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 40th year in which we can honor our very best and most accomplished students. Also receiving special recognition are a number of undergraduate and graduate students honored with individual scholarships and awards.

ORDER OF MERIT

Siraj Abbasi
Quantitative Economics

Tionnie Alexander
Political Science

Ashwathi Arumugam
Psychology

Jennifer Barillas
Social Policy & Public Service

Kellie Bendezu
Chicano/Latino Studies and Political Science

Brendan Callahan
Economics

Xiaoshan Dai
Quantitative Economics and Math

Akunna Ekeh   
Political Science

Nervana Fadle
Political Science and Environmental Science & Policy

Kaylyn Flowers
Political Science

Jifan He
Quantitative Economics

Jalen Jones
Psychology and English

Catherine Kagoo
Cognitive Sciences

Ariana Keshishian
Sociology

Emilee Kim
Psychology

Amy Li
Cognitive Sciences

Briana Machhor
Business Economics & Public Health Policy

Jose Mancillas Serrano
Cognitive Sciences

Melanie Mendoza
Chicano/Latino Studies and Social Ecology

Erika Moe
Psychology

Elizabeth Montoya
Sociology

Karishma Muthukumar
Cognitive Sciences

Kelvin Neumetzler
Psychology

Jasmine Nguyen
Cognitive Sciences

Victoria Olmedo
Cognitive Sciences

Maria Perez
Social Policy & Public Service

Akib Rahman
International Studies

Mehrnaz Rashtak
Economics

Juergen Riedelsheimer
Psychology

Josue Ruedas
Political Science & Chicano/Latino Studies

Kristi Ryono
Social Policy & Public Service

Amy Santa Maria
Language Science

Sina Shahrzad
Psychology

Kevin Si
Social Policy & Public Service and Education Sciences

Cindy Sun
Economics

Joshua Swank
Political Science

Dorilyn Toledo
Political Science and Social Ecology

Anastasiya Toroptseva
Psychology

Jacqueline Torres
Psychology and Chicano/Latino Studies

Kelsey Tran
Quantitative Economics

Leyuan Wang
Business Economics

Yilin Wang
Quantitative Economics

Kellie Weast
Language Science

Seung Woo
Political Science

Darya Yacoubian
Psychology

Zhijiang Yu
Economics

Yuening Zhang
Business Economics

 

UNDERGRADUATE AWARDS

Yousif Alshalah, Economics
School of Social Sciences Outstanding Honors Thesis Award

Kevin Si, Social Policy & Public Service and Education Sciences
Caesar D. Sereseres Award

Faith Couts, Social Policy & Public Service, Sociology
Elena B. and William R. Schonfeld Scholarship

Andrea Janeli Morales Crisostomo, International Studies
David Rosten International Education & Community Service Scholarship

Vladimir Schotkin, Jr., Sociology
Outstanding Community College Transfer Student Scholarship

Jesse Retana De La Cruz, Political Science
School of Social Sciences Alumni Academic Excellence Scholarship

Jalen Jones, Psychology
Black Lives Matter Scholarship

Melissa Molina, Chicano/Latino Studies, Political Science, Education Sciences
Justice and Equity Research Paper Award

Lisette Moran, Chicano/Latino Studies, Education Sciences
Alice B. Macy Outstanding Undergraduate Paper Award

GRADUATE AWARDS

Aria Golestani, Economics
Charles A. Lave Paper Prize Award

Canton Winer, Sociology
Justice and Equity Research Paper Award

Elizabeth Muehlmann, Political Science
Outstanding Service 

Holly Westfall, Cognitive Sciences and Jennifer Zelnick, Anthropology
Outstanding Scholarship 

Annie Wilkinson, Anthropology
Kathy Alberti Prize

Tariq Rahman, Anthropology
Kimball Romney Award 

Sara O’Connor, Urban and Environmental Planning and Policy 
Etel Solingen Award for Outstanding Paper in International Relations