This Saturday, May 13, Grant Schroeder, 22, an integrative biology major, will address thousands of his peers at a campus wide commencement ceremony as UC Berkeley’s top graduating senior and winner of the prestigious 2017 University Medal. Instead of cataloging his achievements, his speech will touch on the experiences and vulnerabilities that turned him from methodical to mensch.
In August, Schroeder will begin a yearlong research post at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles where he will experiment with stem cell therapies to regenerate skeletal tissue in animal models. He will also apply to medical school.