Congratulations to the 2024-2025 award recipients!
Undergraduate Student Award for Civic Engagement
Esme Nuno Mora
Unaccompanied Homeless Youth (UHY)—those without the physical custody of a parent or guardian—face major barriers in accessing and succeeding in higher education. Despite comprising a significant portion of youth in the U.S., UHY often remain invisible within university systems, lacking a formal way to self-identify on applications. This invisibility denies them access to essential resources like priority housing, financial aid, and academic support. Esme Nuno Mora, a former UHY and UC Berkeley student, launched Project Ⓘ Need a Box to address this gap. Through the Miller Scholars Program and in collaboration with Berkeley Hope Scholars, John Burton Advocates for Youth, and UC faculty, Mora successfully advocated for a policy change allowing UHY to indicate their status on the UC application—an initiative approved by the University of California Office of the President (UCOP) and implemented in Fall 2024.
This milestone ensures that students who identify as homeless can now be proactively connected to campus support services across the UC system. At Berkeley, these students are contacted by the Berkeley Hope Scholars program with offers of specialized assistance. The checkbox not only acknowledges UHY but helps them access the support they need to thrive. With this first phase complete, Mora has launched Project Hidden in Plain Sight to further expand UC support systems—aiming to integrate services for UHY with those already available to foster youth, ensuring consistent and comprehensive aid regardless of campus. Dedicated to fellow advocate Christian Aleman, this initiative reflects a broader vision: transforming institutional systems to recognize and uplift students who have too often been overlooked.
Graduate Student Award for Civic Engagement
Daniel Muñoz
Danny Muñoz is a standout student leader whose public service work spans mentorship, advocacy, and policy reform—especially on behalf of justice-impacted youth and underserved students. Drawing from his own lived experience, Danny has dedicated himself to breaking cycles of incarceration and educational inequity. At the Alameda County Juvenile Justice Center, he mentors incarcerated youth through reentry programs, character development, and college prep efforts. As a Fellow for SB 823 implementation and a Reentry Specialist with California Justice Leaders, he supports system-involved youth with transition services. Through his role with Berkeley Underground Scholars, Danny has guided dozens of formerly incarcerated students through the UC application process and played a pivotal role in securing $4 million in permanent funding for the program across all UC campuses.
Danny’s leadership also extends to state-level policy and thought leadership. As an intern with California Senator Nancy Skinner, he contributed to research on gun violence prevention and food insecurity. His advocacy for SB 990 led to expanded resources for parole-impacted individuals. Danny’s academic research on parole inequities and his published articles in outlets like the Berkeley Public Policy Journal and Prison Journalism Project amplify the voices of marginalized communities and call for trauma-informed practices in schools and justice systems. From grassroots mentorship to statewide policy change, Danny exemplifies the transformative potential of civic engagement. His work not only uplifts individuals but advances equity in education and justice on a systemic level, making him a powerful agent for social change.
Student Group Award for Civic Engagement
Engineers and Mentors of Berkeley (BEAM)
Engineers and Mentors of Berkeley (BEAM) is a student-run organization founded in 2008 that provides hands-on STEM education to over 500 K–8 students each week across 13 underserved schools in the East Bay Area. Many of these schools are Title 1 institutions, often lacking the resources for robust STEM programming. By partnering with five local school districts and creating an engaging, flexible curriculum, BEAM introduces students to topics like forensics, bees, and paper airplane physics—subjects rarely explored in traditional classrooms. UC Berkeley mentors, many from similar backgrounds as their mentees, serve not only as educators but as relatable role models, inspiring students to pursue STEM and higher education while promoting equity in public education.
Beyond weekly mentoring, BEAM extends its impact through outreach initiatives like the BEAM Kits project, which partners with UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital to provide mini science kits to children unable to attend school. Over 1,000 kits were hand-decorated and distributed last semester, allowing BEAM to reach youth beyond the classroom. With over 120 UC Berkeley student mentors, the organization also offers a DeCal course to train and empower members in public speaking, teaching, and teamwork. Through creative programming, inclusive mentorship, and community outreach, BEAM fosters STEM curiosity in young learners while equipping college students with tools to engage in educational equity.
Staff Award for Civic Engagement
Shelly Gough
Shelly Gough has made a profound impact on the UC Berkeley community through her tireless volunteerism and leadership. As Chair and Co-Chair of multiple Berkeley Staff Assembly (BSA) committees—including Program & Events and Excellence in Management—she not only leads meetings and organizes logistics but also handles much of the behind-the-scenes work herself, from transporting supplies to managing communications. Her most transformative contribution has been launching and sustaining the BSA Staff Food Pantry, which she founded in 2024 in partnership with the Berkeley Basic Needs Center and Alameda County Food Bank. Recognizing that many staff—especially those without regular computer access—were being underserved, Shelly ensured that the Pantry is inclusive and accessible, even coordinating after-hours food pickups for custodial staff.
Since its inception, the Staff Food Pantry has served 150–180 staff members and their families monthly, distributing over 26,000 pounds of food between August 2024 and February 2025. Shelly personally manages nearly every aspect—from coordinating volunteers and food deliveries to redistributing leftover supplies—ensuring a smooth, impactful operation. Her dedication is not only logistical but deeply empathetic; she considers the lived experiences of underrepresented and low-income staff, creating solutions with dignity and respect. Alongside her full-time role as a Senior HR Business Partner, Shelly’s grassroots leadership has expanded staff support services, driven systemic conversations on workplace equity, and inspired others to contribute. Her efforts exemplify the spirit of civic engagement and community care at UC Berkeley.
Chancellor’s Award for Research in the Public Interest
Philip Stark
Professor Philip Stark is internationally recognized for his pioneering work in election security. In 2007, he invented “risk-limiting audits” (RLAs), a transformative method for verifying election outcomes that is now endorsed by the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine, the Presidential Commission on Election Administration, and the American Statistical Association. Stark helped design and conduct the first RLAs in the U.S., developed open-source RLA software, and has been instrumental in shaping legislation in numerous states. RLAs are now authorized or required in about fifteen states. He has worked closely with secretaries of state in California, Colorado, and New Hampshire and served nine years on the Board of Advisors of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission. Stark’s contributions have earned him national recognition, including the IEEE Cybersecurity Practice Award and the John Gideon Award for Election Integrity.
Beyond election security, Stark has also made significant contributions to equity in academia, particularly through his research on bias in student evaluations of teaching (SET). His widely cited paper on gender bias in SET has had global impact, downloaded over 100,000 times and featured in media outlets such as NPR, Slate, and Teen Vogue. Stark has advised dozens of faculty groups, professional societies, and universities in the U.S. and Canada on best practices regarding SET and has served as an expert witness in related litigation and arbitration. His broader research includes examining gender bias in interruptions during STEM faculty job talks at UC Berkeley, further advancing conversations around equity and inclusion in higher education. Through his interdisciplinary scholarship, advocacy, and public service, Stark has consistently worked to strengthen democratic institutions and promote fairness and integrity in both civic and academic life.
Chancellor’s Award for Community-Engaged Teaching
Seth Lunine
Dr. Seth Lunine, a continuing lecturer in the Department of Geography at UC Berkeley, exemplifies the spirit of community-engaged teaching through his sustained work addressing housing insecurity, gentrification, and racialized displacement. Since 2015, he has developed and taught nearly 30 American Cultures courses, making him one of the most active instructors in the program. His courses—such as Geography 50AC: California, Geography 72AC: The Bay Area, and Geography X50AC: California: American Culture Engaged Scholarship—consistently bridge classroom learning with real-world impact. Through partnerships with organizations like the Tenderloin Neighborhood Development Corporation and the Anti-Eviction Mapping Project, students have co-created multilingual tenant rights materials and resources for low-income communities, demonstrating a deeply collaborative, justice-oriented approach to education.
Dr. Lunine’s dedication to transformative pedagogy is further reflected in his recent collaboration with Canticle Farm and Restorative Media in Oakland’s Fruitvale District. There, students produced a documentary and public website exploring the land’s history of genocide, land theft, and ecological crisis, while highlighting the farm’s current work in Indigenous activism and environmental justice. These projects not only foster students’ critical thinking and research skills but also empower them to find purpose and agency beyond academia. With over 150 students participating in ten American Cultures Engaged Scholarship (ACES) projects under his guidance, Dr. Lunine’s work has left a lasting impact on both students and community partners. Recognized with the 2020 American Cultures Excellence in Teaching Award, Dr. Lunine continues to model how community-engaged teaching can be a catalyst for social change.
Chancellor’s Award for Community-Engaged Teaching
Travis Bristol
Professor Travis Bristol exemplifies the values of community-engaged teaching through his innovative Teachers of Color (TOC) UC Links program, a powerful research-practice partnership with the Oakland Unified School District. In 2023–24 alone, TOC connected approximately 100 UC Berkeley undergraduates with 493 K–12 students and educators across 13 OUSD schools. These after-school placements provide undergraduates—many of whom are students of color—with hands-on teaching experience while supporting literacy, social-emotional learning, and critical thinking among primarily low-income, Black, Latinx, and English Language Learner youth. Through EDUC 150 and EDUC C181/AFRICAM C133A, students engage deeply with the role of race in urban education, applying theory in real-world settings and gaining firsthand insight into the teaching profession.
Professor Bristol’s work directly addresses California’s teacher shortage while creating a pipeline for future educators of color. His courses foster meaningful community engagement, equipping undergraduates with practical teaching skills and mentorship opportunities that often lead to employment in after-school programs or future teaching roles. In addition, students in EDUC C181/AFRICAM C133A are given the chance to present at the prestigious American Educational Research Association (AERA) conference, enhancing their academic and professional development. Professor Bristol’s personal experience as an educator of color informs his commitment to expanding access to the teaching profession, empowering students from historically marginalized backgrounds to see themselves as agents of change. Through this unique model, TOC not only enriches student learning at UC Berkeley but also positively impacts the educational trajectories of hundreds of Bay Area youth and the broader community.
Campus-Community Partnership Award
GrizzlyCorps
GrizzlyCorps, a UC Berkeley-based AmeriCorps program, stands at the forefront of building climate resilience through public service and workforce development. Since 2020, the program has placed over 150 early-career professionals—referred to as fellows—in rural communities across California to support local efforts in regenerative agriculture, wildfire prevention, and forest stewardship. Through 11-month service terms, fellows contribute critical capacity to under-resourced organizations, including Tribes, nonprofits, conservation districts, and local governments. These fellows engage in a broad spectrum of work, from technical forestry and GIS support to community outreach, education, and climate adaptation planning. Notably, GrizzlyCorps helps bridge the resource gap for organizations by subsidizing or fully covering fellowship costs, enabling impactful projects that might otherwise be stalled due to financial constraints.
GrizzlyCorps exemplifies how a university-based initiative can foster community engagement while cultivating a future climate workforce. Their fellows have supported high-impact projects such as the FIRE Foundry, a firefighter workforce development initiative in partnership with the Marin County Fire Department, and a wildfire risk survey with the Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority. These fellows not only bring valuable technical and leadership skills but also help train others, creating a ripple effect of capacity building. With 81% of alumni remaining in climate-related careers and nearly 30% hired by their host organizations, GrizzlyCorps is catalyzing both immediate community impact and long-term career development. By investing in rural resilience and nurturing the next generation of environmental leaders, GrizzlyCorps exemplifies the transformative potential of public service.
Rosalie M. Stern Award (new for 2025)
Elizabeth (Betsy) Keenan
Betsy Keenan has been an extraordinary champion of the Cal in the Capital (CITC) program for over two decades, continuously enriching the experiences and opportunities available to UC Berkeley students. A dedicated public servant throughout her career—serving in leadership roles at the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and Department of Education—Betsy has remained deeply connected to CITC both professionally and personally. For years, she guaranteed meaningful internship placements for CITC students in the Department of Justice, providing mentorship, hands-on experience, and reducing the burden on student directors to secure high-quality positions. Since retiring, Betsy has remained just as committed: she travels to Berkeley each year to coach new cohorts on professionalism, resume writing, and workplace readiness, while also organizing and personally participating in the alumni mentorship program.
Beyond mentorship and guidance, Betsy has played a pivotal role in sustaining and expanding the CITC program through philanthropy and strategic support. She has led efforts with the Cal Alumni Club of Washington, D.C., to establish two endowments (in 2011 and 2016) that provide long-term funding for the program, while continuing to make generous contributions of her own. This year, she fully funded travel for four student directors to D.C., dramatically expanding employer outreach and internship opportunities for the upcoming cohort. Her consistent financial support helps offset housing costs for students, ensuring broader access to this life-changing experience. Betsy Keenan exemplifies what it means to give back—through time, mentorship, funding, and unwavering belief in student potential. Her impact is felt in every aspect of CITC, making her an exceptional nominee for the Public Service Award.
Rosalie M. Stern Award (new for 2025)
Zea Malawa
Dr. Zea Malawa is a visionary public health leader, pediatrician, and racial equity expert whose groundbreaking work has transformed maternal and infant health outcomes for under-resourced communities, especially Black women and birthing people in San Francisco and across California. As the Founding Director of Expecting Justice, Dr. Malawa has built a powerful coalition of stakeholders dedicated to advancing health equity through bold, anti-racist public health interventions. Her efforts have led to the creation of San Francisco’s first no-cost community doula program for those most impacted by health disparities, and the launch of the Abundant Birth Project, the nation’s first guaranteed income program for pregnant people. What began as a pilot for 151 participants has now expanded to four counties and will serve over 900 individuals. Dr. Malawa’s success lies in her tireless grant writing, deep community engagement, and courageous leadership in challenging systemic racism in healthcare policy and practice.
Her influence extends far beyond the Bay Area. Through advocacy and coalition-building, Dr. Malawa helped catalyze the passage of the California Momnibus Act and state funding commitments—$35 million for guaranteed income pilots and Medicaid reimbursement for doula care—making her a key architect of statewide maternal health reform. As a Black woman raised in San Francisco, Dr. Malawa brings lived experience and cultural insight to her work, which she combines with rigorous public health and medical expertise. She is also a dedicated mentor to students from underrepresented backgrounds, fostering resilience and leadership among future changemakers. Whether guiding medical students through the challenges of navigating structural racism or pushing her colleagues toward equity with grace and accountability, Dr. Malawa exemplifies transformative leadership. Her fearless pursuit of justice and proven track record of innovation and impact make her a truly deserving recipient of the Rosalie M. Stern Award.
The Cheng Zedler First Generation Scholar Award (new for 2025)
Dafne Cruz Rodriguez
Dafne is a passionate fourth-year UC Berkeley student whose leadership and service are deeply rooted in her identity as a first-generation, low-income student with Indigenous Oaxacan roots. Her unwavering commitment to uplifting Latine, BIPOC, immigrant, and low-income communities has shaped a remarkable track record of impact both on and off campus. As the Alumni & Employer Outreach Director for Cal in the Capital (CITC), Dafne served a cohort of 70 students from diverse academic and financial backgrounds. Leveraging her own experience as a CITC participant, she successfully secured internship opportunities by personally building relationships with employers in Washington, D.C., ensuring every student in her cohort found a summer placement. Her efforts led to over 26,800 hours of service during Summer 2024. Dafne’s strengths-based leadership centers the holistic needs of students while actively dismantling barriers to access.
Beyond CITC, Dafne has served Latine immigrant communities through Alternative Breaks, helping develop service trips and programming across California and San Diego. Her bilingual skills, cultural awareness, and drive have been instrumental in supporting farmworker communities, promoting sustainability, and advancing immigrant rights. With Border Angels, Dafne is currently organizing a service-learning trip and fundraising efforts—already surpassing $2,000—to support migrant safety through desert water drop-offs and day laborer outreach. Her advocacy extends into legal service as a JusticeCorps intern, where she assisted Spanish-speaking litigants in navigating domestic violence and small claims processes. On campus, she champions Latine student success as the Latine Community Excellence Co-Executive in ASUC, raising thousands of dollars for student organizations. Dafne’s service is not only extensive but intentional—grounded in community, equity, and transformative impact. Her aspirations to pursue a dual JD/MPP degree to return and serve her community reflect her deep dedication to public service, justice, and equity.
Robert J and Mary Catherine Birgeneau Recognition Award for Service to Underrepresented Students
Hakim Owen
Hakim Owen is a graduating senior at UC Berkeley pursuing dual degrees in Sociology and Social Welfare, with plans to continue his education in Berkeley’s Master of Social Welfare (MSW) program this fall. A former gang-involved youth who spent 15 years in California state prisons—including over a year in solitary confinement—Hakim has transformed his life through education, advocacy, and leadership. Drawing on his lived experience, Hakim is the founder and president of the Black Underground Scholars Initiative (BUSI), a program designed to support the unique needs of formerly incarcerated Black students. Through BUSI, he organizes bi-weekly community meetings, Juneteenth recruitment events, and has raised over $26,000 to support students’ basic needs. His work not only ensures access to higher education for those historically excluded from it, but also builds a sense of belonging and empowerment within the UC Berkeley community.
Hakim’s impact extends far beyond campus. He is the founder of New Narrative, a community-based violence prevention initiative in West Oakland’s Acorn Projects, where he leads education, mentorship, and leadership development programming for system-impacted youth. As a Policy Fellow with the Underground Scholars Initiative, he helped advance legislation to end the use of solitary confinement. He also developed curriculum and taught through the Teach in Prison program at San Quentin, and served as the coordinator for Transfer Student Recruitment with Underground Scholars. Hakim is currently a research assistant with UC Berkeley’s Possibility Lab, contributing to a project on urban safety. In every role, Hakim channels his past into purpose—supporting others through housing navigation, scholarship support, and mentorship. His dedication to uplifting Black men impacted by incarceration and breaking cycles of violence is nothing short of transformative. His work is rooted in justice, community healing, and a belief in the power of possibility.
Robert J and Mary Catherine Birgeneau Recognition Award for Service to Undocumented Students
Frida Calvo Huerta
Frida is a first-generation Mexican immigrant and undocumented student whose lived experiences fuel her deep commitment to educational equity and public service. As the founder and director of the UndocuScholars Program at UC Berkeley, Frida created a peer mentorship initiative that supports undocumented high school and community college students through the college application process, financial aid navigation, and transition to higher education. What began as a grassroots vision has grown into a transformative program that has supported 15 undocumented UC mentors and dozens of mentees—70% of whom have gained admission to UC Berkeley, many with full scholarships. Frida secured funding for the program, built cross-campus partnerships with organizations like NAVCAL, the PSC, and USP, and created safe, inclusive spaces that nurture community and belonging. Her leadership ensures undocumented students are not only seen and supported but empowered to succeed.
Frida’s impact goes beyond mentorship. As a Marco Antonio Firebaugh and Haas Scholar, she has conducted research on the mental health outcomes of undocumented students, highlighting the resilience and positive coping strategies fostered by peer support programs like UndocuScholars. Her research contributes to a growing understanding of how to better serve undocumented students and informs policy and practice at UC Berkeley and beyond. Frida also mentors first-generation and low-income students across multiple programs, always working to dismantle stigma around mental health and amplify the voices of underrepresented students. Her journey—navigating higher education while juggling jobs, family responsibilities, and systemic challenges—embodies the very resilience and advocacy that this award seeks to honor. Frida has turned personal adversity into community empowerment, and through her leadership, she continues to build pathways for undocumented students to thrive.
Mather Good Citizen Award
Mckenzie K. Diep
Mckenzie is an Urban Studies and Economics student at UC Berkeley, a Bay Area native, and the daughter of a Vietnamese refugee. Her lived experience drives her commitment to public service and equity, particularly in dismantling barriers to upward mobility rooted in racial segregation and exclusionary policy. As a researcher, advocate, and student leader, Mckenzie has led efforts to close the digital divide for Black and Latino communities in Oakland. Through her work with the Oakland Mayor’s Office and OaklandUndivided Coalition, she authored an ex-parte letter to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration that centered community voices and detailed the systemic causes of digital inequity. Her advocacy helped secure $16 million in broadband funding for underserved schools and mobilized over 30 policymakers, educators, and nonprofits to join her cause.
On and off campus, Mckenzie consistently channels research into action. She served over 300 hours with JusticeCorps, helping self-represented litigants navigate complex legal systems in San Francisco, and co-organized the California 100 Youth Summit at the Capitol, convening 500+ youth leaders to develop and share visions for California’s future. She brought her digital equity work to the international stage at the Yale Global Public Policy Hackathon, where her policy pitch won first place. Mckenzie also contributed to environmental justice through pedestrian-centered urban design, helping the Berkeley City Council unanimously pass a car-free redesign of Telegraph Avenue. She currently supports affordable housing research at the Bay Area Council, contributes to the Urban Displacement Project, and maps historically neglected Black cemeteries as a Fellow at the Berkeley Center for New Media. Through all of her work, Mckenzie uplifts underrepresented voices, challenges systemic inequities, and envisions more just futures across local, state, and federal levels.