The University Medal recognizes the top graduating senior for academic excellence, a dedication to community service, and the continuation of their leadership contributions to society.

One of the essential elements of the University Honors Program curriculum is research and exploration. Although students recognize their fourth year entails a signature work, many do not realize that “research” does not always mean lab coats and vials filled with chemicals (although sometimes it does!).

For her Year 3 Individually Designed Project, Danielle Fradet, Wildlife, Fish, and Conservation Biology ’20, helped curate the Pacific Flyway educational exhibit at the Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology. Utilizing the UC Davis Peter J.

Written by Eric Schroeder

“OK, Jesse, you say here that you can juggle. Could you step up on stage and juggle for us?”

Jesse didn’t expect this and looks back at me blankly. “I don’t have anything to juggle.”

“Can someone help him out?”

My tutors rummaged around in their backpacks. One tossed him an orange. Another an apple. A third a can of soda. It turned out Jesse was a good juggler.

“Can you juggle chain saws?” I ask him.

He looks dumbfounded and shakes his head no.

Drama 1 professor Larry Bogad highlighted the work of Augusto Boal, an influential Brazilian theater practitioner and political activist, specifically his books, Games for Actors and Non-Actors and Theatre of the Oppressed.

By Eric Thai, Political Science '20

Honors students exemplify service through a wide variety of involvements. In their third year, UHP students are required to complete at least 20 hours of community service, although most students are driven to go above and beyond. Honors students truly embody the goals of UHP to provide students with the leadership and compassion to serve and positively impact the community.

From a single floor of 35 students in Webster Hall in 1969, to more than 200 students living in all four floors of Currant today, the honors living-learning community has grown, but remains true to its intent: to foster a close-knit community among students with a wide variety of backgrounds and experiences. Celebrating its 50th year in 2019, our living-learning community (LLC) is the oldest in the UC system.

By Raven Barbera and Elysia Frink

2018 UC Davis University Honors Program graduates Sammy Carey and Shelbie Condie both received second place in Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences for the 2018 Norma J. Lang Prize. This award, given to six students, is for stimulating research and the best use of resources at Peter J. Shields Library. Both seniors presented their research at the 2018 Undergraduate Research Conference at UC Davis, and the 2018 Western Regional Honors Conference at Chapman University.