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
Kristen Waagner
Kristen is a multi-talented actor, director, theatre maker, and artistic leader. With generosity and kindness, Kristen shares her knowledge—and imaginative visual storytelling skills—with newer students. Her creativity is boundless and her work on productions has been described as inventive, astonishing, and mature. The senior is a theatre major with an Asian American studies minor.
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
Sarah Clayton
Sarah gives their time, attention, and talents to her coursework and the radio/television/film department community in equal measure. Their presence in the classroom is marked by thoughtful feedback, exceptional script writing, and astute (and hilarious) commentary. On set, they are wholly involved, acting as advocate and voice of experience on any number of matters. In addition to their job in the Cage, Sarah, a junior, is involved in URSA (Undergraduate Radio/Television/Film Association), URAP (Undergraduate Research Assistant Program), the Blackout, Niteskool, and Northwestern Art Review. The gender and sexuality studies minor received two Summer Undergraduate Research Grants for filmmaking projects and has been selected for the 2023-24 Senior Directing Cohort.
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
Faith Walh
Faith is described as the consummate performer: dedicated, committed, and focused. The dancer, actor, singer, and choreographer is highly collaborative and cares about the process of making live performance. Her love of dance and theatre is evident in her maturity, skill, and heavy involvement in both dance coursework and co-curricular activities. Faith, a first-year student, is a dance major, theatre minor, and hopes to start the musical theatre certificate program. She will surely continue to make an impact both on stage and behind the scenes.
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
Sophia Gambill
Sophia, with impressive strengths in academics, research, and service, is a veritable triple threat in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders. Eager, mature, independent, and creative, the sophomore is a valued member of both the Swallowing Cross-Systems Collaborative lab and Camp Kesem, where she is counselor and volunteer coordinator.
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
Sydney Moe
Notable for her communication skills, work ethic, and drive, Sydney is a budding research star and an excellent collaborator. She displays care for her work both in and outside the classroom and bears a remarkable maturity as an undergraduate working among professors and senior research staff in the Health Communication Interaction Design lab. Despite being a transfer student, she quickly adapted to the challenges of her changing curriculum and is embracing everything Northwestern.
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
Lucy Harrington
Lucy is passionate about new work, storytelling, supporting artists, and pursuing artistic leadership. As hard as she works in her courses and theatre management module, she gives equal attention to advocacy, conflict resolution, and centering underrepresented voices and experiences in staged productions. Her tenacity and passion served her well as she navigated COVID-19 protocols around live performance securing usage rights to materials. Said one nominator about Lucy: Lucy opens the circle up. Her identity is organically integrated into her art.”
Lucia Wiant Award
Awarded to a student who has shown outstanding academic or artistic growth in the communication arts and sciences
Blessing Agyare
High achieving and hardworking, Blessing recently transferred into the communication studies department and managed to make an extraordinary impression—and quickly. Her work is powerful, moving, and always well prepared. She is and was an exemplar who gives her all to her work.
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
Yong Lee
Yong is a generous and collaborative community member whose work centers on trans identity and disability justice, and how these worlds intersect with the Asian American experience. Their interdisciplinary spirit, artistry, and scholarship enriches classrooms and informs existing notions about queerness, disability, and fan cultures.
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)
Sunnie Eraso
Wildly creative and multi-talented, Sunnie is a natural leader and mentor for the Northwestern theatre community. Her phenomenal stage presence is matched only by her impressive and thoughtful classroom contributions. The senior steps up to challenges and still manages to surprise all with her disarmingly brilliant approach to storytelling. She is a theatre major with an American studies minor who is pursuing the music theatre certificate. She is a proud member of Vertigo Productions and a three-time peer advisor to incoming theatre students.
(Division II)
Xanthe Brown
Compelling, heartfelt, and technically skilled, Xanthe brings her positivity and brightness to everything she creates in the radio/television/film department. While her passions are in comedy, the senior’s thoughtful commentary and energetic classroom contributions hint at the empathetic and nurturing person behind her work. Xanthe was involved in URAP, the Advanced Sitcom Initiative, the Flipside, and the Cage, where she works helping fellow RTVF majors prepare their projects.
(Division III)
Victor Criollo
Victor’s contributions to communication sciences and disorders are a direct result of his outstanding participation and curiosity in multiple arenas. He has made a positive impact on campus as internal coordinator of the Masculinity, Allyship, Reflection, Solidarity (MARS) group, which educates clubs and organizations on sexual assault prevention and masculinity. The sophomore is a Questbridge scholar, a tutor of middle schoolers, and a pivotal part of the LEARN Lab.