UC Berkeley NewsCenter » students

Best Father’s Day gift? For dads in prison, it’s Get on the Bus

Gretchen Kell — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 19:55:51 +0000

As Father's Day nears, UC Berkeley students and alums will help local children visit their dads in prison through their work as Get on the Bus volunteers.

Berkeley given high marks for ‘return on investment’

Public Affairs — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 20:46:53 +0000

UC Berkeley is a top California institution for financial "return on investment," according to the College Database, a non-commercial website that analyzes federal and Carnegie Foundation data. The site ranked Berkeley second among California colleges and universities, based on tuition and post-college entry-level salaries.

Chancellor No. 10, day No. 1

Public Affairs — Mon, 03 Jun 2013 21:07:26 +0000

After months of meetings and preparation, Nicholas Dirks arrived for work June 3 as Berkeley's 10th chancellor. On a day that was all about connections, he received a warm welcome from staff in California Hall, and a loud serenade from the Cal Marching Band.

Birgeneau: ‘Ready for something new’

Public Affairs — Thu, 30 May 2013 18:00:34 +0000

As he prepared to hand over the reins to his successor as chancellor, Robert Birgeneau reflected on his nearly nine years in California Hall, and on his future as a member of the UC Berkeley faculty. And he explained why he's "deeply worried about public higher education."

Architecture student wins prestigious new sustainability fellowship

Kathleen Maclay — Tue, 21 May 2013 22:30:00 +0000

By updating and expanding California’s utility-allowance calculator, Berkeley grad student Antony Kim hopes to make sustainable architecture more available to low-cost housing developers. He and his faculty mentor, Galen Cranz, are winners of the first-ever Schmidt-MacArthur Fellowship, which encourages the design of sustainable products and processes.

Jerry Brown tells grads ‘you can make change’

Kathleen Maclay — Mon, 20 May 2013 20:14:55 +0000

California Gov. Jerry Brown praised students for making a difference in the last election, and encouraged them to continue their activism to improve the world, in his keynote speech at Monday's political-science graduation.

Berkeley SHIP 2013-14 details announced

Public Affairs — Thu, 16 May 2013 20:47:51 +0000

Chancellor Birgeneau recently announced that Berkeley would leave UC SHIP and return to a campus-based student insurance plan for the next academic year. Details of the campus plan, to be implemented in August, can be found in this post from University Health Services.

Media Advisory: Apple Co-Founder Steve Wozniak to Address Berkeley’s 2013 Graduates

Public Affairs — Thu, 16 May 2013 20:20:30 +0000

Apple co-founder, Silicon Valley icon, and philanthropist Steve Wozniak, a UC Berkeley alumnus, will deliver the commencement address. The event will also include remarks by outgoing Chancellor Robert Birgeneau and this year's top graduating senior Ritankar Das, a double major in bioengineering and chemical biology from Fremont, Calif. During the ceremony, Das will receive the University Medal for his scholarship, public service and humanity.

Marlene Castro: Back to middle school, on a mission

Gretchen Kell — Thu, 16 May 2013 17:39:18 +0000

Marlene Castro loved learning, but life in East Palo Alto and Redwood City, where her family alternately lived, made it tough. In an environment of gangs, weapons and school lockdowns, the high-achieving student was bullied constantly in middle school and high school – even jumped on and beaten.

Jesús Galindo: Brothers’ bond inspires budding teacher

Gretchen Kell — Thu, 16 May 2013 17:38:20 +0000

When Galindo was 9, his father, an elementary school drop-out, divorced his mother, and she fell into deep depression. The family had been troubled, poor. From that moment on, Galindo and his younger brother Alex, began a series of moves with their mom to 13 California cities.

Biology scholars thank Birgeneau, Breslauer

Public Affairs — Mon, 13 May 2013 19:48:06 +0000

More than 50 students and 30 alumni of Berkeley's Biology Scholars Program gathered recently in the Durant Hall atrium to thank Chancellor Robert Birgeneau and Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost George Breslauer for their support.

Eric Holder, Jerry Brown, Steve Wozniak among graduation speakers

Yasmin Anwar — Thu, 09 May 2013 18:30:06 +0000

U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder and California Gov. Jerry Brown are among the political leaders, innovators and pundits set to address newly minted UC Berkeley graduates at ceremonies starting this weekend (May 11-12).

An 18-year-old wunderkind named top graduating senior

Sarah Yang — Thu, 09 May 2013 18:00:40 +0000

Ritankar Das, 18, double major in bioengineering and chemical biology, is the youngest University Medalist in more than a century. He will be graduating from UC Berkeley in only three years with more than 200 credits and a GPA of 3.99.

Chancellor looks back: ‘a period where leadership mattered’

Public Affairs — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 20:52:42 +0000

In an interview with NBC11, Robert Birgeneau talks access and excellence, Dreamers, and how -- despite a budget model for UC Berkeley that has changed in response to severe state funding cuts during his time as chancellor -- "we still spend our money, as we should, like a public university."

Berkeley named one of America’s ‘Bicycle Friendly Universities’

Public Affairs — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 16:00:03 +0000

The Bicycle Friendly University program recognizes institutions of higher education for promoting and providing a more bicycle-friendly campus for students, staff and visitors.

Cal Day launched graduating senior’s Berkeley experience

Gretchen Kell — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 08:00:19 +0000

Senior Ahn-Thi Le's UC Berkeley journey began with Cal Day, when she fell in love with the campus. Now, after following a path that took her to India to work with rural artisans and to a place in the CellScope initiative improving health care in Vietnam, Le is about to graduate.

Campus announces 2013-14 freshman admissions numbers

Janet Gilmore — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 16:30:50 +0000

More than 14,000 students have been offered admission to UC Berkeley's 2013-14 freshman class, according to data campus officials released today (Thursday, April 18). A record high number of more than 67,600 students had submitted applications.

From high school dropout to U.S. Gates Cambridge scholar

Kathleen Maclay — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 16:44:54 +0000

Justin Park dropped out of high school, but he never lost his love of literature and learning. After 20 years as a bartender, bike messenger and military man, Park returned to school at UC Berkeley, graduated — and now has been selected as a Gates Cambridge Scholar, a top world honor.

Contest winners shine new light on Fiat Lux

Steve Hockensmith — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 17:00:57 +0000

The Fiat Lux Remix contest invited students, faculty and staff members to revisit images of UC campuses commissioned in the mid-1960s by then-President Clark Kerr and taken by legendary photographer Ansel Adams – and published in the book Fiat Lux – and give them their own spin.

18 Berkeley students head to St. Louis for Clinton Global Initiative University

Public Affairs — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 18:09:23 +0000

The April 5-7 conference will include knowledge-sharing and networking opportunities for students committed to tackling the world’s most pressing problems and will feature speeches by Muhammad Yunus, Jada Pinkett Smith, Jack Dorsey and Stephen Colbert, among others.