Each year, the Chancellor recognizes students, staff, faculty, and community partnerships that embody UC Berkeley’s proud tradition of public service and commitment to improving our local and global community. Faculty, staff, undergraduate and graduate students, student organizations, and campus-community partnerships are all eligible. Award categories include: civic engagement, community-engaged teaching, research in the public interest, and campus-community partnership.
Award Information
The Chancellor’s Awards for Public Service honor individuals and groups for their exceptional commitment to advancing social change through public service, a pillar of the university’s public mission. Annually, thousands of students, staff, and faculty devote hundreds of thousands of hours to direct service to the community, and even more hours to research and partnerships that serve the public interest. If awarded, recipient will serve as a representative of the university (including the Chancellor) at the event and in media. These awards will be presented at the annual Chancellor’s Awards for Public Service ceremony.
Award Descriptions
Chancellor’s Awards for Civic Engagement – Nominate Here!
These four public service awards honor the work of an undergraduate student, a graduate student, a student group, and a staff member for their contributions to the community. Recipient receives a $1,000 stipend in recognition of their work.
Chancellor’s Award for Community-Engaged Teaching – Nominate Here!
This award honors leadership by faculty in developing or teaching community-engaged courses or in engaging students in community-based research. Recipient receives a $1,000 stipend in recognition of their work.
Chancellor’s Award for Research in the Public Interest – Nominate Here!
This award honors research by faculty that addresses critical needs and issues affecting local, state, national, or global communities. Recipient receives a $1,000 stipend in recognition of their work.
Chancellor’s Award for Campus-Community Partnership – Nominate Here!
This award honors campus-community partnerships and University-sponsored programs that improve the quality of life in our community. Recipient receives a $1,000 stipend in recognition of their work.
Rosalie M. Stern Award – Nominate Here!
This award honors a graduate of UC Berkeley who has demonstrated significant contributions to public service (at the local community, state, or national level). Preference will be given to recipients whose public service work has been focused on addressing needs faced by women. Recipient receives a $1,500 honorarium in recognition of their work.
The Cheng Zedler First Generation Scholar Award – Nominate Here!
This award honors a first generation student, preferably a graduating senior, for their exemplary public service. Recipient receives a $1,500 stipend in recognition of their work.
Robert J. and Mary Catherine Birgeneau Recognition Award for Service to Underrepresented Students – Nominate Here!
This award honors an undergraduate or graduate student, or student ally, who has performed exemplary service pertaining to underrepresented communities. Recipients are awarded $1,500 in recognition of their work.
Robert J. and Mary Catherine Birgeneau Recognition Award for Service to Undocumented Students – Nominate Here!
This award honors an undergraduate or graduate student, or student ally, who has performed exemplary service pertaining to undocumented communities. Recipients are awarded $1,500 in recognition of their work.
Mather Good Citizen Award – Nominate Here!
This award honors a graduating senior in recognition of contributions to campus and community. Recipient receives a $1,500 stipend in recognition of their work.
Award Criteria
- An important need outside of campus is being addressed.
- The service has a positive, meaningful impact on the individuals and/or community served.
- The person/partners demonstrate(s) meaningful, deep commitment to this issue area and the community they are serving.
- Sufficient information is provided in the nomination to get a sense of the individual’s or program’s accomplishments. The committee will not review material outside the nomination, including links to articles or websites. Instead, please summarize any important points from these external sources.
- The nominator has provided all required information and submitted on time.
- Please note: Award recipients are NOT considered differently based on number of nominations and the selection is not based on number of nominations for an individual. If multiple parties are considering nominating the same person, please submit ONE succinct nomination form from all parties. Winners from the last five years are not eligible. To see the list of past years’ award recipients, click here.
The following information overviews the content nominators will be asked to complete on the nomination form:
- Describe the community being served by the nominee/the nominee’s work.
- Describe the nominee’s public service work (e.g., specific projects, initiatives, strategies) and how it addresses the community issue/need
- Highlight the nominee’s motivation to address this social issue and commitment to their work and community
- Describe the impact of the nominee’s public service and how the community benefits.
- Has the nominee received other awards for their public service work? If yes, please specify.
- Explain roles played by each partner (e.g. financial, in-kind, and volunteer contributions) – for nomination of Campus-Community Partnership award.
Links for 2025-2026 Nomination Forms
- Civic Engagement Awards (Student, Student Group, Staff and Rosalie M. Stern Award
- Faculty and Campus Partnership Awards
- Robert J. and Mary Catherine Birgeneau Awards
Important Dates for 2025-2026 Awards
|
Deadline for All Nominations |
Wednesday, December 10, 2025 |
|---|---|
|
2025-2026 Chancellor’s Awards Ceremony |
TBD |
2024-2025 Recipients
Here are our 2024-2025 Award Recipients. Congratulations!
| Category | Recipient | Department |
| Chancellor’s Award for Civic Engagement – Undergraduate Student | Esme Nuno Mora | Sociology |
| Chancellor’s Award for Civic Engagement – Graduate Student | Daniel Muñoz | Goldman School of Public Policy |
| Chancellor’s Award for Civic Engagement – Student Group | Engineers and Mentors of Berkeley (BEAM) | |
| Chancellor’s Award for Civic Engagement – Staff | Shelly Gough | HR Business Partner/BEARS Region |
| Chancellor’s Award for Research in the Public Interest | Philip Stark | Statistics |
| Chancellor’s Award for Community-Engaged Teaching | Seth Lunine | Geography |
| Chancellor’s Award for Community-Engaged Teaching | Travis Bristol | School of Education |
| Chancellor’s Award for Campus-Community Partnership | GrizzlyCorps | |
| Rosalie M. Stern Award | Elizabeth (Betsy) Keenan | Alumna, Sociology |
| Rosalie M. Stern Award | Zea Malawa | Alumna, Interdisciplinary MPH, School of Public Health |
| The Cheng Zedler First Generation Scholar Award | Dafne Cruz Rodriguez | Political Science |
| Mather Good Citizen Award | Mckenzie Diep | College of Environmental Design / College of Letters & Sciences |
| Birgeneau Recognition Award for Service to Underrepresented Students | Hakim Owen | Social Welfare & Sociology |
| Birgeneau Recognition Award for Service to Undocumented Students |  |
Interdisciplinary Studies |
Chancellor’s Award Committee
serviceawards@berkeley.edu
2024-2025 award recipients with Chancellor Richard K. Lyons