February 5, 2025
Celebrating the 2023–24 Undergraduate Medalists
From the thousands of undergraduate students at the University of Washington, three are selected each year for the prestigious President’s Medalist Award.
Samuel Perkowski, Mia Grayson and Cher Zhang are the medalists for 2023–24, selected by a committee for their high GPAs, rigor of classes and number of Honors courses.
This year, all three medalists are studying biochemistry, and each has shown deep passion for the field they’ve explored through a wide range of research. Beyond the classroom, these undergrads are active and engaged in the Husky Experience in a variety of ways, from working in labs to performing music and studying abroad.
The three medalists will be recognized by University President Ana Mari Cauce and Provost Tricia Serio at a special reception, where each recipient will receive their medal in front of family, friends and mentors.
Read on to learn how these exceptional students embody the Husky Spirit.
Junior medalist Samuel Perkowski
Major: Biochemistry
Hometown: Shoreline, Washington
The UW has always been a part of Samuel Perkowski’s life. Growing up, he watched Husky football games, visited campus — and joked with his parents that there was no point applying anywhere else.
With an eye on becoming a Husky, Perkowski discovered an interest in biology as a high school senior through books like “The Emperor of All Maladies” by Siddhartha Mukherjee and “The Brain That Changes Itself” by Norman Doidge. “These books revealed to me the complexity and adaptability inherent in biology,” Perkowski says. “At the same time, I enjoyed chemistry in high school and knew I wanted to study things at a microscopic scale.”
At the UW, Perkowski chose to study biochemistry in the Departmental Honors Program and applied his love for the field in Associate Professor Andrea Wills’ lab, where they study tadpole tail regeneration in Xenopus tropicalis (the western clawed frog). Perkowski says the lab has become his most important community, in part because his colleagues’ determination and passion inspire him.
During his Husky tenure, Perkowski has also received two Mary Gates Research Scholarships, worked as a lab technician analyzing soil and water samples, and presented his research at the UW’s Undergraduate Research Symposium.
Looking forward, Perkowski plans to attend graduate school with the goal of becoming a university professor and one day running his own lab. Receiving this award is an “affirmation that the university acknowledges my efforts and gives me confidence as I head into the next stage of my academic journey,” he says.
Sophomore medalist Mia Grayson
Major: Biochemistry
Minors: Spanish and chemistry
Hometown: Boulder, Colorado
As a high school senior, Mia Grayson experienced a “moment of awe” learning about life and how scientifically improbable existence is. This filled her with a sense of wonder and gratitude — and inspired her to pursue biochemistry with Departmental Honors.
“I’ve been fascinated with that weird gray area between a nonliving molecule and a living organism,” says Grayson, looking back at that transformational moment.
While at the UW, Grayson has pursued a variety of interests that have taken her from a research lab to Europe. She works at the Lidstrom Lab, researching solutions to climate change through microbial metabolism. She also studied abroad in León, Spain, strengthening her language skills in an immersive program. “I chose the Spanish minor because the language is beautiful,” Grayson notes, adding she also wants “to help bridge gaps in medical information being communicated between the scientific community and everyone else.” Beyond her academics, she plays violin and viola for multiple campus music organizations.
She is inspired by her 79-year-old friend Kate, who is curious, open-minded and grateful — even in the face of illness. Grayson, who was once Kate’s caregiver, says she strives to follow her friend’s example by actively working “toward gratitude and acceptance, with a special appreciation for what I have and the people in my life.”
After graduating, Grayson’s dream is to join the Peace Corps and serve somewhere she can continue to work on her Spanish. She is also considering becoming a Spanish medical interpreter. “I hope to eventually do something that allows me to work with people, as well as think quietly and work with my hands,” Grayson says.
Freshman medalist Cher Zhang
Major: Biochemistry
Hometown: Wenzhou, China
Cher Zhang’s interest in life sciences was sparked by baking bread. After getting undesirable results from a sugar-free recipe, she began researching fermentation. She found sugar does more than add sweetness — it feeds the yeast, enabling it to create an airy texture. This new knowledge only fueled more questions for Zhang, and she decided a biochemistry major could help her answer them.
After receiving acceptance letters from all over the world, Zhang ultimately landed on the UW for its strength in academics and research: “I wanted to take courses across various departments, access abundant resources and attend classes taught by qualified faculty.”
Being an international student hasn’t been easy, she says. Using a second language, adapting to different classroom cultures and being away from friends and family have been challenges. But ultimately, she says the UW was still the right choice.
“Meeting people from different cultural backgrounds has made me realize how subjective it is to view something as ‘normal’ from my own perspective,” Zhang says. “The world can become a better place when we all cherish the diversity of the human population and remain open-minded when encountering opinions that challenge our own.”
She’s also participated in a UW study abroad partner program at Yonsei University in Seoul, South Korea.
After finishing her degree, Zhang sees herself working as a lab researcher or attending graduate school. She is especially interested in research relating to drug and medication responses.
For Zhang, this award “is a source of motivation to keep working hard, knowing that no barriers can truly prevent me from succeeding, no matter the place or circumstances,” she says.