There was a lot to celebrate in 2019 at the University of Oregon.

UO researchers continued their never-ending search for discovery and meaning, ranging from physicists detecting clues predicting the severity of earthquakes to an English professor curating a major exhibition of Marvel Comics.

Our graduate programs in the College of Education and the School of Law were ranked among the best in the nation.

Students explored emerging fields like virtual reality and immersive media, and leveraged real-world experiences found in the Lundquist College of Business to help launch their careers.

Our alumni magazine, Oregon Quarterly, celebrated its centennial by publishing a list of 100 Ducks who made a difference. Who’s on the list—and who isn’t—may surprise you.

Two major building projects on campus—Hayward Field and the Phil and Penny Knight Campus for Accelerating Scientific Impact—moved closer to completion. Two other buildings opened their doors: The Willie and Donald Tykeson Hall, marking the start of a new era for student success, and the Lyllye Reynolds-Parker Black Cultural Center, creating an academic, cultural, and social home for UO’s Black students and the broader community.

Contributions from friends and alumni have made those projects and much more possible. In fact, our campaign eclipsed the $2 billion mark last January, and it’s steadily climbing.

In the field of play, Ducks had another great year.

The women’s basketball team won its second straight Pac-12 title, and made a thrilling run to the Final Four.

The Men of Oregon ran to a top 10 finish in the NCAA cross country championships, while the women placed fifth at the track and field championships.

And football, led by three-time Academic All-American Justin Herbert, claimed its third Pac-12 title since 2011 and earned its eighth berth in the Rose Bowl.

Along the way were the moments and events that make our campus a special place: the intensity of Pac-12 play at Matthew Knight Arena. Campus greening up in spring and exploding in bloom. Green-gowned students parading through campus to their commencement ceremony, cheered on by friends and family.

And in the fall, a new class of Ducks arriving—this year, the most diverse and academically prepared ever—as campus blazes in autumnal hues and we celebrate street fair, smashing frozen pumpkins, and homecoming.

But no matter the season, we move forward, always forward. We can’t wait to see what 2020 brings.