A College Park Scholars alumna received one of the University of Maryland's highest honors after being named a finalist for 2026 University Medalist. The medal is the highest honor bestowed on a graduating senior for academic distinction, exemplary character, and campus and community service.
There were only four finalists for this prestigious honor, including Raina Saraiya.
Saraiya has spent her UMD career fighting for healthcare accessibility through research and advocacy, aspiring to become a pediatric physician and policy expert who “serves patients at the bedside and advocates for them in the boardroom,” she said. This fall she will enroll in the Rutgers University Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.
Saraiya “is a scholar, a dedicated global citizen and a highly intelligent, empathetic and tireless warrior for justice,” said Stacy Kosko, associate research professor of government and politics and director of College Park Scholars' International Studies program.