Everyone has a story to tell. Struggles and triumphs, setbacks and sweeping successes. It is human experience that motivates this year’s UC San Diego All Campus Commencement student speaker, Richard “Ricky” Flahive, a peer mentor and aspiring community leader whose own narrative is one of happy persistence despite countless hurdles. As a first-generation, low-income student who wasn’t sure he would even graduate high school, Flahive had to restart multiple times to defy the odds.
The University of California San Diego takes the stage in many programs — its Department of Theatre and Dance easily commanding the spotlight. Ranked among the top five acting programs in the world by Hollywood Reporter, the department’s students graduate well-prepared for the theater profession. Cast with experience — due in part to a dynamic partnership with its acclaimed neighbor, La Jolla Playhouse — UC San Diego graduates consistently take the lead in television, film and stage careers. Proof positive are three recent Tony Award nominations earned by alumni Michael Greif (MFA directing, ’85), nominated for Best Direction of a Musical, “Dear Evan Hansen;” Jefferson Mays (MFA acting, ’91), nominated for Best Actor in a Leading Role in a Play, “Oslo;” and Paloma Young (MFA, costume design, ’06), nominated for Best Costume Design of a Musical, “Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812.”
Unusually warm nights can harm human sleep, researchers show, and the poor and the elderly are most affected. Rising temperatures could make sleep loss more severe.
The diversity and talent of graduating University of California San Diego artists is currently highlighted in “A Step Away: Artists from the M.F.A. Program at UC San Diego,” an exhibition showing through May 29 at the Museum of Contemporary Art, San Diego (MCASD).
How do the lives of transgender youth compare at UC San Diego with universities in Guadalajara, Mexico? How do the intersections of race, gender and sexual orientation contribute to identity and cultural production in different parts of the world? Social justice leaders from Chile, Peru, El Salvador and other Latin American countries discussed these topics and more with UC San Diego students and staff on May 11 as part of the International Visitor Leadership Program led by the U.S. Department of State.
Her enthusiasm for all things “green” is infectious. Jennifer Bowser is known for her talent in activating teams to inspire sustainability efforts at UC San Diego and share knowledge about how to preserve our natural world. As Sustainability Program Coordinator, she goes above and beyond to engage students as peer education leaders and brings to life innovative projects that have contributed to UC San Diego’s reputation as one of the greenest campuses in the country.
