Outstanding Graduates Passions Range
from Diversity, to Student Government to the Arts

Christine Clark | June 23, 2008

For the first time this year, UC San Diego recognized an Outstanding Senior and an Outstanding Graduate Student during a new All-Campus Graduation Celebration Thursday at RIMAC Field. Emma Sandoe, the senior recognized last week, is the out-going president of the Student Foundation. Serena Moseman, the graduate award recipient, recently defended her doctoral thesis in oceanography at UCSD's Scripps Institution of Oceanography. The two lead a roster of extraordinary undergraduate and graduate students who earned their diplomas this past weekend. Keep reading to learn more about them.

Emma Sandoe:
A Truly Standout Senior

During the past five years at UCSD, Emma Sandoe developed a passion for student government and leadership. She is the president of the campus’ Student Foundation. She co-chairs the committee that revived an all-campus graduation celebration, which took place June 19. She also has co-chaired UCSD Cares, has served on the Associated Students and on the Revelle Assembly.

Sandoe’s efforts recently helped her earn the Alumni Association Outstanding Senior Award and the Outstanding Senior Award handed out at UCSD’s All-Campus Graduation Celebration. As co-chair of the committee that planned the event, Sandoe strove to create a new annual tradition for UC San Diego seniors for years to come. She also dedicated many hours to rewriting the Student Foundation’s bylaws and lobbied to keep the Revelle Plaza open until 11 p.m.

In addition, during the October wildfires, Sandoe and fellow Student Foundation member Sarah Chang organized a donation drive for shelters for fire victims. In two days, they managed to collect six carloads of goods. Sandoe is looking forward to attending graduate school next year at George Washington University, where she will pursue a master's degree in public health policy. She said her goal is to improve our health care system so that everyone in the United States can afford it.

Click here to read more about Emma Sandoe

Serena Moseman: An Advocate for Diversity

Serena Moseman was the first in her family to graduate from a four-year university. And to be close to family, she stayed at UC San Diego for 10 years, from her days as an undergraduate to the recent defense of her doctoral thesis. This has been a good year for her and her family. Her mother earned her bachelor’s degree from San Diego State University a week before Moseman thesis’ defense.

All through these years, Moseman has been a strong advocate for diversity on campus. Her efforts have earned her the Outstanding Graduate Student Award bestowed during this year’s All-Campus Graduation Celebration. She also received a diversity award from Vice Chancellor of Marine Sciences Tony Haymet last year. This fall, Moseman is headed for the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Massachusetts, where she received a postdoc fellowship.

Moseman, a Filipina and a Chicana, is a member of the Raza Graduate Student Association. She also has served as a graduate advocate for undergraduate students participating in the STARS summer research program. Most of these students are from under-represented groups. Moseman has helped recruit STARS students and potential Scripps graduate students at various venues including the annual conference of the Society for the Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science.

Asked about her mentors on campus, Moseman cited Patrick Velasquez, the director of the OASIS program; Lihini Aluwihare, a Scripps professor; Lisa Levin, her advisor; Jaqueline Azize-Brewer, of UCSD's academic enrichment program; Edwina Welch, director of the Cross-Cultural Center and Sarah Mesnick, a researcher at Scripps and the Southwest Fisheries Science Center.

Christian Takayama: A Long Way from Lima

Almost two decades ago, Christian Takayama left his hometown in Peru to immigrate to the United States, and more precisely to Chula Vista. Back in Lima, Peru’s capital, his school faced terrorist threats and his family was living in extreme poverty. When he came to the United States, he didn’t know a single word of English.  “Somehow I got through elementary and junior high, then high school,” he said.

Fast forward to this June, when Takayama received his degree from the UC San Diego School of Medicine. He also earned a bachelors degree in psychology from UCSD in 2003. Although his family made numerous attempts to come the United States legally, he lived in this country as an undocumented alien until 1999.

He enrolled in community college, but had to pay international fees until he became legalized. Takayama attended Southwestern College and held two jobs in order to pay the $300 per-unit fees. He continued to work two jobs during his first year as an undergraduate at UC San Diego and he was often paid “under the table” and below minimum wage. But during his second year at UCSD, after he became a U.S. citizen, he qualified for financial aid and became an advisor in the Revelle College dorms. He said that job helped him gain more experience.

Takayama will be starting residency at the Harbor-UCLA Medical Center next fall, working with the significant underserved and undocumented population of Los Angeles County.

Garo Bournoutian: Making Life Better for Other Students

Garo Bournoutian has been heavily involved with campus leadership at UC San Diego for the last eight years. He said he wanted to become a campus leader to make life better for students on campus.

While he was an undergraduate, he chaired the University Centers Expansion Task Force, which helped initiate the Price Center Expansion Referendum. Bournoutian served as president of the Graduate Student Association while also serving as a graduate student representative on several standing committees of the Academic Senate. He took part in search committees, including those for the Assistant Vice Chancellor of Student Life, Revelle Provost and the Career Services Director.

This weekend, Bournoutian received a master’s degree from the department of computer science and engineering. He remained dedicated to his studies throughout his undergraduate and graduate career. His current grade-point average as a graduate student is 3.970 and he is pursuing a doctorate in computer engineering UCSD. He also has been a teaching assistant for the last six quarters and received a TA Excellence Award from the Center for Teaching Development for his efforts. Bournoutian said he is passionate about teaching and is eager to embark on a career as a professor.

Tina Saladino: Survivor with a Mission

This year marks Tina Saladino’s 11th year in remission from acute lymphocytic leukemia. Saladino said it’s an important milestone for her because she had relapsed once before after 10 years in remission, in June 1997.

At that time, physicians at Stanford's Lucille Packard Children's Hospital thought she would never survive and if she did, might suffered from severe physical and cognitive side effects due to radiation therapy. Yet Saladino bounced back and is about to graduate with honors from UC San Diego with a bachelor’s degree in political science and urban studies and a minor in healthcare and social issues.

She said she chose to study at UC San Diego because of the university’s research efforts to find a cure for cancer. Saladino and her family have been campaigning to raise money for cancer and they have raised nearly $20,000 in the past two years. Recently, they all “raced for the cure” together in the San Diego Rock and Roll Marathon.

Saladino will graduate from Earl Warren College, having received the Provost Honors three years in a row. She plans to move back to northern California and to intern with a law firm for a year while applying to law and graduate schools. She said she feels blessed to have survived cancer and help others battle the disease.

Shannon Dulaney: Traveling Far to Do Good

Eight years ago, when she was just 13, Shannon Dulaney took a trip with her church’s youth group to Guatemala. They did construction work at a missionary institution, visited orphanages and explored local markets. This year, Dulaney went to back to Guatemala again, but with Alternative Spring Breaks, a program that allows UCSD students to take one-week service trips to foreign countries at the end of the spring quarter. She also studied at Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland, for nine months during her junior year.

Dulaney said one of her most memorable experiences at UC San Diego was organizing a trip to New Orleans for a group of students. They provided relief for the victims of Hurricane Katrina. Dulaney added that she thinks UC San Diego prepared her well for a life as an activist and non-governmental organization worker because organizations she joined on campus empowered her and she met many students who care deeply about many causes.

Dulaney, who majored in political science with an emphasis on foreign relations, is applying to become an English-language teacher in Japan for a year after she graduates. In the future, she plans to work abroad for a NGO or the United Nations.

Click here to learn more about Shannon Dulaney.

Charles Erwin: A High Grade Artist

Senior Charles Erwin has graduated UC San Diego with a near-perfect academic record, while battling multiple sclerosis. He was diagnosed in November 2006. He also was the primary caretaker for his ailing amputee grandmother throughout most of his college years.

Despite these challenges, the visual arts major excelled as an artist at UC San Diego, and his work is gaining attention throughout California, the United States and the world. His works has been exhibited at the fourth Annual Sound Walk in Long Beach, The Works in Detroit, Mich., Design Within Reach in downtown San Diego and he has upcoming exhibitions scheduled in New York City and Amsterdam. Erwin was born and raised in San Diego and La Jolla, but plans to attend graduate school at UCLA and hopes to become a visual arts professor.

Click here to read more about Charles Erwin.

Rachel Gastrich: A Transfer Who Prospered

Rachel Gastrich jumped right into a student leadership role after transferring to UC San Diego from Grossemont College two years ago. She served as a Student Orientation coordinator, where she helped plan orientations for over 600 transfer students. She also served as a liaison for transfer students on the Warren Transfer and Commuter Commission.

“All transfer students are commuters and most have busy schedules,” she said. “So it's hard to get involved in clubs or organizations, but I became involved and met so many friends. I definitely feel connected to UC San Diego.”

Most recently, Gastrich participated in the UC Center Sacramento (UCCS) Scholar Intern program and spent the past winter quarter in Sacramento as an intern at the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office.

Gastrich, who was born and raised in San Diego, is graduating with honors with a degree in sociology. She said she would like to continue to work in higher education in San Diego because she really enjoys interacting with students, staff and faculty.

David Liu: Comedy Writer on his Way

David Liu’s road to graduation was a long one. He supported himself by working two to three jobs while in college. He transferred to UC San Diego from community college in 2005 and could have graduated last year, but he decided to switch majors to literatures in writing.

Liu discovered a talent for comedy writing and is now pursuing a career as stand-up comedian. As an undergraduate, he crafted his comedic skills by performing at the "A Laugh That Matters" comedy show on campus and working as an illustrator for the UCSD Guardian. He now plans to move to New York or Los Angeles, his hometown, this summer and would like to work in publishing and continue to perform as a stand-up comedian.