Mayor to get UCLA Medal

While he has been deluged with personal issues over the past week, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa
will receive a rare honor today from his alma mater.

Villaraigosa, who is a featured speaker at the UCLA commencement ceremony, will be presented with the UCLA Medal, the university's highest honor created to salute those individuals "who have made extraordinary and distinguished contributions to their professions, to higher education, to our society, and to the people of UCLA."

Past recipients have included Kareem Abdul Jabbar, former Mayor Tom Bradley and former President Bill Clinton. Others who have been honored with the award are heads of state, renowned scientists, artists, scholars; peacemakers; social
reformers; and visionaries in the realm of commercial enterprise.