UCPD creates award to recognize exceptional community members

UC Student Tomas Callahan shakes hands with Officer Chris Thomas, who nominated him as one of the first recipients of the UCPD Exemplary Action Award.

"You guys in the situation that you guys got put in and the way you guys acted made me think about that here and I was like, you know what, lets take a shot at this and see if it takes off," Thomas said at the recognition event.

UC students Tomas Callahan and DenZell Wallace, who were first year students at the time, watched their professor fall to the ground and hit his head. They stepped into immediate action to empty the classroom, help contact first responders, hold the professor's head up, and provide whatever aid they were able.

"Exemplary is defined as something so good and at such a high level that others want to follow, and you guys are an example of that," Thomas said.

Callahan and Wallace were presented with an award and a challenge coin at the recognition event, which was held on Aug. 27, 2026, at UCPD's office.

"We really wanted to take an opportunity to really recognize these two young men for being brave enough and having enough foresight to take action in a situation where they see it was necessary," said Associate Vice President of Public Safety and Chief of Police Eliot Isaac.

UC Student DenZell Wallace shakes hands with Officer Chris Thomas, who nominated him as one of the first recipients of the UCPD Exemplary Action Award.

Callahan noted how challenging it is to experience an incident like this, even having worked as a lifeguard.

"It means a lot to me…I didn't really, truly grasp the full magnitude of the action. Just hearing that the actions helped inspire people, like obviously I would be willing to do this 10 times over. I just think it's something that everybody should be willing to do…just being able and willing to help people in a scenario where you just don't know. Being willing to take the first step, I think more people should look to that," Callahan said.

Wallace described how he immediately got up and moved from his seat in the back of the room to help. The moment didn't hit him until after he walked the professor's belongings back to his office.

"It was one of those situations where it's like, oh my gosh what do I do, but when we responded the way we did, I felt pretty good about it," Wallace said.

Wallace added about receiving the award, "I was really excited and you just told us we're the first ones and that's dope. That was pretty cool, pretty exciting, and I can't wait to brag to my friends that I got deemed."

Featured image at top: From left, Associate Vice President of Public Safety and Chief of Police Eliot Isaac, UC student DenZell Wallace, UC student Tomas Callahan, and UC Police Officer Chris Thomas pose during a recognition event on Aug. 27, 2026.