Three outstanding students will be honored for their academic excellence, leadership, and contributions to the community at the Haas Undergraduate Program Commencement Ceremony on Wednesday, May 19, in the Greek Theatre.
Daniel Reed Marks will receive the Department Citation in Business, given each year to the student with the top academic record. Marks is earning joint degrees in business administration and Japanese, and he has also received the Department Citation in East Asian Languages. He has accepted a position with the private equity firm Pathway Capital Management and hopes to return to graduate school for an MBA or JD.
Kimya Saied has been chosen by her peers as commencement speaker. As a joint business administration and political science major, Saied has been active on campus as a tour guide, president of the Cal Mock Trial Team, and in Persian dance competitions. She has accepted a 10-month fellowship with the Coro Center for Civic Leadership in San Francisco, to explore the intersection of business and the public sector. She plans to speak about the opportunity Haas graduates have to use their skills to better the world.
James Shuyu Dong will be honored as a Haas Community Fellow for his exceptional volunteerism. Dong will graduate with simultaneous degrees in business and environmental economics and policy, as well as minor studies in Chinese and city and regional planning. Dong has helped a nonprofit organization collect medicines for disposal and has worked on sustainable cleanup services at concerts. He says volunteering has given him inspiration and a connection to the community, and has also been a lot of fun.