Students

At Berkeley Anthropology, one mother proves it’s never too late to finish

May 20, 2026
By Bessy Gomez

Graduating from UC Berkeley, the nation’s top public university, is a great achievement on its own. But for Jessica Gallup, it marks something more: the culmination of a journey defined by resilience, reinvention and the daily demands of motherhood.

A mother of a 6-year-old daughter — and seven months pregnant with her second child — Gallup will earn her bachelor’s degree in anthropology this semester, finishing what she began two decades ago. Along the way, the 42-year-old senior balanced coursework with childcare, doctor’s appointments and...

Sociology grad turns gaming into pathway for at-risk youth

May 19, 2026
By Bessy Gomez

Christian Fernandez did not take a traditional path to UC Berkeley.

A first-generation, low-income student, who restarted his college career after taking time off, Fernandez arrived at Berkeley carrying experiences that would later shape both his academic path and his work helping at-risk youth. As a sociology major, he mentored students through Playing for Change, a Berkeley-affiliated program that uses games and emotional learning tools to help young people manage stress and build resilience.

Drawing from his...

Berkeley Economic Review student leaders discuss publication’s role as research hub

May 19, 2026
By Bessy Gomez

For students Neha Muthiah and Dylan Margolis, economics has become more than a field of study; it is a platform for leadership, collaboration and career development. Through their work with the Berkeley Economic Review, both seniors helped lead UC Berkeley’s premier undergraduate economics publication by building a community of student writers, researchers and aspiring economists.

This week, they each will graduate from UC Berkeley with double majors. Muthiah will earn degrees in environmental economics and statistics, while Margolis will...

Activism beyond protest: how a Berkeley Social Sciences senior advocates for the Central Valley

May 18, 2026
By Bessy Gomez

History and ethnic studies senior Elizabeth Diaz has built her academic career around a central question: What does activism look like beyond protest?

That question became the foundation for her senior thesis, “Activism Beyond Protest in the Central Valley,” which examines how activism takes different forms among communities and often appears in everyday acts of advocacy, mutual support and organizing.

This week, Diaz will graduate from UC Berkeley with a bachelor’s degree in history and ethnic studies. Beyond the...

From Belgium to Berkeley: Berkeley graduate studies migration alongside her own path of belonging

May 13, 2026
By Bessy Gomez

For Akanksha Das, migration is more than an academic interest; it is embedded in her identity. Born in India and raised in Belgium, she draws on first-hand experience with cultural integration in her study of migration policies.

At UC Berkeley, Das will graduate this month with a bachelor’s degree in global studies, concentrating in peace and conflict, with a minor in public policy. Her academic work reflects a sustained commitment to examining migration through both global studies frameworks and personal experience...

"Put Yourself Out There": Brandon '18 on Finding Your Career and Community at UC Berkeley

October 29, 2025
Michelle Phillips
L&S Alum Spotlight:
Brandon Weiss '18 (he/him) Major: Integrative Biology: Ecology, Evolution & Organismal Biology

"College is just as much about figuring out who you are as a person as it is learning in the classroom," shares Brandon Weiss '18. From discovering a passion for veterinary medicine in the Pre-Vet Club at Berkeley, to meeting and proposing to his fiancé on campus, and now thriving in a meaningful career in emergency and critical care medicine for animals, Brandon has built a life full of joyful community and enduring connections.

She barely passed high school. Now she is graduating with a 4.0 at UC Berkeley.

May 6, 2026
By Bessy Gomez

Kalena Masching never expected to end up at UC Berkeley. She struggled in school growing up, navigating anxiety and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) without an early diagnosis or roadmap to success as a first generation student.

It was not until her 30s, during the COVID-19 pandemic, that she quietly made the decision to try again. She enrolled in community college and discovered, for the first time, what it meant to be fully supported as a student. She thrived there academically.

That decision changed everything. Kalena...

Cognitive Science student building a platform to help stroke patients

April 22, 2026
By Bessy Gomez

Initially motivated by a stroke in her family, Cognitive Science student Tvisha Nepani wanted to improve health outcomes for stroke patients. She developed the idea for a remote AI-powered physical therapy platform to help stroke patients recover through rehabilitation.

Known as ReMotive Health, the technology also allows patients to monitor their recovery between doctor’s visits. Nepani pitched her startup to investors at the Berkeley Accelerator and Startup Incubator in Cognitive Science’s (BASICS) Fall Pitch Day.

...

From front desk to lab bench: Julia Chac’s journey through Bakar Bio Labs

March 26, 2026
Ruhani Chhabra

When Julia Chac first applied for a front desk position at Bakar Bio Labs three years ago, biotech wasn’t even on her radar.

An Integrative Biology and Psychology double major at UC Berkeley, Julia knew she was premed. She also knew she needed to work. Coming from South Fresno, where her parents are farmers, and most of her community is economically underserved, she had always understood the importance of supporting herself financially while pursuing an education.

“I wanted to place myself...

https://qb3.org/from-front-desk-to-lab-bench-julia-chacs-path-through-bakar-bio-…

How UC Berkeley is closing the math readiness gap

March 30, 2026
by Alexander Rony

In November, a report from UC San Diego raised alarm across the country. One in 12 incoming students tested below middle school proficiency in mathematics — even while maintaining good grades in high school. The report sparked debates on many issues, from grade inflation to standardized...