Melissa Winstanley, a 2008 graduate of Bellevue High School, has been selected to receive the 2012 President’s Medal at the University of Washington.The President’s Medal is awarded annually to the most accomplished student in UW’s 7500-member senior class.

Winstanley is a dual major in Computer Science and Music.  She began her CSE career as the top student (out of 475) in CSE 142 and the top student (out of 297) in CSE 143. The head Teaching Assistant for CSE 143 for the 2011-12 academic year, Winstanley also served as chair of UW’s ACM-W chapter, performed as saxaphone principal in the University of Washington Wind Ensemble, worked as an Honors Peer Mentor, and carried out a year-long honors research project on mobile tools for public health.

Additionally, Winstanley has held two internships with Google, a research internship with UW’s Community Ecology Lab, and a UW Honors Program summer in Rome.