Post by University of California, Berkeley

The University Medal is the highest honor given to a graduating senior at UC Berkeley. Candidates must have achieved a GPA of 3.96 or higher while overcoming significant challenges and making a positive impact on others’ lives. Each finalist who was considered for the 2026 University Medal embodies UC Berkeley’s core values: remarkable academic achievement and a deep commitment to public service. This year, these four come from the realms of science. Two work in fields related to space exploration. One has applied bioengineering to conditions of hearing loss, and another has led initiatives to improve care for vision-impaired people, seniors and those with substance abuse disorders. Although not selected as this year’s University Medalist, the university recognizes the finalists’ outstanding achievements and dedication to serving the public. This year’s finalists are: Madeleine Bardy, BS Aerospace Engineering ‘26 Emma Berman, BS Bioengineering; BA Spanish and Portuguese, with a focus on Spanish linguistics ‘26 Eli Gendreau-Distler, BA Astrophysics, BA physics and BA Applied Mathematics ‘26 Mye Pinmada Makornwattana, BA Molecular and Cell Biology ‘26 Congratulations to all of the finalists for this recognition and their remarkable work. Tune in tomorrow to see who is your 2026 University Medalist. Full story on Berkeley News: https://bit.ly/4u1u2Fl #UCBerkeley #UniversityMedal #CalGrad