UCSF Student Wins UC Leadership Award
Synapse Staff Report
UCSF graduate student Jason Tien has been awarded the 2011 UC President’s Award for Outstanding Student Leadership. Tien shared the award with UC Berkeley student Alberto Ortega for their work on the Student Health Insurance Program (SHIP).
The President’s Award for Outstanding Student Leadership recognizes undergraduate, graduate, and professional students, as well as campus-based student organizations, for their outstanding efforts in promoting and supporting multi-campus initiatives, address issues through collaborative efforts, and further the University of California’s mission of teaching, research and public service.
UCSF Vice Chancellor Joe Castro nominated the two students for the award. Here are excerpts from his nominating letter:
“Jason and Alberto have served on the systemwide Student Health Insurance Program (SHIP) Workgroup since August, 2009 and have stood out as the two most engaged student representatives on this cross-campus collaboration. As you may know, UC SHIP is focused on containing the rising costs of student health insurance plans, as well as enhancing health insurance benefits plans for graduate and undergraduate students and their dependents. In addition to their commitment to the SHIP Workgroup, they played a leadership role in connecting the Workgroup to the UC Student Association, a crucial constituent group that needed to stay abreast of ongoing decisions of the Workgroup, to ultimately secure campus involvement in the systemwide SHIP plan.”
“Jason and Alberto’s contributions have led to the success of SHIP Workgroup’s goals and the overall success of a systemwide student health insurance plan for graduate students. Their efforts speak directly to the criteria outlined for the Outstanding Student Leadership Award.”
Those criteria are:
- Demonstrated visionary leadership in coordinating cross-campus actions that involve the cooperation and collaboration of additional individuals and/or organizations
- Established initiatives that create significant contributions and lasting impact on campuses
- Established activities or programs that enhance the undergraduate and/or graduate student experience on campuses
- Demonstrated excellence in helping the University fulfill its mission of teaching, research, and community service.
Tien is studying neuroscience at UCSF. He will receive his award at Mission Bay on May 17th at the next meeting of the UC Regents.
This article appeared in the May 12, 2011 issue of Synapse.
