Two days after Neil Gibson graduated from Fresno State in May 2005, the President̢۪s Medalist and former president of Associated Students Inc. boarded a plane for China.

For two months, Gibson lived with a family in Beijing and studied Mandarin Chinese.

“It’s just something that really became my passion,” Gibson said. “It’s such a fascinating culture. The history and the politics are interesting.â€Â

Gibson returned to the United States for about one month after his initial trip to China before heading back to there at the end of August 2005 to teach English for a year at Henan Polytechnic University in Jiaozuo.

“I taught English classes to a whole smattering of students, Ph.D. students, master’s students and I also had just undergrad English majors,â€Â Gibson said. “It was a really fascinating experience and it was just a lot of fun.â€Â

While attending a local church as a student at the Beijing Chinese Language Academy, Gibson met his wife Momo, a television news director. They were married on June 3, 2006 in a dual Christian and Chinese ceremony.

A graduate of tiny Lucern Valley̢۪s only high school, located in the Mojave Desert, Gibson was accepted into the Smittcamp Family Honors College and entered Fresno State as an agricultural business major in 2001. He attributed his interest in China to an agricultural policy class taught by John Shields, professor of agricultural economics.

The bride wore a white gown and the groom a traditional tuxedo for the church wedding, Rodemeyer said, but the couple changed into traditional red Chinese attire for the reception.

“At that point, during the ceremony, they bowed to each set of parents, they bowed to each other and they bowed to God and that was the wedding in the Chinese style,â€Â Rodemeyer said.

The newlyweds returned to the United States and settled in the Washington D.C. area where Gibson entered the master̢۪s program at the Johns Hopkins Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies in the fall of 2006, focusing on China studies and international economics. He plans to graduate in May and pursue a job as a U.S. diplomat.

In addition to his studies, Gibson works for the Department of Commerce in the International Trade Administration. Momo Gibson works for Voice of America, an international news service.

Born in Portland, Ore., Gibson grew up in Lucerne Valley, a small town in the Mojave Desert in Southern California. At Lucerne Valley High School, he joined the Future Farmers of America, serving as a state leader in the organization after he graduated from high school in 2000.

“I had 39 people in my graduating high school class and it’s the only high school in the whole town,â€Â Gibson said. “It’s just a great community. It’s that small-town community where people really care about each other and help each other out and they support each other when there are times to do that.â€Â

After completing his one-year term as the state FFA vice president, Gibson was accepted into the Smittcamp Family Honors College and entered Fresno State as an agricultural business major in 2001. He attributed his interest in China to an agricultural policy class taught by John Shields, professor of agricultural economics.

“It’s just something that really became my passion, it’s such a fascinating culture, the history and the politics are interesting,â€Â Gibson said.

Shields met Gibson as a freshman when he enrolled in an introductory agricultural economics course. He noticed a special “auraâ€Â around Gibson, the ability to lead students, to share ideas and to assist students with their work.

“Personally, he’s of the highest integrity, a very strong religious person, a person that really lives his values, a person who people look up to and respect,â€Â Shields said. “He’s a very friendly person, not pretentious at all, just a very genuine person that you enjoyed being around.â€Â

Shields said students can benefit from Gibson̢۪s example. He developed a mentoring relationship with the faculty and he engaged in productive activities for the benefit of the student body, Shields said, serving as student body president for two years and as co-founder of the campus Veritas program.

“What you get out of your college education is not just the classroom, it’s how you develop yourself outside of the classroom for the four years that you are here,â€Â Shields said. “I think Neil did an excellent job of developing himself to the fullest outside the classroom as well as inside the classroom. By being engaged in extracurricular activities, he created a lot of opportunities for himself.â€Â

Along with his agricultural business major, Gibson graduated with a minor in classics. He said Honora Chapman, associate professor of classics and humanities, opened his eyes “to the roots of Western civilization.â€Â

“With agricultural business, it’s very much focusing on the application, on the practical,â€Â Gibson said, “but then I thought I wanted to balance that out with something that’s more philosophical, more historical and just creates more of a rounder education.â€Â

Chapman, like Shields, said Gibson was a positive force in the classroom, setting a great example for other students with his serious attitude but “light approachâ€Â to learning.

“Neil was always highly energetic, very eager and happy to be in class,â€Â Chapman said. “When he took Ancient Greek from me, he attacked it with all of his effort and it’s not that he was perfect at it. There had been better students in Greek 1A, but it was that he brought with it so much effort and just a desire to learn.â€Â

Gibson̢۪s determination to excel led him to create projects for himself that exceeded the normal class requirements, Chapman said.

“He wanted to write a comparative paper, a study and an analysis of the differences between Greek and Chinese culture and language,â€Â Chapman said. “He investigated it himself purely out of personal interest to prepare himself for going to China. That shows you the kind of dedication that a President’s Medalist needs to exhibit.â€Â

The President̢۪s Medalist is chosen from the nine Dean̢۪s Medalist winners. Each dean selects the top student in each of their schools or colleges, including one medalist from the Division of Student Affairs.

Gibson, the College of Agricultural Sciences and Technology Dean’s Medalist in 2005, said winning the President’s Medal was such a “complete shockâ€Â that he didn’t prepare a speech.

“I felt completely honored but humbled because there were a lot of other people who did a lot of great things, too, and so I’m very grateful for the award,â€Â Gibson said. “I was just very honored because Fresno State really means a lot to me.â€Â

Gibson advises Fresno State students to find a balance between school and community activities. He said employers look at experiences as well as grades.

“There are so many great programs going on at Fresno State, for such a diverse set of interests,â€Â Gibson said. “It’s a really fantastic opportunity to gain leadership skills, really do things within the community and within the university community that can make a visible impact.â€Â

Along with the influence of Chapman, Shields and Rodemeyer, Gibson said one of the solid foundations in his life is his religious beliefs. After one year of marriage, Gibson adds another inspiration to his list.

“Now I’d say the biggest influence in my life is my wife,â€Â Gibson said, “my wonderful wife that I’m able to spend time with and enjoy our lives together.â€Â