The University of Washington, Bothell will hold its 18th commencement ceremony at 2 p.m. June 14 at the Hec Edmundson Pavilion, Bank of America Arena, UW Seattle. During the ceremony, the institution will award an estimated 772 bachelor’s and master’s degrees and recognize students receiving their Washington state teaching certificates. Additionally, it will honor its student commencement speaker, Gurpreet Singh; President’s Medalist, Melissa Cushman; and Chancellor’s Medalist, Debbie Brown.

Singh was chosen as speaker from nominations submitted by students, staff and faculty as an exemplar of both scholarly achievement and demonstrated commitment to the campus community.

He is a former Running Start Program participant who will be earning his bachelor of arts in business administration at the age of 20. While a student at UW-Bothell, he founded the Indian Student Association and the Golf Club and held active membership in Delta Epsilon Chi (representing UW Bothell at the national competition), the Financial Management Association and the Hispanic Business Student Association, all while assisting with his family’s business and maintaining a grade-point average higher than 3.6.

Post graduation he will attend a UW Exploration Seminar as he travels to Thailand for the summer. His future goals include graduate studies and entrepreneurship.

Cushman is graduating magna cum laude with her bachelor of arts in interdisciplinary studies with an option in global studies.

She is a well-accomplished student, balancing the demands of schooling, career and active community service. She is co-director of the Umubano Sister School Program, which partners students in Rwanda with students in the U.S. and has volunteered with numerous organizations including Village Volunteers, Bridges to Understanding, Global Youth Connect and Never Again Rwanda. In 2008, she received the prestigious Sterling and Gene Munro Public Service Fellowship from the UW’s Carlson Center for her commitment to community engagement.

Future plans include graduate study at Columbia University’s Teacher’s College, where she will work toward her master of arts in international education development with a focus in peace education. Post-education, she will dedicate her work to sustainable development in the Great Lakes Region of Africa, using education for conflict prevention and peace.

Brown is graduating with her bachelor of arts in interdisciplinary studies with an option in culture, literature and the arts.

She has become a source of inspiration to many students at UW-Bothell. A little over a decade ago, she was a victim of domestic violence and homelessness and was battling a debilitating disease. In 2000, she made a New Year’s resolution to change her circumstances, achieve an education and fight for social justice, especially for abused women. Today, she has accomplished these goals, graduating as a member of the Tau Sigma honor society with many years of experience working on community issues. Moreover, she is an accomplished writer, serving at the UW-Bothell Writing Center and receiving recognition as a co-presenter at the Pacific Northwest Writing Center’s 2009 Annual Conference.

She will continue her studies at UW-Bothell, working toward her master of arts in cultural studies with long-term goals of earning a Ph.D., teaching and continuing her writing.