Two SMCS Students Headed to Prestigious UC Berkeley
After spending six years walking the yellow brick halls together, two graduating St. Michael’s College School (SMCS) students will now travel south to attend one of the top universities in the world.
Grade 12 students Maddox Ganesh and Shiyu Zhang have both been accepted to the University of California, Berkeley, studying in two renowned programmes — chemical engineering and data science, respectively.
Learn more about these hard-working students and why they chose Berkeley:
Maddox Ganesh – Chemical Engineering
“Berkeley offers me the opportunity to become an outstanding chemical engineer, and the programme’s focus on sustainability, energy innovation, and molecular design aligns perfectly with my goal of tackling global challenges like clean energy and green manufacturing,” says Ganesh.
Aside from the school’s highly regarded academic programme, Ganesh notes Berkeley’s proximity to San Francisco and leading energy hubs will give him the opportunity to apply classroom theory to real-world problems.
“I have always been drawn to the sciences and math and have had a natural curiosity about life,” he says. “I’m particularly interested in renewable energy and electrochemical engineering. Pursuing engineering seemed like an obvious choice for me, and my desire to create future renewable technologies—paired with my curiosity—led me to chemical engineering.”
Ganesh has been a SMCS student since Grade 7. Along with the five clubs recently led a school-wide service initiative supporting the Good Shepherd Ministries this past year.
“What sets Maddox apart is his willingness to step outside of his comfort zone,” says Kevin Toste, Interim Science and Technological Design Department Head and science teacher. “He’s not afraid to try something new, even if he isn’t immediately excellent at it. His humility and genuine willingness to seek help when needed are traits I deeply admire, and qualities I wish more students embraced.”
Ganesh credits all his science teachers at SMCS for contributing to his science education and helping prepare him for his future engineering goals.
“My success at St. Mike’s stems from recognizing the opportunities it offers and taking advantage of them. At a large school like Berkeley, being able to identify opportunities and get involved in your community is what really makes the experience worthwhile. St. Mike’s prepared me for Berkeley by teaching me to identify opportunities and seize them. It gave me an environment where I learned how to carve my path, and I will carry these skills into my future endeavours.”
Shiyu Zhang – Data Science
For Zhang, it was a combination of the programme, location, and the learning environment that drew him to UC Berkeley.
“I decided to choose UC Berkeley because it offered one of the best programmes for my major, data science,” he says. “The major also comes with a lot of professional opportunities, such as internships and a high return on investment (ROI) after graduation.”
The institution’s proximity to Silicon Valley was also a driving factor due to the myriad of internship opportunities and the chance for real-life experience and application of what he’ll be learning.
“Getting into Berkeley isn’t exactly a simple task and requires outstanding academic and extracurricular merits,” says Zhang. “Nevertheless, this means that I will be studying alongside others who share those same merits as I do. Working with such peers would improve my own personal and professional skills. With determined peers and brand-new learning areas, UC Berkeley is the ideal place for me to continue my studies.”
One of the main reasons Zhang is choosing to study data science is his passion for mathematics, computer science, and statistics.
“Ever since I won my first math medal award in the Grade 6 Mathematica Pythagoras contest, I wanted to hone my mathematical capabilities to their finest,” he says. “Starting in middle school, I have participated in every math competition at SMCS available to me, involving the Waterloo contests, Math without Borders, and the American Math Contests.”
Zhang’s talent and determination has resulted in 16 math medals from various contests over his six years at SMCS.
“Shiyu balances an incredible workload both in and out of SMCS,” says Toste. Zhang is a member of three bands and involved in six clubs at SMCS. “His curiosity and drive to explore a wide range of disciplines—from chemistry and music to business—highlight the value and necessity of a Liberal Arts education.”
The AP programming offered at SMCS and the financial support he received for summer programmes were two significant impacts that have helped Zhang feel better prepared for the next step in his academic career.
“Being the youngest recipient of the Father Maurice F. Whelan, CSB award, it gave me the opportunity to access summer programmes such as the ones at Columbia and Harvard University,” says Zhang, who attended the weeks-long residential programmes in 2023 and 2024. “Studying at these summer programmes enabled me to gain first-hand experience of what studying at prestigious universities is like.”
“The environment at St. Michael’s College School aided me on my academic journey and has prepared me so much for my future studies at Berkeley.”
Congratulations to Ganesh and Zhang on their acceptance to UC Berkeley.
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