a celebration using stars
  • June 8, 2026

  • 38 undergrads from social sciences receive distinction, 22 undergrads and grads honored with individual scholarships and honors

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The Order of Merit is awarded annually to approximately 2% of the Social Sciences graduating class. Students are recognized for their academic excellence, original research, leadership activities, and service contributions to the School of Social Sciences, UCI campus, or community. We are especially pleased that this marks our 44th year in which we can honor our very best and most accomplished students. Also receiving special recognition are 22 undergraduate and graduate students honored with individual scholarships and awards.

ORDER OF MERIT DISTINCTION

Alondra Arevalo, International Studies and Public Health Policy
Austin Ashizawa, Economics and Cognitive Sciences
Ava Ball, Psychology
Frankie Boren, Language Science
Ruhani Bustamante, Sociology (UCI LIFTED)
Sriya Chakravarty, Psychology
Eva Cheever, Anthropology
Yuktha Chowdary Yalamanchili, International Studies and Political Science
Ehren Dragt, Sociology (UCI LIFTED)
Roman Galafate, Sociology (UCI LIFTED)
Arsema Getahun, Cognitive Sciences
Aiden Hai, Cognitive Sciences and Informatics
Camilia Hall, Economics
Ollie Hawkins, Sociology (UCI LIFTED)
Alysa Huang, Psychology
Zayaan Khan, Social Policy and Public Service and Quantitative Economics
Madison Leingang, Psychology
Mahteme Legesse, Political Science and Sociology
Nadia Mansour, Political Science
Lisa Nguyen, Social Policy and Public Service and African American Studies
Madison Nguyen, Economics and Environmental Sciences
Kayla Nguyen, Business Economics
Makenna Osako, Cognitive Sciences
Austin Pierce, Political Science and International Studies
Karen Aiko Rivera, Chicano/Latino Studies and Political Science
Citlali Rodriguez, Chicano/Latino Studies and Psychology
Mar Rojas, Social Policy and Public Service and Sociology
Sophie Sabra, Sociology
Una Santos, Economics and Cognitive Sciences
Wynn Schoeman, Business Economics
Mina Shin, Political Science
Ziran Tang, Anthropology
Austin Wagner, Language Sciences
Amy Whalen, Sociology
Jack Wever, Political Science
Ryan Wong, Sociology
Lily Wu, Sociology
Claire Yoo, International Studies

UNDERGRADUATE AWARDS

David Roman, Business Economics, Outstanding Community College Transfer Student Scholarship and Social Sciences Outstanding Honors Thesis Award for “A Decade of Reform: Evaluating the Effects of California’s Criminal Justice Policies on County-Level Crime Rates”

Giselle Ellen Ferrer, Language Science, Elena B. and William R. Schonfeld Scholarship

Claire Yoo, International Studies, Social Sciences Alumni Academic Excellence Scholarship

Victoria Alejandra Serra, Chicano/Latino Studies and Political Science, Alice B. Macy Outstanding Undergraduate Paper Award for “Care, Community, and Quiet Resistance: How Latino Students Navigate Fear, Family, and Belonging During the Trump Era”

Jessica Zhang, Political Science, Justice and Equity Research Paper Award for “Arctic Food Insecurity: Inuit Health Justice and Digital Sovereignty”

Daniel Purri, Political Science, Black Lives Matter Research Scholarship for “Anti-Blackness as a Structural Force in American Society”

Alexis Lopez-Rodriguez, Psychology, Educational Enhancement Scholarship

Ming-Chih Huang, Business Economics, Educational Enhancement Scholarship

Kalia Miller, Political Science, Moore Scholarship for Community and Social Change

Jayla Pete, Political Science, Moore Scholarship for Community and Social Change

Nathan Bui, Political Science, Moore Scholarship for Community and Social Change

Tatiana Williams, Political Science, Moore Scholarship for Community and Social Change

Shalita Areeyaphan, Psychology, Moore Scholarship for Community and Social Change

GRADUATE AWARDS

Yeryeng Choi, Sociology, Outstanding Service Award

Juwon Lee, Anthropology, Outstanding Service Award

Hae-Seo Kim, Anthropology, Outstanding Scholarship Award

Edward Nadurata, Global Studies, Outstanding Scholarship Award

Sharanya Bashyam, Cognitive Sciences, Kathy Alberti Prize

Jyotsana Kala, Economics, Kathy Alberti Prize and Charles A. Lave Paper Prize Award for “Algorithmic Wage Discrimination: Evidence from Uber”

Amelia Roskin-Frazee, Sociology, Justice and Equity Research Paper Award for “Therapeutic Retribution: How Prosecutors Legitimize Carceral Severity in the Era of Progressive Prosecution”

Yuhan Gao, Sociology, A. Kimball Romney Award for Outstanding Graduate Paper and Etel Solingen Award for Outstanding Paper in International Cooperation, both for “Society-Building and ‘Accidental’ Democratization”

Christian Torsell, Logic & Philosophy of Science, A. Kimball Romney Award for Outstanding Graduate Paper for “Egalitarianism and Evolution”

Congrats to all recipients! Undergraduates were honored in a morning ceremony on June 4 with a graduate recognition following in the afternoon.

 

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