University Medal runners-up find turning point at Berkeley

BERKELEY

About 250 graduating seniors this year were eligible to compete for UC Berkeleys coveted University Medal, an honor which requires a minimum GPA of 3.96 and favors a packed resume along with a track record of overcoming challenges and making a difference in peoples lives.

Of that elite pool, 35 applied for the University Medal, established in 1871, and the Prizes Committee selected five finalists. Water policy warrior Rebecca Peters triumphed, but the four runners-up Kevin Kennedy, Brooke Liang, Rohin Shah and Sarah Mohamed are each exceptional in their own right. The finalists will each receive a $500 award and undoubtedly go on to great things. Here is a little background on who they are, the philosophy that got them this far and where theyre headed.

Kevin Kennedy

Guiding philosophy

We have an ethical responsibility to help the less fortunate, and that personal benefit at the expense of others in society or around the globe is immoral.

Lesson learned

Do not allow yourself to think that the purpose of learning, say, the enzymes involved in cellular respiration is to answer questions on an exam. Think of the broader picture: about how elusive, complex, and beautiful nature is, and how bizarre our own role in the universe is. I regret that it took me so long to figure this out.

Proudest achievement

I am proud to have made it through Berkeley while dealing with bad insomnia and related difficulties.

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University Medal runners-up find turning point at Berkeley