January 14, 2026
Dear Cal alums, parents, and friends,
We hear it all the time: UC Berkeley is No. 1. It is a point of deep pride for many people who have studied or worked here, as well as a magnet for attracting the best and brightest students and faculty in the future. New graduates in particular feel its potency. We asked a few of them at Winter Commencement what graduating from the top university means to them.
We hear it all the time: UC Berkeley is No. 1. It is a point of deep pride for many people who have studied or worked here, as well as a magnet for attracting the best and brightest students and faculty in the future. New graduates in particular feel its potency. We asked a few of them at Winter Commencement what graduating from the top university means to them.
- Shanna Finnigan, master of design — “The people make it No. 1. Everyone's really smart, but everyone's also so open to learning and collaborating. Nothing great is made alone.”
- Jonathan Goode, sociology major, track and field team — “I was a transfer student. I didn't really apply myself in high school too much, so getting that second opportunity and running track at a junior college, then competing for Cal, has been an unreal journey. I got a 4.0, and then I went to the national championship. I broke a 40-year school record and on top of that had four records broken total. … There's nothing but confidence going forward.”
- Gloria Tanui, master of development engineering — “I’m from Kenya. The courses I took don’t feature in most universities. I learned the difference between teaching people how to fish versus giving someone fish. I'm interested in public participation, specifically how you work with citizens from marginalized communities to build a project or program. I hope being No. 1 translates into the real world and gives me an edge.”
The five most commonly cited college rankings are U.S. News Global, Forbes, U.S. News Best Colleges, The Wall Street Journal, and Times Higher Education. While the methodologies behind each ranking differ, no single one accounts for every top-university trait. Accordingly, a weighted average across the rankings provides a more robust measure. Berkeley is the top public university in all five rankings, making its weighted average 1.0. Explore the aggregated ranking— and learn why investing in reputation matters to ensure Berkeley’s excellence.
I imagine each of you has a different answer to what No. 1 means, from earning a degree that helped you land the best job to building the best lifelong friendships. One thing it means to me is you. We simply could not deliver on our mission without the time, treasure, and talent you give back to Berkeley again and again. Thank you.
Go Bears!
Chancellor Rich Lyons
I imagine each of you has a different answer to what No. 1 means, from earning a degree that helped you land the best job to building the best lifelong friendships. One thing it means to me is you. We simply could not deliver on our mission without the time, treasure, and talent you give back to Berkeley again and again. Thank you.
Go Bears!
Chancellor Rich Lyons
Chancellor’s Choice
Video: A conversation with Isabel Allende — Literary legend, feminist icon, and social activist Isabel Allende joined Dean Sara Guyer of the Division of Arts & Humanities for a conversation that spanned Allende’s lifetime of work, from her new novel My Name is Emilia del Valle to creating art in authoritarian times.
Video: A library for everyone — University Librarian Suzanne Wones, three undergraduates, and I speak to the diverse value of UC Berkeley’s many libraries — as living research labs, in-person study and community spaces, online resource hubs, and more.