UCSB SENIOR WINS $50,000 IN MTV CONTEST; MUHAMMAD ALI TO PRESENT AWARD IN NEW YORK

For 22 year-old UC Santa Barbara student Mel Fabi of Oakland, it's a dream come true.

The senior recently won MTV's "Fight For Your Rights: Take a Stand Against Discrimination" essay contest and will be presented with a $50,000 scholarship check by one of his heroes, legendary heavyweight fighter Muhammad Ali, during a star-studded event to take place at The Roxy in New York City on Thursday, Nov. 15 at 4 pm PST. It will be televised at a later date.

"Fight for Your Rights" is a television program that airs on MTV, and is focused on promoting positive social change through discussions of such issues as hate crimes and racism and the need for tolerance.

Fabi is a film and Chicano studies double major expected to graduate from UCSB in June and currently is interning in the Washington, D.C. bureau of CBS's

"60 Minutes."

He is enrolled this quarter in UCDC, the University of California's Washington, D.C. program. He was the Stephen S. Goodspeed Intern for 2000-2001 in UCSB's Office of Student Affairs, and will be interning for the "David Letterman Show" in January.

Fabi, who is openly gay, says that the inspiration for his essay came from personal experiences as a hate crime victim, targeted because of his sexual preference.

"I wrote about how even though I felt powerless, I chose to remain powerful," Fabi said. "I think it's nice to be able to reflect on what happened and turn it into a positive."

The award presentation will be part of a special tribute to Muhammad Ali celebrating his activism and humanitarian efforts airing on MTV.