UCSD’s A.S. Council President Doc Khaleghi has been named one of the top 100 college students in the nation by USA TODAY in the Feb. 15 issue.

Khaleghi, 20, is a Revelle senior and a premedical bioengineering major. He was selected for the USA Today distinction on the basis of scholarship, leadership and extracurricular activities.

Khaleghi feels that being one of the 100 awarded out of the 638 applicants was a result of his diversity of experience.

Khaleghi has served as a teaching assistant 12 times, received two research grants and served as A.S. Commissioner of Academic Affairs and is currently the A.S. President. He has worked as a research assistant at Scripps Research Institute and as a researcher at the UCSD School of Medicine. Last year, he discovered an error on the MCAT exam.

Khaleghi has a cumulative 3.6 grade point average in his studies at UCSD, a lower GPA than most applicants.

“”They look at GPA first,”” Khaleghi said. “”This is why I thought I had no chance of winning.””

Rather, he was evaluated on his “”academic product,”” an essay in which he described his role as A.S. president.

Assistant Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs Tom Tucker wrote the letter nominating Khaleghi.

“”I think Doc is a special student leader and a special student, so I thought it would be appropriate to nominate him,”” Tucker said. “”I just think he’s unique: his energy and involvement in a variety of campus activities.””

Tucker pointed out Khaleghi’s qualities in the academic realm in his nomination letter.

“”[Khaleghi] is also dedicated, honest and provides leadership while preserving an uncompromised pattern of personal integrity,”” Tucker stated in the letter. “”Khaleghi frequently demonstrates the exceptional management ability to foster concise solutions to complex and intricate organizational and operational problems.””

Both Khaleghi and Tucker remember when each learned of Khaleghi’s win of the honor.

Twice a day Khaleghi was checking the mail that arrived in the A.S. boxes because he was waiting for medical school acceptances. He spotted a big envelope from USA Today.

“”I tore it open, looked and went nuts,”” Khaleghi said.