Ivette Aragon, political science and criminology, law and society major, and Ammad Bajwa (pictured), political science major, have been named recipients of two of UCI’s top undergraduate scholarships.

Aragon, a junior going into her senior year at UCI, is the 2013 Dan and Jean Aldrich award winner. The award is named in honor of UCI’s founding chancellor and recognizes the outstanding junior on campus on the basis of merit, academic excellence, leadership, contribution to the campus and community service. The honor carries a $2,500 prize. Aragon is a first generation university student who has thrived at UCI. In the classroom, she’s earned an impressive grade point average which includes a number of A+ grades in courses ranging from political science to social sciences, education, statistics and the arts. She has been a news anchor and correspondent for Anteater TV, a participant in the highly competitive UCLA Law Fellows Program, and a research assistant for faculty in political science working on American politics. Since her freshman year, Aragon has been employed as a student assistant in the Office of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. In 2011, she was the Aeberhard award winner.

Bajwa, a freshman going into his sophomore year, is the recipient of the 2013 Nicholas Aeberhard Memorial Award, an honor which recognizes the top freshman at UCI on the basis of personal integrity, student leadership, academics and involvement in campus and civic activities. The award carries a $5,000 prize. Bajwa earned a perfect 4.0 grade point average and a coveted spot on UCI’s nationally-ranked Mock Trial team his first year at UCI. He plans to pursue a career in law after finishing his undergraduate degree.