The Department of Communication celebrated outstanding student achievements at its awards ceremony on Wednesday, April 26, 2023.


The 2022-2023 department fellows were honored and thanked for their work and contributions to the department: Wanling Baker, Mohamed Hassan, Laine Hursh, Thomas Leist, Gracy Phan, and Htoo Eh Redford-Maung Maung. The incoming 2023-2024 department fellows were also recognized and welcomed: Nicole Barnas, Tahkeese Brown, Taria Fitch, Priyanshi Kanoria, Nhi Yen Le, Grace Liebler, and Thu Nguyen.

The 2022 Department of Communication Summer Research Scholars were also recognized: Colleen Boyle (advised by Dr. Kurtz), Jinxin Chen (advised by Dr. Cimaglio), Ha Doan (advised by Dr. Chuang), and Anh Pham (advised by Dr. Chuang).

Priyanshi Kanoria received the James Huchison-Lionel B. Crocker Scholarship, which is awarded to a rising senior who exemplifies distinguished work in the communication field.

Tahkeese Brown received the Geraldine H. Crocker Scholarship, which is awarded to a rising senior in recognition of achievement in the field of communication.

Wanling Baker received the John P. Levis Award for outstanding academic achievement in the Department of Communication. This award is given to the student majoring in communication with the highest grade point average.

Avery Noteman received the Robert W. Levering Award for outstanding skills in speech communication.

Laine Hush received the Clyde S. Shumaker Award for excellence in communication through performance and commitment to the college and to the department of communication.

Htoo Eh Redford-Maung Maung and Anh Pham received the Dudgeon-Scheiderer Award. This is awarded for commitment to communication through demonstrated persistence in academic pursuits and development of positive professional relationships anchored to the richest values of the liberal arts.

Jinxin Chen and Gracy Phan received the William R. Dresser Love of Learning Award for outstanding academic achievement, generous contributions to the department, intellectual curiosity, and a remarkable love of learning.

Priyanshi Kanoria received the inaugural Dr. Suzanne Condray Award for her podcast, “Analysis of Barbara Jordan’s 1974 Speech.” This award recognizes outstanding student work in a format beyond the conventional academic paper that extends knowledge creation to forms beyond the written word alone.

Two students received the Dr. Orlando Taylor Paper Award: Nhi Yen Le for her paper “A Public Shaming Pandemic: An Analysis of Mainstream Vietnamese Newspapers During the Covid-19 Pandemic,” and Yifei Liang for her paper “The Silence of African American Scholar.” This award is given to a student who has produced outstanding work in the field of Communication.

The ceremony concluded with the recognition of senior members and induction of new members to Lambda Pi Eta, the National Communication Association’s official communication honor society.

Lambda Pi Eta members recognized in the Class of 2023 included: Wanling Baker, Rachel Block, Zinc Chen, Bailey deTuro, Mohamed Hassan, Laine Hursh, Allaire Kotz, James Souther Lehmberg, Thomas Leist, Zach Leonard, Francie Lindell, Jaz’mene Little, Leah Jane Mayberry, Callie Raine Natiello, Chloe Nicholson, Haley Nguyen, Avery Noteman, Nicole Pavese, Anh Pham, Gracy Phan, Emma Repke, Hannah Sousa, and Hannah Wedepohl.

Lambda Pi Eta members recognized in the Class of 2024 included: Keryane Adjei-Akosah, Nelson Ross Austria, Nicole Barnas, Colleen O’Sullivan Boyle, Tahkeese Brown, Alison Burns, Caroline Davis, Taria Patricia Fitch, Tessa Gerhardt, Sarah Healy, Anna N. Jones, Priyanshi Kanoria, Nhi Yen Le, Grace Liebler, Jakob Tyler Lucas, Meghan McManus, Hong-Anh Nguyen, Thu Nguyen, Jonathan Nhan, Alex K.S. Pan, Alexandra Redrick, Nicholas Morrow Vance, and Ava Eileen Warcaba.

April 27, 2023