Ceremony recognizes Young, students and faculty

Monday, November 25, 1996

AWARDS:

Proceeds will go to College of Letters and Sciences programsBy
Kathryn Combs

Daily Bruin Contributor

With as much pomp and circumstance as graduation ceremonies, the
College of Letters and Sciences held their 11th annual Awards
Dinner last Thursday at the Century Plaza Hotel.

With Richard Dreyfuss presiding as master of ceremonies,
proceeds from the gala event will go to the support of important
academic programs in the College of Letters and Sciences, the
largest academic unit at UCLA.

Termed the "mini Academy Awards," the event recognized
exceptional members of the UCLA community. They include Chancellor
Charles Young and his wife Sue, John Liebeskind, professor of
psychology and anesthesiology, three graduate students and two
undergraduates.

Chancellor and Sue Young were recognized as honorary fellows of
the College of Letters and Sciences, the highest honor the college
offers.

"This is the event in which we celebrate our very best students,
a superb member of our faculty and every year give an award to a
special member or friend of the college," said Provost Brian
Copenhaver, co-host of the event. He also added that it is because
of their contributions and long association with UCLA that the
Youngs were being honored.

The honorary fellow award is given to distinguished graduates,
leaders and friends of UCLA who have played an important role in
the development of the UCLA community.

Chancellor Young has been associated with the university for
over 30 years, first as a student and then an administrator. Having
spent time on the staff of UC President Kerr and Chancellor
Franklin D. Murphy, for whom Murphy Hall was named, he succeeded
Murphy in September 1968, becoming the youngest chancellor of any
major American university.

Hallmarks of Young’s administration have included hints of
inclusiveness and international involvement for university
students. Young is also renowned as a strong advocate for
educational opportunity and the importance of ethnic diversity on
the college campus.

Sue Young has also played an integral part in the development of
the UCLA community. Having received a bachelor’s degree in
political science in 1977, Sue Young was appointed UCLA Associate
to the Chancellor in 1987. As holder of this official university
title, she has always worked to recognize the importance of the
president’s or chancellor’s spouse in the management and
advancement of higher education.

During the ceremony she noted that she and Chancellor Young made
an agreement during the early years of their collective university
career that he would run the university and she would run him.

Having both made contributions to the UCLA community, the
retiring chancellor and his wife were recognized as honorary
fellows of the College of Letters and Sciences at the awards
banquet last Thursday.

The evening’s awards also included the $5,000 faculty award
honoring professor John C. Liebeskind.

Liebeskind, a professor in the department of psychology, is also
a distinguished member of the UCLA Brain Research Institute. He has
done extensive research on the pain mechanisms of the brain and the
relationship of pain and stress to the immune system.

Of the awards given at the banquet, the majority went to
students, three to graduates and two to undergraduates.

Students are nominated by department heads to the College of
Letters and Sciences and evaluated on levels of academic
achievement and extracurricular involvement. Copenhaver noted that
most of the students being recognized also exhibit extensive
involvement in the community through volunteer activities.

Of the graduate students honored during the awards dinner, many
plan to pursue teaching positions following their graduation.

One such student was Steven Baur, a graduate student in the
department of musicology.

A Los Angeles native, Baur is researching the music of Maurice
Ravel and demonstrating how his early career was influenced by
other composers of his time. He is also showing how the composer
also borrowed from and contributed to the overall musical history
of Russia.

"It’s apparently a very prestigious award, seeing as how we’re
all wearing tuxes," said Baur. "I feel very fortunate because just
looking in my own department there’s an awful lot of quite good
students and I’m very honored that they are acknowledging me."

Baur plans to pursue a teaching position, hopefully at his
undergraduate alma mater, Loyola Marymount University.

Gregory Jackson, a graduate student with the department of
English, was also an award recipient.

Currently pursuing a doctorate in English literature, Jackson
earned his bachelor of arts and bachelor of science from the
University of Oregon with an original triple major in English,
theater and biology. Jackson also served as president of the
English Graduate Union during the 1995-96 term and has published
multiple essays and conference papers.

"(This) is a huge deal. I feel as though I got here by fiat, as
though any one of my colleagues could stand here with me, " Jackson
said.

"I really dedicate it to my department. So much of who I am as a
scholar and what shaped me is the intellectual community I’m in,"
he added.

Those recognized Thursday night also included Aaron Benjamin, a
graduate student with the psychology department. Pursuing a
doctorate in cognitive psychology with minors in animal learning
and behavior and statistics, Benjamin has taught a broad range of
courses and is active in coordinating psychology department
activities.

"It’s 2,500 bucks ­ I ain’t complaining …," said
Benjamin.

Two undergraduates also received awards during the ceremony.

Maria Virginia Dicono completed her graduation requirements this
Fall in the department of Spanish and Portuguese. She has achieved
a perfect academic record, including 4 grades of A+, while working
full time as an interpreter and translator. Having served as tutor
with the Academic Advancement Program, Dicono values helping fellow
students in times of academic need.

"To me there is no larger thrill than teaching and helping
others that are as curious and interested as me," she added.

Dicono left Saturday to go to Costa Rica, where she will be
teaching English and correct Spanish grammar to kids of elementary
school age. After her experience in Costa Rica, she plans to use
her field observations and her knowledge of child language
development to write her entrance essay to graduate school at
UCLA.

Brian Lester, a fourth-year biochemistry student, was the final
award recipient.

"It’s just a real thrill, to be able to be distinguished from so
many other outstanding students," said Lester

Lester plans to go to medical school because becoming a doctor
incorporates all of the things that he is interested in.

"I like science, I like problem solving and I really like
working and interacting with people," Lester said.