The Brief
- 43-year-old Charles Long Jr. graduated from UC Berkeley on Saturday.
- He was once in and out of jail and experienced homelessness.
- Long was named UC Berkeley’s University Medalist, the highest honor awarded to a graduating senior.
BERKELEY, Calif. – He was once a part of a revolving system that took him in and out of jail, with stints of homelessness and days of just trying to survive, and on Saturday, 43-year-old Charles Long Jr. marked a proud, major milestone in his life, not just graduating from one of the most prestigious universities in the world, but receiving his diploma with the highest honor awarded to a graduating senior at UC Berkeley.
Long was recognized as this year’s University Medalist. Candidates of the long-running award must have achieved a grade point average of at least 3.96. “A medal and $2,500 are awarded to the most distinguished graduating senior on the UC Berkeley campus,” according to the university.
What we know:…