Departmental Awards and Scholarships
Every year, The Department of East Asian Languages & Cultures recognizes outstanding students for their academic achievements. We invite you to browse the various awards presented to our students over the years.
If you have been recognized in the past and don't see your name, email us and we will add you to our list of recipients
E. John Niswander Awards
Thess awards are presented to promising students at the elementary level in Chinese, Japanese, and Korean.
E. John Niswander Chinese Dictionary Award
2022 Viola Elena Huerta and Collin Keating
2021Reyanda Fadul and Miles Luce
2020 Savannah Glaves and Keira Dobbs
2019 Benjamin McPheeters
2018 Corinne Nguyen and Paul McPheeters
2017 Monica Jeong and Logan Murphy
2016 Adrienne Cox and Rena Stair
2015 Garrett Jason Schuman and Patrick Spanier
2014 Mario Vlasic and Hannah Jones
2013 Nolan Schmidt and Michael Stephen Swarts
E. John Niswander Japanese Dictionary Award
2022 Lucy Axmann and Logan Ward
2021 Avery Heck and John Marvin
2020 Emily McAllister and Lily Nguyen
2019 Yamilecs Estupinan and Carol-Ann E Gibbs
2018 Alexis Harms and Frances Swartzer
2017 Wren Howerton and Duncan McGraw
2016 Michael Burns and Jake Harris
2015 Alexis A. Butts and Chelsea M. Morris
2014 Victoria Purvis, Michelle Dunn, and Brittany Spargur
2013 Brock Miller and Alexandra Schoenberg
E. John Niswander Korean Dictionary Award
2022 Alissa Toda and Daphne Wagner
2021 Lizzie Bocanegra and Wonbin Park
2020 Charlotte Carrico and Emily McAllister
2019 Savannah Glaves and Sarah Dotzert
2018 Taryn Johnson and Nakita McCoy
2017 Sydney Logan and Amani Raheel
2016 Grace Devero
2015 Vann Hassell
E. John Niswander Award for Excellence in Intermediate Japanese
2022 Avery Heck
2021 Carlos Emil De Vera
2020 Emily Lepine
2019 Jacob Barta and Alexis Harms
2018 Emily Spradlin
2017 Bailey Severson
2016 Mary Mitchell
2015 Jonathan Mains
E. John Niswander Korean Book Award
2015 Katie Harding
E. John Niswander Award for Excellence in Intermediate Korean
2022 Lizzie Bocanegra
2021 Gabby Bowen
2020 Megan Spurgeon
2019 Michaela Harding
2018 Ruth Taylor
2017 Elizabeth Friedeman
2016 Brooklyn Shaw
2015 Kassandra Knoff
2014 Breanna Endecott, Kim Hang, and Juliana Alor
2013 Emily Guerin
Grace Wan Award
This fund is given annually to a promising undergraduate student at the intermediate level of Chinese language study.
2022 Joan Downey (Undergraduate) and Milla Hanova (Undergraduate)
2021 Savannah Glaves (Undergraduate) and Keira Dobbs (Undergraduate)
2020 Alexis Harms (Undergraduate) and Zachary Padilla (Undergraduate)
2019 Nyla Nicole Chaudhry (Undergraduate)
2018 Keegan Sparks (Undergraduate)
2017 Rena Stair (Undergraduate)
2016 Philip Bradshaw (Undergraduate)
2015 Beth Fentress (Undergraduate) and Mario Vlasic (Undergraduate)
2014 Patrick Walter (Undergraduate) and Stefanie Becker (Graduate)
2013 Samuel Real (Undergraduate) and Emily Bowden (Graduate)
Andrew and Lilly Tsubaki Award
This fund is given annually to a student to support their participation in a study abroad program in Japan.
2022 Cody Simpson
2021 Ryan Monahan
2019 Kaleb Bloomfield
2018 Kayla Harbour
2017 Quincy Hardin
2016 Chelsea Morris
2015 Monique Ware
2014 Nicole Prenevost
2013 Annette Jardon
Excellence in Tibetan Award
The Excellence in Tibetan Award is awarded annually to promising students of the Tibetan language.
2022 Khalil Kumar
2021 Jonah Berggren
2020 Carolisa Gail Watson
2017 Clair Ryan
2016 Molly Kaup
2015 Hank Mamalis
Tibetan Dictionary Award
The Tibetan Dictionary Award is awarded annually to promising students of the Tibetan language.
2014 Jiaqi Liu
Mary and Joseph Kuo Scholarship
This fund is given annually to one intermediate or advanced level student who demonstrates exceptional talent and expresses a commitment to continue his or her Chinese studies at the University of Kansas or in graduate studies.
2022 Kayleigh Pokphanh
2021 Cailin Ann Williams and Anne C. Hrenchir
2020 Isaac Alexander Jambor and Veronica Lopez
2019 Mary Kate Rielley
2018 Grace Price
2017 Mallory Copeland
2016 Garrett Schuman
2015 Kasey Considine
2014 Whitney Onasch
2013 Ryan Herrington
The Jill Kleinberg Scholarship
The Jill Kleinberg Scholarship will provide funds to a promising undergraduate student to study abroad or intern in East Asia.
2018 Garrett Schuman
2017 Jamie Hartford
2016 Isaiah Hastings
2015 Anna Hu
2013 Derrick Wells
Foreign Language and Area Studies [FLAS] Fellowships
Academic Year 2022
Savannah Nolte
Josette Pinto
Molly McIntyre
Summer 2022
Chris Mason
Savannah Nolte
Cody Simpson
Alexys Peppers
Academic Year 2021
Taylor Billings
Alice Liu
Amaya Madden
Hannah Oh
Abigail Spiess
Logan Ward
Megan Heeney
John Lubianetsky
Raina Peter
Summer 2021
Henry Amis
Gabby Bowen
Jesus Briseno
Taniah Fairbank
Savannah Glaves
Honorah Maggio
Jackson Martin
Cade Wilburn
Academic Year 2020
Isaac Allred
Colin Pate
Rachel Quist
Jeremy Ross
Scott Boland
Jesus Briseno
Quin Dotzert
Savannah Glaves
Michaela Harding
Sura Jaradet
Sarra Mahoney
Monica Morales
Summer 2020
Rachel Quist
Kenny Chan
Alexis Harms
Andrew Hartnett
Pachee Lor
Tyler McMillin
Owen Meyers
Academic Year 2019
Anna Harder
Kara Neeley
Catalina Wedman
Rachel Quist
Nathan Schellenberg
Nicholas Shea
Carolisa Watson
Summer 2019
Melinda Chen
Megan Londeen
Garnet Peeler
Sarra Mahoney
Megan Rooney
Hannah Stewart
Logan Stewart
Holden Zimmerman
Academic Year 2018
Andrea Chen
Kayla Harbour
Mathew Reinhold
Ruth Taylor
Preston Decker
Nathan Schellenberg
Laura Searcy
Nicholas Shea
Summer 2018
Jacob Clements
Natalie Craig
Aubree Grantz
Paul McPheeters
Christel Ostrowski
Academic Year 2017
Preston Decker
David Easley
Micah Edmondson
Aiyana Moyer
Steven Osaki
Maya Percich
Rachel Quist
Laura Searcy
Nicholas Shea
Summer 2017
Kimberly Hernandez
Andrew Kustodowicz
Mary Mitchell
Brian Rogers
Brooklyn Shaw
Academic Year 2016
Andrew Kustodowicz
Rachel Quist
Brian Rogers
Laura Searcy
Philip Bradshaw
Justin Connolly
Mallory Copeland
Kathleen M. Harding
Isaiah Hastings
Naomi K. Waterhouse
Summer 2016
Philip Bradshaw
Michael Burns
Mallory Copeland
William Hill
Andrew Kustodowicz
Rachel Quist
Academic Year 2015
Andrew Kustodowicz
William Hill
Phillip Kroh
Alexandra Miller
Phillip Garcia
Elle Gerleman
Akira Cowden
Vann Hassell
James Paisley
Lee Wu
Summer 2015
Andrew Kustodowicz
William Hill
Katie Conrad
Elizabeth Fentress
James Paisley
Samuel Real
2014 Academic Year
Katrina Connel
Zach Adam
Kasey Considine
Melanie Fichthorn
Sam Buchanan
Miles Simpson
Patrick Walter
2014 Summer
Taraneh Aghadie
William Ashley
Anna Hu
Patrick Walter
Michael Sqarts
Kasey Considine
Kodi Low
Alina Zheng
Chelsea Ziu
2013 Summer
Emerson James
Melanie Leng
Evan Koike
Evan McCormick
Sabrina Owens
Ethan Skinner
2013 Academic Year
Sarah Bregman
Annette Jardon
Emerson James
Melanie Leng
Susan McClannahan
Jacob Rhodes
Janet Chen
Adrienne Johnson
Justin Kohlbeck
Amanda Snider
E. John Niswander Awards
Thess awards are presented to promising students at the elementary level in Chinese, Japanese, and Korean.
E. John Niswander Chinese Dictionary Award
2022 Viola Elena Huerta and Collin Keating
2021Reyanda Fadul and Miles Luce
2020 Savannah Glaves and Keira Dobbs
2019 Benjamin McPheeters
2018 Corinne Nguyen and Paul McPheeters
2017 Monica Jeong and Logan Murphy
2016 Adrienne Cox and Rena Stair
2015 Garrett Jason Schuman and Patrick Spanier
2014 Mario Vlasic and Hannah Jones
2013 Nolan Schmidt and Michael Stephen Swarts
E. John Niswander Japanese Dictionary Award
2022 Lucy Axmann and Logan Ward
2021 Avery Heck and John Marvin
2020 Emily McAllister and Lily Nguyen
2019 Yamilecs Estupinan and Carol-Ann E Gibbs
2018 Alexis Harms and Frances Swartzer
2017 Wren Howerton and Duncan McGraw
2016 Michael Burns and Jake Harris
2015 Alexis A. Butts and Chelsea M. Morris
2014 Victoria Purvis, Michelle Dunn, and Brittany Spargur
2013 Brock Miller and Alexandra Schoenberg
E. John Niswander Korean Dictionary Award
2022 Alissa Toda and Daphne Wagner
2021 Lizzie Bocanegra and Wonbin Park
2020 Charlotte Carrico and Emily McAllister
2019 Savannah Glaves and Sarah Dotzert
2018 Taryn Johnson and Nakita McCoy
2017 Sydney Logan and Amani Raheel
2016 Grace Devero
2015 Vann Hassell
E. John Niswander Award for Excellence in Intermediate Japanese
2022 Avery Heck
2021 Carlos Emil De Vera
2020 Emily Lepine
2019 Jacob Barta and Alexis Harms
2018 Emily Spradlin
2017 Bailey Severson
2016 Mary Mitchell
2015 Jonathan Mains
E. John Niswander Korean Book Award
2015 Katie Harding
E. John Niswander Award for Excellence in Intermediate Korean
2022 Lizzie Bocanegra
2021 Gabby Bowen
2020 Megan Spurgeon
2019 Michaela Harding
2018 Ruth Taylor
2017 Elizabeth Friedeman
2016 Brooklyn Shaw
2015 Kassandra Knoff
2014 Breanna Endecott, Kim Hang, and Juliana Alor
2013 Emily Guerin
Grace Wan Award
This fund is given annually to a promising undergraduate student at the intermediate level of Chinese language study.
2022 Joan Downey (Undergraduate) and Milla Hanova (Undergraduate)
2021 Savannah Glaves (Undergraduate) and Keira Dobbs (Undergraduate)
2020 Alexis Harms (Undergraduate) and Zachary Padilla (Undergraduate)
2019 Nyla Nicole Chaudhry (Undergraduate)
2018 Keegan Sparks (Undergraduate)
2017 Rena Stair (Undergraduate)
2016 Philip Bradshaw (Undergraduate)
2015 Beth Fentress (Undergraduate) and Mario Vlasic (Undergraduate)
2014 Patrick Walter (Undergraduate) and Stefanie Becker (Graduate)
2013 Samuel Real (Undergraduate) and Emily Bowden (Graduate)
Andrew and Lilly Tsubaki Award
This fund is given annually to a student to support their participation in a study abroad program in Japan.
2022 Cody Simpson
2021 Ryan Monahan
2019 Kaleb Bloomfield
2018 Kayla Harbour
2017 Quincy Hardin
2016 Chelsea Morris
2015 Monique Ware
2014 Nicole Prenevost
2013 Annette Jardon
Excellence in Tibetan Award
The Excellence in Tibetan Award is awarded annually to promising students of the Tibetan language.
2022 Khalil Kumar
2021 Jonah Berggren
2020 Carolisa Gail Watson
2017 Clair Ryan
2016 Molly Kaup
2015 Hank Mamalis
Tibetan Dictionary Award
The Tibetan Dictionary Award is awarded annually to promising students of the Tibetan language.
2014 Jiaqi Liu
Mary and Joseph Kuo Scholarship
This fund is given annually to one intermediate or advanced level student who demonstrates exceptional talent and expresses a commitment to continue his or her Chinese studies at the University of Kansas or in graduate studies.
2022 Kayleigh Pokphanh
2021 Cailin Ann Williams and Anne C. Hrenchir
2020 Isaac Alexander Jambor and Veronica Lopez
2019 Mary Kate Rielley
2018 Grace Price
2017 Mallory Copeland
2016 Garrett Schuman
2015 Kasey Considine
2014 Whitney Onasch
2013 Ryan Herrington
The Jill Kleinberg Scholarship
The Jill Kleinberg Scholarship will provide funds to a promising undergraduate student to study abroad or intern in East Asia.
2018 Garrett Schuman
2017 Jamie Hartford
2016 Isaiah Hastings
2015 Anna Hu
2013 Derrick Wells
Foreign Language and Area Studies [FLAS] Fellowships
Academic Year 2022
Savannah Nolte
Josette Pinto
Molly McIntyre
Summer 2022
Chris Mason
Savannah Nolte
Cody Simpson
Alexys Peppers
Academic Year 2021
Taylor Billings
Alice Liu
Amaya Madden
Hannah Oh
Abigail Spiess
Logan Ward
Megan Heeney
John Lubianetsky
Raina Peter
Summer 2021
Henry Amis
Gabby Bowen
Jesus Briseno
Taniah Fairbank
Savannah Glaves
Honorah Maggio
Jackson Martin
Cade Wilburn
Academic Year 2020
Isaac Allred
Colin Pate
Rachel Quist
Jeremy Ross
Scott Boland
Jesus Briseno
Quin Dotzert
Savannah Glaves
Michaela Harding
Sura Jaradet
Sarra Mahoney
Monica Morales
Summer 2020
Rachel Quist
Kenny Chan
Alexis Harms
Andrew Hartnett
Pachee Lor
Tyler McMillin
Owen Meyers
Academic Year 2019
Anna Harder
Kara Neeley
Catalina Wedman
Rachel Quist
Nathan Schellenberg
Nicholas Shea
Carolisa Watson
Summer 2019
Melinda Chen
Megan Londeen
Garnet Peeler
Sarra Mahoney
Megan Rooney
Hannah Stewart
Logan Stewart
Holden Zimmerman
Academic Year 2018
Andrea Chen
Kayla Harbour
Mathew Reinhold
Ruth Taylor
Preston Decker
Nathan Schellenberg
Laura Searcy
Nicholas Shea
Summer 2018
Jacob Clements
Natalie Craig
Aubree Grantz
Paul McPheeters
Christel Ostrowski
Academic Year 2017
Preston Decker
David Easley
Micah Edmondson
Aiyana Moyer
Steven Osaki
Maya Percich
Rachel Quist
Laura Searcy
Nicholas Shea
Summer 2017
Kimberly Hernandez
Andrew Kustodowicz
Mary Mitchell
Brian Rogers
Brooklyn Shaw
Academic Year 2016
Andrew Kustodowicz
Rachel Quist
Brian Rogers
Laura Searcy
Philip Bradshaw
Justin Connolly
Mallory Copeland
Kathleen M. Harding
Isaiah Hastings
Naomi K. Waterhouse
Summer 2016
Philip Bradshaw
Michael Burns
Mallory Copeland
William Hill
Andrew Kustodowicz
Rachel Quist
Academic Year 2015
Andrew Kustodowicz
William Hill
Phillip Kroh
Alexandra Miller
Phillip Garcia
Elle Gerleman
Akira Cowden
Vann Hassell
James Paisley
Lee Wu
Summer 2015
Andrew Kustodowicz
William Hill
Katie Conrad
Elizabeth Fentress
James Paisley
Samuel Real
2014 Academic Year
Katrina Connel
Zach Adam
Kasey Considine
Melanie Fichthorn
Sam Buchanan
Miles Simpson
Patrick Walter
2014 Summer
Taraneh Aghadie
William Ashley
Anna Hu
Patrick Walter
Michael Sqarts
Kasey Considine
Kodi Low
Alina Zheng
Chelsea Ziu
2013 Summer
Emerson James
Melanie Leng
Evan Koike
Evan McCormick
Sabrina Owens
Ethan Skinner
2013 Academic Year
Sarah Bregman
Annette Jardon
Emerson James
Melanie Leng
Susan McClannahan
Jacob Rhodes
Janet Chen
Adrienne Johnson
Justin Kohlbeck
Amanda Snider