University Medal Content / University Medal Content for 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ Davis en 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ Davis’ Top Graduating Student Is Picnic Day Chair /news/uc-davis-top-graduating-student-picnic-day-chair <p><span><span>Senior Amanda Portier of the University of California, Davis, led the team of hundreds that put on this year’s Picnic Day — attended by tens of thousands of people and believed to be the largest student-run event in the country. She also has been a mentor to individuals with intellectual disabilities, shed light on social justice issues and achieved a perfect 4.0 cumulative grade point average. </span></span></p> June 07, 2022 - 11:52am Julia Ann Easley /news/uc-davis-top-graduating-student-picnic-day-chair Questions Drive Top 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ Davis Graduate /news/questions-drive-top-uc-davis-graduate Madeline Bright, who aims for a career in medical research, has been named the 2021 University Medalist as the top graduating student at the University of California, Davis. June 08, 2021 - 7:36pm Julia Ann Easley /news/questions-drive-top-uc-davis-graduate Top 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ Davis Graduate to Pursue Studies in Climate Change Fiction /news/top-uc-davis-graduate-pursue-studies-climate-change-fiction <p>An English major who aims to use fiction to address climate change&nbsp;is the 2020&nbsp;University Medalist at 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ Davis.</p> June 09, 2020 - 11:55pm Julia Ann Easley /news/top-uc-davis-graduate-pursue-studies-climate-change-fiction Top 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ Davis Graduate Aims for State Legislature /news/top-uc-davis-graduate-aims-state-legislature <p>Julianne Cravotto&nbsp;of Berkeley&nbsp;will receive the University Medal as the top graduating senior at 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ Davis.</p> June 10, 2019 - 10:55am Julia Ann Easley /news/top-uc-davis-graduate-aims-state-legislature 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ Davis’ Top Graduate Shares Journey to Mental Well-Being /news/uc-davis-top-graduate-shares-journey-mental-well-being <p>A kick. A jab. The flash of a sword.</p> <p>Emily Eijansantos of Livermore, California, executes the movements of wushu martial arts with strength of spirit and showmanship — in such contrast to the anxiety and self-doubt she experienced during her early studies at the University of California, Davis.</p> June 13, 2018 - 10:10am Julia Ann Easley /news/uc-davis-top-graduate-shares-journey-mental-well-being Top 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ Davis Graduate Earns 2 Degrees in 3 Years /news/top-uc-davis-graduate-earns-two-degrees-three-years <p>Even as a valedictorian from a high school just 40 miles away, Srujan Kopparapu felt a little intimidated to start his studies among more than 35,000 students at the University of California, Davis.</p> <p>But the Folsom resident found his place on the highly ranked campus, threw himself into research and internships, earned two degrees in just three years, and now takes the honor as its top graduating senior.</p> June 12, 2017 - 10:11am Julia Ann Easley /news/top-uc-davis-graduate-earns-two-degrees-three-years 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ Davis Student Takes Father’s Lessons to Heart, Named Top Graduate /news/uc-davis-student-takes-fathers-lesson-to-heart-named-top-graduate <p>University of California, Davis, student Lucydalila Cedillo grew up in East Los Angeles in a home without books, collected recyclable cans with her mother to help support the household and didn’t know anyone who had gone to college. But on morning rides to middle school, she took to heart what her father told her about the importance of learning.</p> June 09, 2016 - 12:11pm Julia Ann Easley /news/uc-davis-student-takes-fathers-lesson-to-heart-named-top-graduate Top 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ Davis student pursues tree-of-life research and Nerf combatants /news/top-uc-davis-student-pursues-tree-life-research-and-nerf-combatants <p>Andrew Magee, who pursues heady research on the tree of life and gives chase to combatants in campus Nerf games, has been named the top graduating senior at the University of California, Davis.</p> <p>The San Jose, California, resident is the 2015 recipient of the University Medal for excellence in undergraduate studies, outstanding community service and the promise of future scholarship and contributions to society.</p> June 09, 2015 - 2:46pm IET WebDev /news/top-uc-davis-student-pursues-tree-life-research-and-nerf-combatants Top 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ Davis graduate headed to space industry /news/top-uc-davis-graduate-headed-space-industry <p>Out of this world is one way to describe the top graduating senior at the University of California, Davis.&nbsp;</p> <p>After a visit to the Kennedy Space Center when she was in high school, Ashley Coates of Hollister, California, set her sights on a career in the space industry. At 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ Davis, she has excelled in her studies of aerospace science and mechanical engineering and been mentored by a former astronaut. And her experiences included helping to build a virtual-reality headset, reverse engineer a robotic arm and design an airplane.</p> June 10, 2014 - 9:35am IET WebDev /news/top-uc-davis-graduate-headed-space-industry Top grad helps address health-care disparities /news/top-grad-helps-address-health-care-disparities <p>The University of California, Davis, thinks Nicole Sitkin is going to go places and have an impact on the world — it has named her this year's University Medalist as the top graduating senior.</p> <p>And Sitkin, who earned a bachelor's degree in December, is well on her way.</p> <p>First as an undergraduate and now working at the university's School of Medicine, Sitkin is already making contributions to medical research and helping address disparities in health care, especially for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) populations.</p> June 11, 2013 - 12:00am IET WebDev /news/top-grad-helps-address-health-care-disparities