be on campus and involved in the community. The students at FSU embodied a true family. Programs that helped with out-of-state finances, such as the FYA program, showed me that FSU not only hoped to produce experts in academia, but also well-rounded, cultured individuals.   

What academic achievements have you accomplished at FSU?

I earned a place on the President’s List for four of my first five semesters. This accomplishment was driven by my dedication to learning and going the extra mile to understand the concepts in my biomedical engineering coursework. I attribute this consistent success to the support of my biomedical engineering cohort, professors and upperclassmen through effective communication and collaboration.  

How do you serve the community at FSU and beyond?

My most significant leadership contribution at FSU was increasing the financial capabilities of the GRiP as its treasurer. I successfully secured our first SGA funding allocation. This achievement allows the club to accept more projects, fund our community outreach, expand student opportunities for technical skill-building and strengthen our internal community by hosting events that build a sense of belonging among GRiP members.  

My work with the SWE is centered on fostering student opportunities and inclusion for women in STEM. I have contributed through participating in outreach programs that inspire our local community and facilitating networking events that successfully connected more than 50 students with potential STEM employers and mentors. To ensure the sustainability of these efforts, I served on the fundraising committee and now as Fundraising Chair, where I help secure funding for workshops and scholarships that empower women in engineering at FSU. 

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Florida State University Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Jim Clark visited the FSU London Study Centre earlier this semester to see the facilities and meet with students, faculty and staff.

Engagement with FSU’s study centers abroad is a priority to Clark, who also delivered the commencement address at FSU’s branch campus in the Republic of Panama last fall.

“FSU’s study centers in London, Florence and Valencia, as well as the branch campus in the Republic of Panama, provide students with amazing opportunities to live and study in bustling and culturally rich cities,” Clark said. “They also give faculty the chance to teach abroad and immerse themselves in foreign cultures. It was great to see the FSU London Study Centre firsthand after hearing about so many life-changing experiences there.”

FSU’s first study abroad program in London took place in 1971, but students didn’t stay at the London Study Centre until after it was purchased in 1992. Located in the heart of the historic Bloomsbury district, the FSU London Study Centre is within walking distance of many historic and cultural sites, such as the National Gallery and Buckingham Palace. Programs are offered year-round including the unique First Year Abroad program and the Theatre Academy London program.

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