The accomplishments of Kenyon’s talented community — from its students to its distinguished faculty and alumni — were celebrated Tuesday during this year’s Honors Day.
The annual convocation offers an important chance to highlight a student body that continues to flourish intellectually, President Julie Kornfeld told the crowd assembled in Rosse Hall.
“As we rush headlong into the final weeks of the academic year, this ceremony offers us an opportunity to pause and celebrate the academic achievements of our students,” Kornfeld said.
The program spotlighted the many Kenyon students who have won fellowships, scholarships and departmental prizes. (View the full list of award winners.)
Provost Jeff Bowman presented accolades for student work in everything from art to English to physics, while Vice President for Student Affairs Celestino Limas awarded College prizes to students who have contributed to the Kenyon community in various ways. Among the College prizes are:
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The Martin Luther King Jr. Humanitarian Award, presented annually to the student who has best promoted social justice through service activities and programs. It was given to Julius Lavon Thompson II ’26, a two-sport athlete who is co-president of the Black Student Union and housing manager of Men of Color.
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The Doris B. Crozier Award, given to a student who develops major changes for the betterment of the social and intellectual life of the student body. It was awarded to Mae Ling Gorin ’26, co-manager of the Crozier Center for Women and president of the First-Generation Low-Income Group (FiGLI).
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The E. Malcolm Anderson Cup, awarded to the student who has demonstrated outstanding leadership, service and commitment to making Kenyon a better place. It was presented to Christiane Betfarhad ’26, whose activities include serving as president of Student Council and co-president of the Owl Creek Singers.
Two faculty members were singled out for their dedication to the craft of teaching when Trustee Emerita Cornelia I. Hallinan ’76 H’91 presented the Trustee Teaching Excellence Awards to Brad Hostetler, associate professor of art history, and Siobhan Fennessy, the Philip & Sheila Jordan Professor in Environmental Studies and professor of biology.
The monetary award was established by the board in 1999 to annually honor both senior and junior faculty members who demonstrate excellence inside and outside of the classroom.
Hostetler, who received the junior award, was lauded for his mentorship while supervising student research and for constructing coursework that pushes students to think beyond the bounds of the classroom, expanding both their knowledge and their ability to work with real-world questions.
Fennessy, who was given the senior award, was recognized for her deep commitment to teaching and for spreading her passion for science and the natural world, using multiple modes of instruction to engage students and challenging them to take on responsibilities in the lab.
Three distinguished alumni also received honorary doctorate degrees during the proceedings for the contributions they made through their careers and involvement in their communities.
Mariana Ruth Cook P’17, a noted photographer who has taken portraits of the likes of Nelson Mandela, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and Barack and Michelle Obama, received a doctor of fine arts. She spoke of her medium’s ability to speak truth and how portraiture has exposed her to different modes of thinking.
“As I make photographs of practitioners in (different) fields, I learn a little about various kinds of intelligences and how diverse and distinct approaches strive to answer the perennial human questions, ‘Why and how,” she said.
James Frost Parker ’81 P’10 — business leader, philanthropist and longtime friend of the College who has served both as a trustee of the College and tri-chair of the Our Path Forward campaign — received a doctor of letters. He spoke about the arc of his Kenyon career, from his time as a student and swimmer to his time as a trustee and beyond.
“I view this honor not as the end of my arc, but rather as an inspiration to do more — stay engaged, spend time with old friends, promote Kenyon and the power of a Division III liberal arts education,” he said.
LaShaunda M. Robinson, a member of the Class of 2009 who had to leave Kenyon early to help her family and who now serves as chair of the sciences at Walnut Ridge High School in Columbus, received a doctor of science. She spoke of her personal background involving abuse and homelessness and urged students to stand up for those who are marginalized.
“Wherever your path leads you from here, intentionally seek out opportunities to support the students, the neighbors, the coworkers, the everyday people whose stories get pushed to the margins,” she said.
In a special recognition, Kornfeld also called up David Eaton for coordinating the brass ensembles for all of Kenyon’s academic ceremonies for more than 30 years, a duty he recently passed on to his son, Michael.