At 43, the sociology and social welfare double-major graduates with a 4.0 GPA, turning a history of incarceration into a future of criminal justice reform
BERKELEY, CA — When Charles Long sat in his University Village bedroom trying to decide what to wear for his final interview with the selection committee, he found himself staring at two completely different identities.
To his left was a sharply pressed, traditional suit. To his right was a plain black hoodie—a garment that, for him, represented both a tribute to Trayvon Martin and a symbol of his authentic self.
Long chose the hoodie.
That authenticity defines the 43-year-old sociology and social welfare double-major, who has officially been named UC Berkeley’s 2026 University Medalist. The award is the campus’s highest honor bestowed upon a graduating senior, recognizing outstanding academic excellence, leadership, and a deep commitment to community service.
Long graduated this month with a perfect 4.0 GPA, but his path to the commencement stage at Memorial Stadium was anything but traditional.
From the Rotating Door to the Top Honor
As a child growing up in the Bay Area, Long looked at the UC Berkeley campus and imagined it was Disneyland, viewing the iconic Campanile clock tower as the highest turret of a magic castle. But his life took a drastic turn at age 18. An arrest the day before he was scheduled to join the U.S. Navy to study nuclear engineering derailed his plans and initiated a multi-year cycle of incarceration and housing instability.
During brief periods of freedom, Long experienced homelessness on the streets of San Jose. He eventually relocated to Las Vegas after his parole ended, collecting trade school certificates in graphic design, computer support, and massage therapy just to survive.
The ultimate turning point came with the birth of his daughter. Wanting to prove to her that dreams were worth chasing, Long returned to school. He maintained a perfect academic record at Moreno Valley College in Riverside County, earning three associate degrees before transferring to UC Berkeley in the fall of 2022.
Changing the System from Within
At Berkeley, Long did not try to blend in with classmates nearly half his age. Instead, he used his lived experiences to fuel his academic research and advocacy. He focused heavily on the sociology of policing and criminal justice, transforming his personal history into scholarly expertise.
Beyond the classroom, Long dedicated his time to mentoring youth in juvenile halls and teaching incarcerated students working toward their G.E.D. modules at San Quentin State Prison.
“I once had my future taken from me by a system that called itself justice,” Long wrote in his University Medalist essay. “Berkeley gave me the credentials, credibility and restoration of spirit to return to those same systems — this time with tools, language and purpose.”
Building Doors for the Future
During his commencement address to the Class of 2026, Long urged his fellow graduates to remain curious, brave, and humble, using their education to impact the lives of others.
“Whatever you do with the opportunity Berkeley has placed in your hands, let it be great,” Long told the crowd. “Not because it makes you important, but because it makes life better for someone else. Let your work build doors where someone else only saw walls.”
With his undergraduate chapters officially closed, the newly minted UC Berkeley alumnus plans to continue his work in advocacy and policy, shifting from a student navigating the carceral system to an expert actively dismantling its barriers from the inside out.
This Charles Long UC Berkeley 2026 Commencement Speech video features the full, live delivery of his moving address to his fellow graduates at Memorial Stadium.
