Congratulations to Virgil Guo ’28, a Statistics and Molecular and Cellular Biology (MCB) double concentrator, and Melany Hirsh ’27, a Neuroscience concentrator, who were among five Harvard College students selected to receive the 2026 General Education Student Prize.
The annual prize honors students whose reflections describe how a General Education course transformed their thinking and broadened their perspective. The MCB Department administers three undergraduate concentrations—Chemical and Physical Biology (CPB), Molecular and Cellular Biology (MCB), and Neuroscience—and is proud to celebrate the achievements of students across all three programs.
Guo was recognized for his reflection on GENED 1158: Water and the Environment, a course that challenged him to examine the complexities of environmental issues and apply those insights to understanding the dynamics, stability, and success of other complex systems and institutions.
Hirsh earned the award for her reflection on GENED 1131: Loss, a course that encouraged her to confront the inevitability of mortality, find solace in life’s unpredictability, and approach grief with greater empathy.
Read more about the 2026 Gen Ed Prize winners on the Harvard College announcement.
. 
