SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Alumna Lilly Murphy '14 was the President's Medal winner after earning her B.S. in Biological Sciences from Sacramento State's College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics.

University President Robert S. Nelsen chose Murphy from among an impressive group of scholars to receive Sac State's most prestigious academic award. He cited her "razor-sharp" intellect, her extraordinary research skills and her ability and willingness to help others in awarding her the President's Medal this year.

ACHIEVEMENTS: Murphy is the 2020 President's Medal winner. She is a leader in the Mulligan Lab, where her research has been focused on genetic patterns in the brains of fruit flies that carry risk factors associated with autism. She has presented her findings at various research symposia on campus, as well as at the annual CSU Program for Education and Research in Biotechnology (CSUPERB) conferences. She was accepted into doctoral programs at the nation's top educational institutions, including Harvard University, and will pursue her doctorate at UC Berkeley. She plans to become a professor with a larger goal of helping to prevent and treat human diseases.

WHAT IT MEANS: Murphy credited her professors with helping to guide and support her through challenging times. "Perseverance and determination are very important qualities for science students," she said. "You might not do well when you first start, but if science and STEM is your passion, you should carry on and go for it. If it's what you really want, no one can stop you and you can be part of the next generation of scientists who can be role models and make a difference."

WHAT THE NOMINATORS SAY: "Lilly is dedicated to making a positive contribution to the world through her research and, at this rate, we have no doubt she will. We cannot imagine a better candidate for this award or representative of Sac State." – Professors Jennifer Lundmark, Kelly McDonald, and Kimberly Mulligan.