Campus & community, Campus news

Pausing to honor outstanding public service

By Cathy Cockrell

“If I take credit for anything, it’s for building a bridge between the expertise that we have here,” at UC Berkeley, “and the need that’s 12 miles away in Marin County,” William Drummond told the large crowd gathered for the 2015 Chancellor’s Awards for Public Service, held May 5 at Alumni House.

The journalism professor, whose students mentor inmate journalists at San Quentin State Prison, won a faculty award for community-engaged scholarship. He shared the limelight with dozens of other members of the campus community dedicated to public service, which is “at the core of our mission,” Chancellor Nicholas Dirks told the crowd.

“It’s always been in my heart to speak,” even when it’s frightening to do so, said undergrad Sean Tan, honored for his selfless advocacy for undocumented students.

Also on hand for the high-spirited celebration were student winners of public service-oriented scholarships and fellowships – the John Gardner Fellowship, the Shinnyo Fellowship, the Judith Lee Stronach Baccalaureate Prize and the Peter E. Haas Public Service Leaders Program.

For names and profiles of those honored, see the awards website. Here are photos of the day, taken by Keegan Houser (except where noted).