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--></style></head><body lang="EN-US" link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72" style="word-wrap:break-word"><div class="WordSection1"><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Dear Colleagues,</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">The Undergraduate Committee has chosen recipients for three annual undergraduate awards.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">The winner of this year’s <b>Political Science Outstanding Student Award</b> is <b>Rachel Kim</b>. Rachel has achieved a very impressive academic record and made stellar contributions to campus organizations, including as a member of Highlander Abroad Advisory Committee and as a Climate Action Fellow. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">The committee also voted to award two “honorable mentions” to students with strong scholastic and service records: <b>Julia Baroi </b>and <b>Jingxin Hu</b>.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">The Outstanding Student award is given annually to a rising senior who has a strong scholastic record and who has made outstanding contributions in community service and/or in department and campus organizations. This year’s winner will receive a monetary award of $1,000. The students chosen as “honorable mention” recipients will each receive $500.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">The committee chose three winners of the <b>Pay It Forward First Generation University Student Awards:</b> <a name="_Hlk136344964"><b>Yuma Garcia, Fernando Salazar,</b> and <b>Hong Ha</b></a>. Pay It Forward<b> </b>awards are given based on merit to students who will juniors or seniors who are studying political science and who are in the first generation of their family to pursue a university-level education. The winners will all receive monetary awards of $2,500. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">We also voted to designate eight Pay it Forward “honorable mentions.” Each of the following students will receive monetary awards of $150 each: <b>Adrine Bakhchedzhyan, Yecenia Del Cid Herrera, Xuancong Han, Josselyn Hernandez, Dolores Hernandez-Mendoza, Tsz Yau Lai, Jennifer Mendieta, </b>and <b>Ana Beatriz Nunes Dos Santos.</b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Finally, this year, we chose <b>Albert Bernal-Barahona</b> to receive a <b>Judge Ernest M. Lopez Memorial Grant. </b>These grants are awarded to one or more rising seniors who are disadvantaged by social or economic hardship and who will be applying to law school. Albert will receive a monetary award of $1,500 to help cover the costs of preparing for and applying to law school.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">As always, thanks to the other committee members: Yasemin, Ron, and Josh. And thanks to Kristy for her great work soliciting applicants and helping administering the awards. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">We’ll be doing another round of awards next year, so please keep your eye out for good candidates.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">Thanks,</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt">John</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ligatures:none">John Medearis</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ligatures:none">Professor</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ligatures:none">Department of Political Science</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-ligatures:none">University of California, Riverside</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"> </p></div></body></html>