A History of Excellence

 

The Medal was first awarded in 1984 when the medallion went to UC Irvine's founding Chancellor, Daniel G. Aldrich, Jr. It was the beginning of a tradition – started by then-Chancellor Jack W. Peltason – giving formal and lifelong recognition to individuals who have made extraordinary contributions to UC Irvine's mission, spirit and vision.

 

The Medal is the highest honor the university bestows, and with each presentation it has taken on the prestige of those who receive it. Former medalists include Nobel and Pulitzer Prize winners, authors, inventors, captains of industry, scientists and pioneers in virtually every field of endeavor. They have challenged our intellects, elevated our spirits and opened doors for UC Irvine that have led the campus into the distinguished ranks of America's top-tier public research universities.

For advance reservations or more information, call 866-YOU-4UCI (866-968-4824)

About the University of California, Irvine: Founded in 1965, UCI is a top-ranked university dedicated to research, scholarship and community service. Led by Chancellor Michael Drake since 2005, it is among the fastest-growing University of California campuses, with more than 27,000 undergraduate and graduate students, 1,100 faculty and 9,200 staff. The top employer in dynamic Orange County, UCI contributes an annual economic impact of $4.2 billion. For more UCI news, visit www.today.uci.edu.

News Radio: UCI maintains on campus an ISDN line for conducting interviews with its faculty and experts. Use of this line is available for a fee to radio news programs/stations that wish to interview UCI faculty and experts. Use of the ISDN line is subject to availability and approval by the university.