New IAS Graduates Alejandra Pérez and Ben Studley Receive Chancellor’s Medals

Nearly 1,300 of this year’s 1,800 graduates participated in UW Bothell’s 25th Commencement Ceremony on Sunday, June 12. The program included three distinguished student awards recognizing individuals who have been a consistent source of inspiration and have overcome significant obstacles to complete their degrees. Two IAS graduates, Alejandra Pérez (American & Ethnic Studies, Society, Ethics, & Human Behavior) and Ben Studley (Community Psychology) received the esteemed Chancellor’s Medal. Pérez was honored for her activism on campus, developing undocumented student advocacy trainings, and serving as president of the Latinx Student Union. Studley, a U.S. Navy veteran who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, was honored for overcoming personal challenges and serving fellow student veterans as a Vet Corps Navigator. Hear Pérez and Studley share their stories: