UC Berkeley Political Science alum Manu Meel ’20 has been named the 2026 recipient of the Peter E. Haas Public Service Award, one of the university’s highest honors recognizing alumni whose volunteer work advances the public good in the United States.
Founded in 2017 by Mrs. Peter E. Haas, the award celebrates individuals whose grassroots efforts demonstrate the powerful impact one person can have in driving meaningful social change across communities.
As a first-year student, Meel was inspired to address growing political division after witnessing a campus protest that disrupted a controversial speaker event. He went on to co-found BridgeBerkeley, which quickly expanded into BridgeUSA, a nationwide, multipartisan organization dedicated to fostering respectful dialogue across ideological differences. To date, BridgeUSA has engaged more than 60,000 students across dozens of campuses.
The award will be presented at this year’s Spring Commencement.
Congratulations Manu!
Learn more about the Peter E. Haas Public Service Award here.