2014 End-of-Year Awards Given to Outstanding Meadows Students and Faculty

Every spring, individual divisions of the Meadows School of the Arts select outstanding students for special awards recognizing their scholarship, creative talent and community involvement. Students also may be honored by their divisions by being selected to serve as a Reader or Marshal for Commencement.

In addition, a number of Meadows students and faculty have been honored with special awards from the University for 2014.

Winners of the SMU and Meadows School of the Arts departmental awards for 2014 are as follows (all are graduating seniors unless otherwise noted):

UNIVERSITY HONORS

Tony Pederson, The Belo Foundation Endowed Distinguished Chair in Journalism, and Communication Studies seniors Antonea Bastian, Ashley Garner, Michael Graves, Anthony McAuliffe and Communication Studies/Advertising double major Devean Owens were among the recipients of this year’s “M” Award, SMU’s most prestigious honor, which recognized contributions to the University “above and beyond the call of duty.”

Pamela Harris-Hackett, visiting lecturer in Journalism, was one of four recipients of the Outstanding Professor Awards presented by the Rotunda yearbook.

The Office of Community Engagement and Leadership’s Outstanding Faculty/Staff Volunteer Award was presented to Owen Lynch, associate professor and director of the Honors Program and SMU London Internships in Communication Studies. The award honors exemplary community service outside the University.

Communication Studies junior Geenah Krisht is among the six recipients of the John L. Freehafer Memorial Award, given by the University to a select few students every year who have demonstrated an interest in student life, activities and government.

Journalism senior Stephanie Embree and Communication Studies junior Lauren Ford were among the five winners of the Sheri Mooney Memorial Scholarship Award from the Office of the Chaplain. The award is presented to students whose Christian faith is evident as a recognizable priority in their day-to-day campus life.

Theatre senior Amelia Johns received the Betty Janette Maynard Award for Excellent Scholarship in Women’s and Gender Studies.

Communication Studies seniors Faith Miller and Mary-Ashley Seabrook were among six winners of the A. Kenneth Pye Outstanding Greek Leader Award.

MEADOWS SCHOOL HONORS

Temerlin Advertising Institute

Outstanding Academic Achievement in Advertising – Ashley Anderson
Outstanding Academic Achievement in Creative – Mackenzie Keck
Kappa Tau Alpha Initiates – Undergraduate: Ashley Anderson, Katherine Andriot, Mackenzie Keck, Alexandria Stinger; Graduate: Jessica Miller
Kappa Tau Alpha is a college honor society that recognizes academic excellence and promotes scholarship in journalism and mass communication.

Marshal – Mackenzie Keck
Reader (graduate student) – Sarah Jane Seaton
Reader (undergraduate student) – Ashley Anderson

Division of Art

Dan Wingren Award for Outstanding Senior – Luke Sanchez
Charley Aberg Travel Award – Lahela Williams
Stephen D. Wilder Travel Award – Hellen Kohnke
Frances B. Cowan Award in Printmaking – Elainy Lopez, Lahela Williams
Marshal – Tim Best
Reader (undergraduate student) – Edward Albert Saenz

Department of Art History

Alessandra Comini Award for Outstanding Undergraduate Art History Major – Taeler Sanchez
Outstanding Senior Award – Sarah Montonchaikul
Marshal – Meredith Tavallaee
Reader (undergraduate student) – Sarah Montonchaikul

Division of Arts Management and Arts Entrepreneurship

(Note: These students are receiving graduate degrees.)
Lanham Deal Internship Award – Jillian Sanders
This award recognizes and assists outstanding students in arts management. The award was established in honor of Lanham Deal, a Meadows alumnus and prominent leader of music organizations in Dallas in the decades after World War II.

Marshal – Elizabeth Bauman
Reader – Jillian Sanders

Division of Communication Studies

Outstanding Academic Achievement – Anthony McAuliffe
Outstanding Student in Corporate Communication – Kira Plastinina and Katie Schoen
Outstanding Student in Nonprofit Management – Michael W. Graves
Outstanding Student in Public Affairs – Mary-Ashley Seabrook and Savannah Stephens
Outstanding Student in Public Relations – Brittani Strickland
Outstanding Senior in Debate and Speech – Basma Raza
Outstanding Senior in Honors Program – Kira Plastinina
Outstanding Senior in Mock Trial – Alex Pratt
Outstanding Senior in mustangconsulting – Caitlin Shaughnessy
Outstanding Senior in PRSSA – Hannah Rittenberry
Advisory Board Scholar Awards – Vashtai Kekich, Devin Kerns, Lori Lizarraga, Briana Monsalve (junior), Meredith Murphy (junior) and Jazmin Vazquez
Stan Levenson Honorary Scholar Award – Marc Bullard, Alexandra Douglass, Devin Kerns and Jazmin Vazquez
Douglas Bauer Incentive Scholar Awards – Marc Bullard, Alexandra Douglass (junior), Jessica Jan (junior), Vashtai Kekich, Lori Lizarraga, Briana Monsalve (junior) and Jazmin Vazquez
Kappa Tau Alpha Initiates – Ashlyn Casto, Michael W. Graves, Anthony McAuliffe, Kira Plastinina, Caitlin Shaughnessy and Brittani Strickland
Kappa Tau Alpha is a college honor society that recognizes academic excellence and
promotes scholarship in journalism and mass communication.

Marshal – Ashley Garner
Reader – Devean Owens

Division of Dance

Outstanding Achievement in Dance – Allison Leopold, Aubrey Neal and Alexandria Stinger
Marshal – Caitlin Heflin
Reader – Kaylah Chanel Burton

Division of Film and Media Arts

Outstanding Scholarly Achievement Award – Olivia Cassidy and Amanda Presmyk
Outstanding Creative Achievement in Film/Media Production – Thomas Gelo
Outstanding Achievement in Screenwriting for Film and Media Arts – Esther Tshibangu
Nash Parsley Memorial Award for Outstanding Creative Achievement – Daniel Tomlinson
Marshal – Olivia Cassidy
Reader – Amanda Presmyk

Division of Journalism

Outstanding Achievement in Broadcast Journalism – Patricia Villacin
Outstanding Achievement in Digital Journalism – Paz Beatty
Outstanding Achievement in Print Journalism – Haley Thayer
Kappa Tau Alpha Initiates – Megan Grosse, Zain Haidar, Amanda Presmyk, Brooke Reagan, Patricia Villacin
Kappa Tau Alpha is a college honor society that recognizes academic excellence and promotes scholarship in journalism and mass communication.

Marshal – Megan Lynn Grosse
Reader – Zain Hussein Haidar

Division of Music

Undergraduate Award for Excellence in Music – Daniel Bouchard and Rebecca Roose
Undergraduate Concerto Competition Winners – Sami Eudy, flute and Scott Leger, horn
General Concerto Competition Winners – Santiago Cañón-Valencia, cello (Performance Diploma), Astrid Morales Torres, piano (master’s student) and Emily Roberts, flute (master’s student)
Pi Kappa Lambda Initiates – Jodi Lynn Coke, Arielle Collier, Ryan Lawrence Greene, Mari Hailu, Nicholas Laham, Armando Monsivais, Daniela Mueller, Raquel Nicole Nguyen, Victoria L. Nooe, Jason Edward Platt, Nora Joan Prener, David Jordan Taylor, Hannah Thomas-Hollands and Christopher Tran
Pi Kappa Lambda is a national honorary music society; membership is based on artistic achievement, scholarly excellence and exemplary character.

Dora Poteet Barclay Award – Kristofer Kiesel (master’s student)
This award is given to an organ major with a 3.0 average or higher, as selected by the organ music faculty.

Thomas Hayward Memorial Award – Cecily Gordon
The Thomas Hayward Award was established in honor of his incredible teaching at Meadows from 1964 until his retirement in 1994. Hayward’s career included 14 years as a leading tenor with the Metropolitan Opera. This award goes to an undergraduate voice major with a GPA above 3.0, chosen by the faculty. 

Dr. Ben K. Howard Award for Excellence in Opera – Michelle Alexander (master’s student)
The Dr. Ben K. Howard Award for Excellence in Opera recognizes a young artist who has shown a dynamic commitment to excellence in the field of opera, in addition to making major contributions to the Meadows Opera Theatre program during a given year.

Norman L. Jacobs Memorial Award – Scott Nguyen
The Norman L. Jacobs Memorial Award is given to a student or students selected by the brass faculty for outstanding contribution through performances, studio and master classes.

Roy and Sue Johnson Award – Daniel Bouchard
The Roy and Sue Johnson Award is given to a graduating senior or graduate student in any music field selected by a vote of the entire music faculty for a combination of high standards in scholarship and artistry. 

Roy and Sue Johnson Opera Theatre Award – Quinten Coleman (master’s student) and Kristen Meyers (master’s student)
The Roy and Sue Johnson Award in Opera Theatre is given to outstanding graduate members of the opera theatre class - with the preference that they go to one man and one woman. 

Roy and Sue Johnson Award in Organ or Sacred Music in Honor of Robert Anderson – Daniela Mueller (master’s student)
The Roy and Sue Johnson Award in Organ or Sacred Music was established to honor distinguished Professor Emeritus of Organ and Sacred Music Dr. Robert T. Anderson, and recognizes outstanding achievement in this area. 

Roy and Sue Johnson Award in Memory of Maurice Acers – Scott Leger
This award is in memory of the Johnsons’ good friend and fellow musician, Maurice Acers. Because of Mr. Acers’ keen interest in sharing his love of music, they wanted this award to recognize outstanding contributions of a student active in teaching in the general education curriculum or community outreach activities involving music. 

John E. Krout Music Therapy Award – Morgan Wood
This award is given to a second or third year music therapy student who has shown both commitment and compassion in their clinical work with children, adolescents, and/or adults with special needs.

Lloyd Pfautsch Award – Nathan Myers (master’s student)
Established by an endowment created by the friends and former students of Lloyd Pfautsch, former choral director of the Division of Music, the Lloyd Pfautsch Award is selected by all choir members for someone who demonstrates leadership, musicianship and scholarship.

Theodore Presser Scholarship – Sami Eudy
Being selected as a Presser Scholar is one of the most prestigious achievements in any undergraduate music school. The Presser Scholar receives a financial award at the beginning of the fall semester and their name is engraved on a plaque that hangs permanently in the Meadows Music Division office.

Sigma Alpha Iota Award – Nora Prener (Performance Diploma)
This award is designated for the person chosen by the ensemble directors for scholarship and outstanding contribution to a performing ensemble. Sigma Alpha Iota is a national, professional music fraternity and the Division of Music is grateful for this award, which they present each year. 

Paul Van Katwijk Award – Sarah Welch
The Van Katwijk Award is given in honor of Paul van Katwijk, dean of the School of Music at SMU from 1919-49. This award goes to an outstanding undergraduate piano major selected by the piano faculty.

Paul Velucci Piano Award – Lizhen Wu (master’s student)
This award is given in honor of Paul Velucci, a former SMU piano faculty member, conductor and one of the great vocal coaches in the U.S. The award recognizes an outstanding piano student and is selected by the piano faculty.

Harold Von Mickwitz Prize in Piano – Astrid Morales Torres (master’s student)
The prize, named after the first dean of the Meadows School of Music (1916-1918), is presented to the pianist who performs with the Meadows Symphony Orchestra as the winner of the annual Concerto Competition.

Marshal – Daniel Bouchard
Reader (graduate student) – Jodi Coke
Reader (undergraduate student) – Rebecca Roose

Division of Theatre

Undergraduate Award for Academic Excellence in the Division of Theatre – Elizabeth Berkman, Tom Gelo, Amelia Johns, Josh Kumler, Lauren Mishoe and Kelsey Smith
Edyth Renshaw Award – Sarah Hamilton and Jakeem Powell
This award is given to an outstanding senior student for contribution to the division, academic achievement, and outstanding promise as an actor, director or designer.

Lu Gene Singleton Award – Tom Gelo
This award is given to a student for exceptional acts of service, either to individuals or to the department and for a prevailing generosity of spirit, which marks this individual’s distinction.

Garland Wright Award for Directing – Sarah Hamilton, Kristen Kelso and Carson McCain
This award is given to an outstanding student in the field of Directing.

Taubman Scholarship for Excellence in Graduate Stage Design – Sarah Brown
This award is given to a first- or second-year graduate design student.

Bob Hope Award for Design – Ella Rose Haag
This award is given to an outstanding second- or third-year design graduate student for scholarship, classroom leadership, academic achievement, self-development, progress as a designer in major studio and classroom performances, and production contribution.

Bill and Jean Eckart Award in Design – Luther Frank
Bob Hope Scholarship for Excellence in Graduate Acting – Taylor Harris
This award is given to a first or second-year graduate acting student.

Bob Hope Scholarship for Excellence in Undergraduate Acting – Andrea Flowers
Bob Hope Award for Excellence in Acting – Stephen Torres
This award is given to an outstanding graduate acting student for scholarship, classroom leadership, academic achievement, self-development, progress as a performer in major studio and classroom performances, and production contribution.

Greer Garson Awards – Amelia Johns, Jakeem Powell, Kristen Kelso, Steve Smith
Katie Featherston Awards – Claire Carson, Kaley Smith, Jared Wilson
Rosenfield Playwriting Awards – Claire Carson, Stephen Gardner, Thomas Gelo, Sarah Hamilton, Kristen Keso
Marshal – Sarah Hamilton
Reader (graduate student) – Brandon Potter
Reader (undergraduate student) – Jakeem Powell