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2021 Honors Convocation
All School Student Awards
Marsha P. Johnson Award
Awarded to an undergraduate or graduate student who has shown leadership and/or advanced conversations around LGBTQ+ issues through their scholarly work, teaching, or research.
Matt Martin
The Marsha P. Johnson Award goes to Matthew Martin, a rising second-year student in the MFA in Acting program. “He actively fosters and promotes communication, collaboration, and community among his peers and is a go-to person for accurate and efficient information dissemination,” said one professor. He is a member of the Northwestern University MFA Council and his LQBTQ+ advocacy work, including Black Trans Femmes in the Arts, Marsha P. Johnson Institute, and the Transgender Law Center. Matthew is talented, hard-working, and stands out as a leader among his peers.
Burton and Karol Lefkowitz Prize
Awarded to an undergraduate student who has demonstrated leadership capabilities through civic engagement, community service, or other projects designed to improve society or advance social change. One recipient chosen from each of the School’s three divisions: Theatre, Dance and Performance Studies; Communication Studies and RTVF; and Communication Sciences & Disorders.
(Division I)
Amelia Prochaska
The Burton and Karol Lefkowitz Prize (I) goes to Amelia Prochaska, a senior theatre major and advocate who is an enthusiastic champion of diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives and served as the executive director of SHAPE (Sexual Health and Assault Peer Educators). With her strong sense of social justice, Amelia was a leader in efforts to decolonize the curriculum through painstaking research and resourcefulness. Also a talented performer, Amelia’s influence led one professor to call her “a true leader (who) plans to keep the fight up after she graduates. She’s also a deeply good human who cares.”
(Division II)
Alicia Ross
The Burton and Karol Lefkowitz Prize (II) goes to Alicia Ross, a junior communication studies major. Alicia was the recipient of the 2020 Department Excellence Award, served as a peer mentor for the Undergraduate Research Grant office, and was a Digital Media Strategist in Academic Year 2020. Additionally, she was an ambassador for The Table, a student-run food delivery organization; president of the Christian Science Organization; a senior resident assistant; and a member of the Dean’s Advisory Council, the Communication Studies Inclusion Task Force, and the Communication Studies Undergraduate Advisory Council. One professor called her “indispensable” in her department work and always eager and ready to help out in whatever role she fills.
(Division III)
Shreya Sriram
The Burton and Karol Lefkowitz Prize (III) goes to Shreya Sriram, a junior in the human communication sciences major. She is the president of Northwestern’s National Student Speech-Language Hearing Association (NSSLHA) Undergraduate Chapter, which was officially recognized as a student organization in the spring of 2020 thanks in large part to her work. Shreya single-handedly reached out to all undergraduate students interested in creating this chapter and formed an executive board to formally lead it. Through her leadership and cooperation with the department and the community, the NSSLHA group at Northwestern has raised substantial funds for organizations that serve diverse populations affected by communication disorders. Shreya’s persistence and dedication to not only create the organization but to ensure that it supports diversity and inclusion facilitates growth and philanthropic opportunities for its members.
Madeleine Robinson Memorial Award
Presented to a student who is active in community service; established in 1975 by the husband of Madeleine Robinson, a 1959 graduate who died at an early age and was beloved for her community activities in the Aurora, Illinois, area
Brett Mayfield
The winner of the Madeleine Robinson Memorial Award goes to Brett Mayfield. A Communication studies major in the class of 2022, Brett is a first-generation college student, a QuestBridge Scholars Network co-president, Communication Studies Undergraduate Advisory Council volunteer, research assistant for the Network for Nonprofit and Social Impact lab, Cradles to Crayons partner relations intern, an Evanston Community Foundation project consultant, and a residential assistant on campus. “I’m so proud of all that he is doing now,” said a professor. “As a student navigating a very different world than he grew up in, he has excelled beyond his peers. I know that he will continue to do wonderful things in the future.”
Lucia Wiant Award
Awarded to a student who has shown outstanding academic or artistic growth in the communication arts and sciences
Samara Malik
The Lucia May Wiant Award goes to Samara Malik, a junior theatre major. A director and performer with dexterity across performance styles, budgets, and venue limitations, Samara has proven to be a hard-working leader and talented artist who brings richness and excitement to her work with peers. “Samara Malik stands out to me as someone who is asking important questions and is thoughtfully seeking answers,” said one professor. Another said, “Samara is a tenacious and outspoken; she contributes a valuable perspective to class discussions.”
Zeta Phi Eta Award
Awarded to a continuing graduate student, or to an outstanding junior or senior who will remain at Northwestern to pursue a master’s degree, who has demonstrated excellence in communication arts or sciences as well as strong scholarship, exemplary character, talent, and leadership ability exemplifying the organization’s motto, “Achieve! With Wisdom, Integrity, and Love”; presented by Zeta Phi Eta, a national professional fraternity in communication arts and sciences and the oldest national group of its kind, founded at Northwestern University in 1893
Shelby Schultz
The Zeta Phi Eta Award goes to Shelby Shultz. Shelby is a junior radio/television/film major with a double major in Asian American studies and a minor in creative writing. She is president of the Undergraduate RTVF Student Association (URSA) and the Northwestern University Women Filmmakers Alliance (NUWFA) and is additionally a member of the Dean’s Advisory Council. As NUWFA president, she established new programming to foster career advising, pitch script ideas, and make connections with alumni. In her work with URSA, Shelby championed safe filmmaking during the pandemic through the creation of PPE grants and faculty panels. “Shelby has worked to reorient URSA so that it enfolds students from all the various student groups,” said one professor. “Her aim has been to make URSA truly representative of the undergraduate student body.”
Robert M. Cumnock Scholarship
Awarded to an outstanding first-year student; honors Robert M. Cumnock—a performer and teacher who believed oratory was an art, not a science—who in 1878 founded Northwestern’s School of Oratory, now the School of Communication, and was responsible for the construction of Annie May Swift Hall
Nozizwe Msipa
The Robert M. Cumnock Scholarship goes to Nozizwe Msipa, a first-year communication studies major. Nozizwe is a contributor to North by Northwestern and, prior to coming to Northwestern, served as a teaching assistant with neurodiverse high school students in Zimbabwe where she organized a “climate kids” group that featured action days and a plastic bottle ban. “She was consistently proactive, thoughtful, supportive, and generally a model of engaged academic discussion,” said one professor. “She also was a source of energy, social facilitation, and good humor, but never at the cost of being averse to take risks when working with ideas or reflecting on personal experience.”
Ralph B. Dennis Scholarship
Presented to an exceptional sophomore; honors Ralph Dennis, dean of the school from 1913 until his retirement in 1942,who oversaw a period of exponential growth and whose vitality and personal style in interacting with students made the school unique
Kaniya Hester
The Ralph B. Dennis Scholarship goes to Kaniya Hester, a sophomore in the human communication sciences major. Kaniya has demonstrated outstanding research and academic skills as well as a commitment to equity and inclusion in the communication sciences and disorders department. As a recipient of the Early Research Experience Award in the Bilingualism and Psycholinguistics Research Group, Kaniya demonstrated responsibility, diligence, hard work, and ability to give feedback on the lab’s projects. As a result, she soon advanced to co-authoring conference submissions, including serving as a first author on a poster. Her professors noted that she is an excellent writer and thinker, and that her consistently thoughtful, astute contributions move the class forward. Professor Viorica Marian was so impressed that she invited Kaniya to give a guest lecture in her graduate course, the first undergraduate to do so in Marian’s 20 years of teaching at Northwestern.
James H. McBurney Scholarship
Awarded to an outstanding junior; honors James McBurney, dean of the school from 1942 to 1972, under whose leadership it achieved widespread recognition, while the school structure reinforced cohesion among its disciplines
Arshad Baruti
The James H. McBurney Scholarship goes to Arshad Baruti, a junior majoring in radio/television/film. Arshad is a QuestBridge Scholar and Gates Scholarship recipient; a two-time Summer Internship Grant recipient; a Media Arts Grant recipient; an Undergraduate Research Assistant to Professor Kyle Henry; and a director, writer, and performer in both the Out Da Box and Mee-Ow Show comedy groups. Arshad received glowing recommendations from multiple professors; one wrote that Arshad’s “positive energy was infectious, he always contributed meaningfully to discussions, and he conducted an excellent in-depth interview with the Director of Programming at New Fest, New York’s LGBTQ film festival…Arshad’s creativity, critical insights, and ease at working collaboratively with a team of students made him a wonderful collaborator and outstanding student in the class.”
Roy V. Wood Scholarship
Awarded to an outstanding senior; honors Roy Wood, dean of the school from 1972 to 1987, whose door was always open to students and whose tenure saw marked growth in the size of the school, major gains in physical facilities, and advancement in the quality of teaching, research, and creative activity
Valen-Marie Santos
The Roy V. Wood Scholarship goes to Valen-Marie Santos, a senior theatre major. Valen-Marie is a playwright, actor, director, and leader among her peers. She is involved with MulTEA, a multicultural open-mic night, and curated last winter (des) Coloridos, an evening of artistic activism celebrating Latinx history, poetry, art making, and theatre for Radius Theatre, a group she founded for BIPOC students. Additionally, she has been a peer advisor since 2018 with the New Student and Family Programs office at Northwestern and an SoC member of the Board of Directors for Wildcat Welcome 2020. One professor recalls: “During these challenging and isolating times, particularly for theatre artists, Valen-Marie found ways to connect, add energy, and help to create a community of artists. She was also able to seamlessly adjust her work to both a graduate director and a graduate actor, allowing for a very special grad/undergrad collaboration.”
Faculty Awards
Faculty Awards 2021
Galbut Outstanding Faculty Award
Presented to a faculty member who has been outstanding in teaching and in efforts to engage students both inside and outside the classroom; selected from outstanding faculty members nominated by School of Communication students; established by the Galbut family
Melissa Foster
Melissa Foster is a senior lecturer specializing in music theatre in the Department of Theatre and a Faculty in Residence at Northwestern. Additionally, she serves as a vocal consultant for Chicago’s Lyric Opera and a rap and R&B vocal coach for the organization Rock the Audition. Her forthcoming scholarly book project is titled The Scenario: Hip-Hop History and Performance Techniques for Musical Theatre.
“I have been lucky enough to be Melissa Foster’s student for three years,” said one student. “I mean that word, lucky, with the weight of its truth; working with Melissa, someone who is a leading innovation in her field, an expert beyond compare, a skilled communicator, and an unmatched support, has defined the education I’ve gotten at Northwestern.”
One student, coincidentally, has been working with Foster since long before attending Northwestern and remarked on her good fortune in being placed in Foster’s voice studio during the student’s second year: “I can walk into her (virtual) studio feeling absolutely hopeless and down about myself and walk out feeling confident and energized to succeed…I cannot imagine my life here at Northwestern without having her in my corner.”
Said another: “It is undeniable that Melissa possesses an incredible amount of singing expertise, but, potentially more important to her job as a voice teacher, is her skills at nurturing young talent and young adults,” says one student. “Melissa was able to make me a better singer because she truly cared for me.”
One four-year student of Foster’s recognized her sizable gifts: “She embodies both the skills of a true vocal technician and the enthusiasm of a passionate theatre artist. Melissa has such a deep knowledge of the voice and uses her understanding of vocal anatomy to help students like me optimize their vocal potential…She has changed my voice as an instrument and also helped me find my own artistic voice.”
And yet another student succinctly stated: “Melissa has taught me to be proud and shown me through her own example how to lift people up to their excellence. I am infinitely grateful and forever changed.”
Clarence Simon Awards for Outstanding Teaching and Mentoring
Annually recognizes outstanding School of Communication teachers and mentors—one in each of the school’s three divisions (division I, theatre and performance studies; division II, radio/ television/film and communication studies; and division III, communication sciences and disorders)— based on nominations by students and faculty; honors Clarence Simon, who served the school as an outstanding teacher and administrator for many years
(Division I)
Marcus Doshi
Marcus Doshi is an associate professor and associate chair in the Department of Theatre and a highly sought-after lighting designer with many high-profile, international credits.
One colleague called him a “shining star” and noted that Doshi may be the first member of the design faculty to win the Clarence Simon teaching award. This colleague continued: “Student designers flock to him for mentorship and guidance. He is as generous as he is accomplished, and he provides excellent instruction both in and out of the classroom.”
Many students noted Doshi’s high standards that result in high achievement. “Rather than expecting less from me because I was an undergraduate student,” said one, “he held me to the same standards because he knew that I could achieve them.”
Another student praised his strong communication and collaborative instincts. “His unwavering faith in my future success has grown my confidence toward the process of learning and shifted my focus from inadequacy to advancement… His passion and dedication have inspired me to also strive for excellence, which I deeply appreciate.”
Doshi’s classes are highly collaborative and focused on developing not only technical mastery but a deep, foundational understanding of theatre. “He struck a great balance where rigor was expected, and the stakes were high,” said one student, “but I never felt judged or intimidated to the point that would prohibit me from engaging.”
It is Doshi’s investment in the artist as much as their work that was a standout theme among his students, this one included: “I am confident that Professor Doshi’s influence on the way I think about design will stay with me for the rest of my life, and any student who is lucky enough to be taught by him would agree.”
(Division II)
Jacob Smith
Jacob Smith is a professor in the Department of Radio/Television/Film and the cofounder and director of the Master of Arts in Sound Arts and Industries program. Smith has written numerous books and experimental audiobooks as well as myriad scholarly articles and book chapters. He co-launched the master’s program five years ago and
“Every time I go a quarter without one of his classes,” said one undergrad, “I often think, ‘I miss having a class with Jake Smith.’”
Smith’s influence doesn’t take long to grasp. A student who has taken one class with him said, “Professor Smith has undoubtedly become one of my favorite professors at Northwestern because of his commitment to teach students as much as possible in the most accessible and entertaining manner possible.”
With thoughtful questions and his signature “yeah, yeah, yeah!” he is a booster of the diverse perspectives of his students. “In no other classes do I finish the quarter feeling like I have learned as much, worked as hard, or had as much fun as I do in any class with Professor Jacob Smith,” said one. “He has made my Northwestern experience worth it more than anything else has.”
One four-year student of Smith’s noted the profound impact he’s had on the student’s academic and professional goals. “(He) is the kind of teacher that students remember for the rest of their lives—I know that I will.”
Moreover, Smith provides not only guidance but encouragement for those entering a competitive but burgeoning field. “(He) fueled my passion for the music and entertainment industry and gave me the confidence to pursue a career in it,” said one student. “It was because of him that I realized that music and film no longer had to merely be hobbies and could actually be potential career-paths for me.”
(Division III)
Adriana Weisleder
Adriana Weisleder is an associate professor in the Roxelyn and Richard Pepper Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders and the principal investigator of the department’s Child Language Lab. An alumna of the program, Weisleder has become a champion of the inclusive, accessible, and diverse direction the field is headed.
“She advocates to her students the importance of cultural humility during her online classes,” says one student. “But she takes this initiative even further with students in her lab by opening discussions, both student-led and facilitated by a professor, about diversity and equity from both the perspectives of clients in our clinical practice and participants of a study, as well as the clinicians and researchers themselves”
One graduate student noted Weisleder’s keen interest in and talent for educating holistically: “Dr. Weisleder encourages lab members to share their lived experiences and cultivate their interests under her mentorship…her resolute mindset, heartfelt commitment, and unwavering encouragement to fuel lifelong learners is the reason why I’m still here.”
One undergraduate spoke of Weisleder’s enthusiasm for research and how well she explained complicated topics.
“Adriana and her unconditional support for everyone around her made my time in the Child Language Lab an unforgettable growing experience which prepared me more to graduate than any course I took,” said the student. I” am so grateful that she took me in as a nervous freshman and helped me grow into a confident young researcher. “
One student noted how “deeply (she) respects her students, listens and appreciates their ideas, and that “whenever her students are having difficulty solving an issue, she scaffolds them in their learning and promotes critical thinking. She works hard to meet her students where they are at, without judgment, and guides and mentors them in a way that supports their learning effectively.”
Another student glowingly summed up Weisleder’s impact: “(She) is one of the most genuine, authentic, and brilliant people I have ever come across, and she has never failed to support me, encourage me, and inspire me. Throughout this entire academic year, Adriana has made sure we are all learning, conducting ethical and anti-racist research, and having meaningful experiences. These instances truly speak to Dr. Weisleder’s character as a selfless, thoughtful teacher and person.”
Roxelyn and Richard Pepper Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders
Departmental Excellence Award for Undergraduate Students
- Rahma Almajid
- Maria Carini
- Kaniya Hester
- McKenna Lanter
- Lauren Masse
- Nikita Menta
- Hassan Mohammad
- Lauren Oh
- Keely Pickett
- Jill Rawls
- Zehra Rizvi
- Shreya Sriram
- Maggie Stanton
- Alexa Takeuchi
- Candace Todd
- Ola Wicko
- Kennedy Williams
Departmental Book Award for Undergraduate Students
- Anika Hendricks
- Prerita Pandya
Department Honors for Undergraduate Theses
- Rahma Almajid
Older Siblings’ Influence on Younger Siblings’ Language Development in Spanish-English Bilingual Contexts
Lois L. Elliott Book Award
Presented to an undergraduate human communication sciences major who has demonstrated outstanding academic achievement; named in honor of former professor Lois L. Elliott, founder of the Human Communication Sciences Program, who died in 1995
- Melissa Yuen
Department of Communication Studies
Departmental Excellence Award for Undergraduate Students
Presented to recognize exemplary academic performance, distinctive contributions to the department, and shining representation of the School of Communication
- Jessica Cheng
- Isaac Conner
- Zach Fox
- Kate Hancuch
- Emma Healy
- Max Johnson
- Kat Kosup
- Kaitlyn Margolis
- Sung Joon Park
- Sammi Schnuer
- Sophia Simon
- Lauren Tran
- Sherry Xue
Department Honors for Undergraduate Theses
- Annika Weinberg
Femvertising: Her Superpower or Kryptonite?
Donald H. and Carolyn E. Ecroyd Fellowship
Awarded to assist graduate students by supporting the completion of their doctoral dissertations; established in 1993 to honor the late Caroline D. Ecroyd, a School of Communication alumna who was unable to complete her PhD in communication at Northwestern because of lack of funds and who with her husband spent many years as a university faculty member in speech
- Kaitlyn Childs
Irving J. and Laura Lee Fellowship
Established in 1987 by David Lee to honor and perpetuate the memory of his parents, who met at Northwestern as students and both became School of Communication faculty members — Irving specializing in public speaking and semantics, Laura in children’s language development and disorders
- Ashley Ferrell
Graduate Dissertation Awards
Presented to recognize dissertations of exceptional quality in three areas: rhetoric, mass communication, and interpersonal communication
- Mark Diaz
- Jabari Evans
- Yongsung Kim
- Will Marler
- Liam Mayes
- Catalina Uribe Rincon
Mary Peterson Gilbert Prize
Awarded annually for excellence in speaking; established in 1955 by the husband of School of Communication alumna Mary Peterson Gilbert, who was praised by school founder Robert Cumnock as one of the most gifted readers in the country
- Samantha Pietenpol
George M. Sargent Awards
Presented to the first-year, second-year, junior, and senior students with the best records in their regular course of study; honors the memory of George M. Sargent, a member of the class of 1915
First-Year
- Kylie Harris
- Asha Yearwood
Second-Year
- Cindy Hu
- Sam Jenkins
Junior
- Emily Drucker
- Jada Sunshine Morgan
Senior
- Kendyl Counts
- Berit Ginsberg
Department of Radio/Television/Film
Departmental Excellence Award for Undergraduate Students
Awarded to recognize undergraduates who have produced exceptional work in the areas of production and scholarly writing
- Arshad Baruti
- Kalpita Chakote
- Grace Frome
- Tanya Herrmann
- Nate Jayaram
- Jerry Lee
- Orly Lewittes
- Adala Makhulo
- Ahlaam Moledina
- Liza Salvi
- Shelby Schultz
- Sierra Thoulouis
Chuck Kleinhans Essay Prize
Awarded to an outstanding work of undergraduate film scholarship, this prize was established to honor and perpetuate Chuck Kleinhans, film scholar, artist, activist, and radical iconoclast, and Associate Professor Emeritus of the department of Radio-Televison-Film at Northwestern University, in which he served for nearly thirty years.
- Hap Conover
What Makes a Successful Biopic - Emma Steinberg
Big Little Lies
Joann Torretta Award
Established in honor of Joann Torretta, a member of the School of Communication class of 1953, to fund student productions
- Ariella Khan
WNUR Willis L. Butler Leadership Award
Presented to a student who has shown strong leadership in furthering WNUR; sponsored by the WNUR alumni organization
- Hannah Barton
- Layton Guyton
Department of Theatre
Department Honors for Undergraduate Theses
- Magdalena Dalzell
Incorporating Principles of Intimacy Choreography into Rehearsal Room Procedures - Pallas Gutierrez
50 Years of Latinx Representation in Musical Theatre - Julia Mann
Surviving the “War on Culture”: INDEPENDENT THEATRE in Orban’s Hungary - Riley Nelson
THY NAME IS WOMAN: an examination of female performance of Hamlet through a feminist lens - Nolan Robinson
Transcending the Stage: exploring the applicability of an actor’s training to other vocations and our everyday lives - Lydia Weir
“I am Writing a Thesis on Joan”: An Analysis of Lesbian Relationships in Broadway Musicals
Departmental Excellence Award for Undergraduate Students
Recognizes selected students from all four undergraduate classes with strong academic records and outstanding records in theatre production and design
First-Year
- Lucia Katz
- Elise Pakiela
- Mantra Radhakrishnan
- Alondra Rios
Second-Year
- Sunnie Eraso
- Mikaela Fenn
- Arella Flur
- Anelga Hajjar
- Natalie Rarick
Junior
- Simran Deokule
- Ruby Gibson
- Claire Kwon
- Samara Malik
- Mariana Reyes-Daza
Senior
- Hailey Brunson
- Delia Cunningham
- Jacob Leaf
- Nolan Robinson
Department Award for Excellence in Acting: The Showcase
Students selected to participate in a showcase for agents and casting directors
- Marisol Beaufrand
- Hailey Brunson
- Stella Cole
- Jonathan Connolly
- Isaiah Frank
- Nathan Karnik
- Remy Laifer
- Jacob Leaf
- Gabi Leibowitz
- Elijah McNally
- Leo Merrick
- Amelia Prochaska
- Nolan Robinson
- Liana Runcie
- Jasmine Sharma
- Cassidy Sledge
- Emmet Smith
- Carson Stewart
- Saidie Stone
- Stef Tedards
- Matthew Threadgill
Department Award for Excellence in Music Theatre: The Showcase
Students selected to participate in a showcase for agents and casting directors
- Annie Beaubien
- Maddie Burton
- Gracie Cashman
- Kate Coffey
- Stella Cole
- Jonathan Connolly
- Delia Cunningham
- John Ertman
- Freyja Goldstein
- Theo Janke-Furman
- Nathan Karnik
- Danielle Kerr
- Remy Laifer
- Emily Landreth
- Jacob Leaf
- Alexa Moster
- Maya Pierce
- Amelia Prochaska
- Nolan Robinson
- Jasmine Sharma
- Cassidy Sledge
- Emmet Smith
- Carson Stewart
Aurand Harris Award
Awarded to honor excellence in children’s theatre; established in 1998 to honor the late Aurand Harris (C39), who became the most decorated and produced children’s playwright in America
- Ismael Lara
Agnes Nixon Playwriting Awards
Provides a cash award and a production to winners of the annual playwriting competition, underwritten by a trust fund established to help playwrights by Northwestern alumna Agnes Nixon, an extremely prolific television writer who created or served as head writer for numerous daytime serials
- Anelga Hajjar
- Rishi Mahesh
- Carson Stewart
Norrenbrock Design Award
The Norrenbrock award was created to commemorate the life and work of Tony Norrenbrock, who died on September 22, 1989. Though Tony’s period of service with our theatre department was relatively brief, his creativity and love of his craft inspired countless students
- Yun Lin
Susan Rae Anderson Vetrono and Clarke J. Vetrono Scholarship
Presented to an outstanding theatre student with an interest in children’s theatre
- Natalie Rarick
Winifred Ward Award
Presented by Zeta Phi Eta to a student interested in creative dramatics; honors the memory of Winifred Ward, a School of Communication faculty member from 1918 to 1950, who cofounded one of the first US children’s theatres and made creative dramatics a new discipline in American education
- Julia Laurenson
John Woodbridge Williams Memorial Scholarship
Awarded to a talented Design Program graduate student, preferably a lighting designer; established in 1994 by family, friends, and colleagues of John Woodbridge Williams — a theatre professor from 1974 to 1992, talented lighting designer, gifted and inspiring teacher, and giving humanitarian — to honor his life and work
- Maximo Grano De Oro
Dance Program
Departmental Excellence Award for Undergraduate Students
- Madeline Durmowicz
- Dana Small
Department of Performance Studies
Departmental Book Award
Presented to majors who over the academic year or over the course of their time in the department have demonstrated an extraordinary commitment to performance practice and scholarship
- Craig Carroll
- Melissa Lewyn
- Emil Lee
- Elyse Yun
Robert S. and Gertrude B. Breen Memorial Award
Presented to an outstanding graduate student; established in 1992 to honor the memory of Robert S. Breen — a School of Communication alumnus (bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees), member of the performance studies faculty from 1947 to 1978, and professor emeritus from 1978 until his death in 1991 — and his wife, Gertrude B. Breen, who earned her bachelor’s degree from the school and was closely linked to the University until her death in 1992
- Danielle Ross
Dwight Conquergood Award for Excellence in Performance Pedagogy
Presented to a graduate student in performance studies who best upholds Conquergood’s commitment to critically engaged pedagogy
- Tarek Benchouia
- Rashayla Marie Brown
Frank J. Galati Prize for Undergraduate Essays in Performance Studies
Recognizes excellence in undergraduate essays; celebrates the contributions of Frank Galati, who retired from the performance studies department in 2006 after more than three decades of teaching
Winner
- Talia Schulhof
Satire on TikTok: Is it Activism?
Second Place (tie)
- Kwok Ren Darek Chu
The role of Dabke on Palestinian Heritage and Identity - Zachary Forbes
Giving the Theatre a New Syncopation, Frank Galati’s Ragtime: The Rise of the ‘Chicago-Style’ of Directing
Lilla A. Heston Award for Academic Excellence
Presented to a graduate student in performance studies; established in 1984 by Mrs. Chester L. Heston in memory of her daughter, Lilla Heston, an exemplary Northwestern student who became a highly respected and much-loved faculty member and chaired the department from 1979 until her death in 1984
- Arnaldo Rodriguez-Bague
James L. Lardner Memorial Award
Presented to an undergraduate for achievement in extracurricular activities; honors James Lardner, a practitioner of the “golden style of oratory,” who gave frequent readings and served the school from 1909 until his retirement in 1941
- Coco Huang
Martha Lavey Prize
Designated for outstanding upperclassmen in the Department of Performance Studies. The award is named in honor of SoC alumna Martha Lavey (Comm ’79, ’86, ’94 H ’10), former artistic director and ensemble member of the Steppenwolf Theatre and longtime advocate of young playwrights, artists and community outreach
- Nathan Karnik
Debate Society
Milton S. Florsheim Prize
Presented for excellence in debate; established in 1922 by Northwestern trustee Milton S. Florsheim, founder and board chair of the Florsheim Shoe Company
- Nina Fridman
- Camille Garcia-Mendoza
- Jack Landgraff
- Wasim Rahaman
- Nik Stamenkovic-Diez
- Tim Wegener
John B. Kirk Awards
Honors winners of the Kirk Oratorical Contest, an annual public-speaking competition—open to all Northwestern undergraduates—thatwasfoundedinthelate1870sby Evanstonian John B. Kirk
- Nina Fridman
- Camille Garcia-Mendoza
- Jack Landgraff
- Wasim Rahaman
- Nik Stamenkovic-Diez
- Tim Wegener
Lambda Pi Eta
Undergraduate Students
Brandon Acosta
Nicholas Alia
Rahma Almajid
Meghan Altemose
Paia Amelio
Edith Ariana Anaya
Camille Argentar
Trevor Band
Arshad Baruti
Annie Beaubien
Mathew Benson
Caroline Bercu
Leah Berridge
Chloe Bivona
Sophia Blake
Lucia Boyd
Kyra Brands
Emily Brooks
Hailey Brunson
Katherine Brussell
Alyssa Burton
Clara Butler
Grace Cashman
Gabrielle Cator
Mia Cavener
Kalpita Chakote
Sophia Civetta
Kate Coffey
Noah Cohen
Isaac Conner
Kendyl Counts
Gabriela Coutinho
Caroline Crawford
Joyce Cui
Benjamin Curwin
Michael Daalder
Sarah Nur Dagher Torres
Sophia Danielle Grenier
Jack Datin
Haley Davis
Melanie De Vincentiis
Riina Dougherty
Faith Douglas
Emily Drucker
Madeline Durmowicz
Mary Dwyer
Enrique Eguiguren
Lily Ellyin
Sungchin Eraso
John Ertman
Noah Evangelides
Gillian Finnegan
Grace Fisher
Emma Flanders
David Flores
Arella Flur
Valerie Fong
Zachary Forbes
Andrew Fortin
Alana Friedman
Grace Frome
Lena Galbreath
Camille Garcia Mendoza
Nicholas Gatti
Nora Geffen
Sophia Gholdoian
Hannah Gillespie
Berit Ginsberg
Samantha Glassner
Megan Gordon
Madison Grady
Pallas Gutierrez
Victoria Hahm
Anelga Hajjar
Shannon Han
Lucy Harrington
Georgia Harris
Elizabeth Hatton
John Hecimovich
Anika Hendricks
Mary Hilbert
Richard Hilscher
Jack Hoeg
Katharine Hoffman
Abigail Holthaus
Jade Hostein
Seth Humerick
Mitchell Huntley
Jenni Hutson
Joshua Jacobs
Kinsey Jasnoch
Samuel Jenkins
Sophie Jiang
Ruoyin Jiao
Sydney Johnson
Maxwell Johnson
Lucy Jung
Benjamin Kaiser
Patrycja Kaluzynska
Lauren Katz
Mackenzie Keegan
Jordan Kelly
Sahibzada Mayed Ali Khan
Ruchir Khazanchi
Rachel Khutorsky
Christine Kim
Joanna Kim
Gene Kim
Grace Koplin
Justin Kuhn
Sarah Kulaga
Brandon Kyung
McKenna Lanter
Haley Lawson
Alicia Lee
SeungWon Lee
Julianna Lee
Alison Lee
Ginny Lee
Abigail Letscher
Melissa Lewyn
Cindy Liang
Hannah Lindvall
Xiaoxiao Liu
Danielle Llevada
Sarah Maciag
Connor Maduzia
Skyler Maeso
Samara Malik
Alex Manaa
Alexander Manrique
Kaitlyn Margolis
Brett Mayfield
Molly McCarthy
Daryn McElroy
Hannah McGrath
Jamie Miller
Alexander Milne
Isabella Min
Riley Mulcahy
Finnian Murphy
Alexis Nauden
Evan Neiden
Jessica Nekritz
Lennart Nielsen
Samantha Noeth Lewis
Kira Nutter
Olivia O’Brien
Madeline Oberle
Seungjoo Oh
Nelson Okunlola
Femi Olaniyi
Jackson Owen
Allison Palermo
Owen Pickette
Samantha Pietenpol
Taylor Pinzone
Adam Present
Devon Pollock
Mariama Pouye
Xinyuan Pu
Shanzana Rashid
Abby Richardson
Grace Richardson
Nolan Robinson
Kaela Rosenbaum
Alicia Ross
Joshua Ryan
Ganpicha Sahasakul
Jean Sanders
Caralyn Savin
Skylar Scharer
Maya Schnake
Samantha Schnuer
Ceara Schreibstein
Shelby Schultz
Alexandra Seigerman
Charles Senko
Jean Selep
Chelewynne Shuart
Halle Sigman
Max Silberg
Hannah So
Shreya Sriram
Claire Stevens
Carson Stewart
Lawrence Suba
Grace Swanson
Rey Tang
Stefanie Tedards
Sydney Tennill
Andrew Thomas
Matthew Threadgill
Candace Todd
Lauren Tran
Sheyda Tribble
Jack Logan Tuchner
Danielle Turk
Soo Hyun Um
Hope Valls
Jameson Verser
Anh Vinh Vo
Charles Wallach
Hayley Wallenfeldt
Lauren Washington
Gray Watson
Annika Weinberg
Samantha Weinberg
Emily Weintraub
Lydia Weir
Natalie Welber
Olivia Whitmer
Elizabeth Winslow
Cate Wolfen
Warren Woo
Kaitlin Wood
Adam Wurst
Hong Xue
Kate Yamin
Allana Yoo
Su Min You
Melissa Yuen
Elyse Yun
Ankai Zhang
Zhengyuan Zhao
Olivia Zimmerman