Jerome Kulenkamp received the University of Nevada, Reno's Herz Gold Medal Saturday, Dec. 5, during Winter 2009 Commencement ceremonies at Lawlor Events Center.

Kulenkamp, a member of the University’s Honors Program, completed his undergraduate academic career with a cumulative grade-point average of 4.00, pursuing dual majors in finance and international business.

The Herz Gold Medal, the University’s oldest and most prestigious award, is presented each commencement ceremony to the graduating senior with the highest grade-point average. This gift was established in 1910 by brothers Richard, Carl and Otto Herz when the institution was only 36 years old.

Kulenkamp, the 2009 Senior Scholar award recipient for the College of Business Administration, was born in Henderson, Nev., and graduated from Coronado High School, also located in Henderson. He enrolled at the University of Nevada in the fall of 2005 and participated in intramural sports – mainly soccer – throughout his college years. Kulenkamp has applied to Master of Business Administration (MBA) programs at Stanford and Harvard and is also considering entering a joint Juris Doctor/MBA program.

At the Senior Scholars awards banquet held Dec. 1, Kulenkamp expressed his appreciation for “an unforgettable undergraduate experience.”

“My professors, advisers, classmates and friends ensured that my college experience was both valuable and enjoyable,” Kulenkamp said. “Furthermore, collegiate success would have been impossible without the support of my parents – which wasn’t only financial in nature. I challenge anyone to struggle academically with such loving parents.”

Kulenkamp also mentioned his gratitude for University Assistant Professor of Finance Jianfei Sun, who mentored Kulenkamp on his honors thesis and shared his passion for both finance and soccer.

“Jerome is the best student I have ever had and ever seen,” Sun said. “For his Honors Program, he used a complicated mathematical model to write the paper, which even possesses some features of a master's or Ph.D. thesis. He has a very bright future in the finance business.”

Kulenkamp said he pursued a dual major in finance and international business because he wanted a diverse academic experience.

“Without question, the education I obtained at Nevada will prove to be invaluable in the working world, whether I am an employee or an entrepreneur.”