Congratulations to the UC Berkeley Psychology class of 2021!  We celebrate your many accomplishments and achievements during your time at Cal. We will always think of the Class of 2021 as a resilient and talented group of students and scholars.

Chair Serena Chen's Commencement Address

• Undergraduate Awards and Honors

  Department Citation in Psychology: Ethan Willbrand

  The Departmental Citation Award was initiated in 1955 by the Committee on Prizes to recognize distinguished undergraduate work in each department. The Departmental Citation is awarded to the top undergraduate in the Psychology Department based on all aspects of academic life including: research, coursework, writing, and service to the university.

  Ethan is recognized for his well-rounded transcript, independent scholarly work, leadership in the major, and participation in public service. In addition to demonstrated qualities of judgment, ingenuity, initiative, and broad interest, he also serves in a mentoring role for other undergraduates in the lab. In terms of “distinction,” Ethan’s thesis and forthcoming peer-reviewed paper are at a post-doctoral level in terms of impact. He has identified a new neuroanatomical structure, which serves as a microanatomical and functional (it is part of a brain network that is critical for cognitive control) landmark with developmental and evolutionary insights.

   

  Warner Brown Memorial Prize: In 1958 a group of former students, friends, and colleagues of the late Professor Warner Brown established an endowment to support the Warner Brown Memorial Prize. This prize is awarded annually to graduating seniors in the Department who have shown great promise in psychological research.

  Leighann Ashlock
  Sienna Bruinsma
  Yuyang Zhong

  Swan Research Prize:  The Swan family created an endowment in memory of Katherine Craig Swan, a 1932 Berkeley honors graduate in Psychology. The Swan Research Prize, funded through this endowment, is given to outstanding undergraduate researchers to support their independent research projects.

  Aris Richardson
  Michelle Taw
  Ethan Willbrand

  Psychology Department Honors Program: Honors program participants complete an independent research project on a specific topic in the field of Psychology. 

  Eesha Ali
  Sarah Anvar
  Leighann Ashlock
  Sienna Bruinsma
  Gabby Collins
  Natalie Dalton
  Sally Duan
  Dylan Earp
  Karin Garrett
  Tyler Gavigan
  Alicia Geng
  Ariana Guenther
  Austin Greene
  Randall Hale
  Lily Huang Chen
  Pandora Lam
  Ophelia Lee
  Francesca Leventhal
  Leigh Levinson
  Daniela Munoz Lopez
  Jacqueline Nguyen
  Javier Ramos Benitez
  Lucy Schuler
  Sarah Song
  Robin Stewart
  Michelle Taw
  Ethan Willbrand
  Mae Xue
  Mimi Yoo

  Psi Chi Honor Society:The National Honors Society in Psychology is open to students who have achieved an honors level grade point average overall as well as in the Psychology major.

  Zainab Akhter Bhatti
  Roya Angha
  Sienna Bruinsma
  Matthew Chinn
  Natalie Dalton
  Camellia Edalat
  Nicole Hernandez
  Lily Huang Chen
  Sejla Garbo
  Royalle Hurney
  Jasmine Lai
  Pandora Lam
  Ophelia Lee
  Francesca Leventhal
  Tiffany Ngan
  Jessica Nguyen
  Isabella Pace
  Daniel Pham
  Carlino Ruiz
  Melisa Saygin
  Esmeralda Serna
  Nicole Ship
  Ethan Henry Willbrand
  Yuyang Zhong
  Iris Zhou

  Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society: Membership in Phi Beta Kappa is intended for students who have exhibited academic excellence and rigor in a broad array of undergraduate courses in the liberal arts and sciences.

  Sienna Bruinsma
  Elizabeth Cholakyan
  Anna Cialfi
  Jooeun "Grace" Jang
  Pandora Arlene Lam
  Chloe Isabella Li
  Emily Lok
  Janan Mostajabi
  Jaqueline Nguyen
  Jiseung Son
  Ethan Henry Willbrand
  Pinxuan "Alina" Yu
  Maggie Mei Qi Zhang
  Yurong "Olivia" Zhang

   

• Graduate Awards and Honors

  Arnold L. Leiman Prize: This award honors the late Professor Arnold L. Leiman, who was recognized for his dedication to excellent teaching and scholarship as well as his generosity in mentoring students. Professor Leiman was deeply committed to inspiring interest and discovery amongst students. He helped inaugurate the popular Freshman Seminar Program in the early 1990s in addition to serving as Chair of the UC Berkeley Faculty Trustee Board for the McNair Scholars Program, which guides underrepresented and first-generation undergraduates into doctoral programs.

  The Arnold L. Leiman Prize recognizes excellence in teaching and scholarship and provides support to an outstanding Graduate Student Instructor who exemplifies these qualities.

  Kaley Curtis
  Everett Wetchler

  Sheldon J. Korchin Prize in Clinical Psychology: This award honors the late Professor Sheldon J. Korchin, who founded the Psychology Clinic at the University of California, Berkeley in 1963. Professor Korchin was devoted to the training of clinical psychologists who valued and
  implemented the integration between science and practice, and to the opening of opportunities for ethnic minorities and disabled individuals in Clinical Psychology.
  The Korchin Prize is awarded annually to outstanding graduate students in the Clinical Science Program for an exemplary dissertation plan, which through a creative blending of clinical and research perspectives best exemplifies the spirit of Clinical Science.

  Allison Altman
  Kaley Curtis
  Caitlin Gasperetti
  Jenna Wells

  Outstanding GSI Award: The Outstanding Graduate Student Instructor Award gives campus-wide recognition to excellence in teaching by Graduate Student Instructors (GSIs). GSIs are selected to receive this award based on faculty nominations and student evaluations of teaching performance.

  Roya Baharloo
  Paul Connor
  Niki Gumport
  Devon Sandel
  Tyrone Sgambati
  Vyoma Shah
  Gerald Young
  Rebecca Zhu

Psychology Class of 2021