MM
Mary Mba
  • French and Italian (PhD.)
  • Lagos

Mary Mba Honored as Outstanding Graduate Student at the University of Kansas

2012 Apr 23

More than 25 outstanding graduate students at the University of Kansas will be recognized at the annual Graduate Student Awards Ceremony, scheduled for 4 p.m. Tuesday, April 24, in the Kanas Union Ballroom. Awards will be presented by Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor Jeff Vitter and Dean of Graduate Studies Thomas Heilke.

Honorees include Mary Mba, Distinguished Service Honorable Mention. Mba is from Lagos, Nigeria, and is a graduate student in French & Italian.

"Graduate students contribute to the University in a variety of ways – they are active instructors, researchers, and supportive citizens in the university community," said Thomas Heilke, dean of graduate studies. "It is important to close the academic year with praise for their contributions to KU and their disciplines."

Graduate awards from KU's recent Graduate Student Research Competition will be presented to 12 students, and seven participants in the Graduate Student Capitol Research Summit will be recognized.

Kelly Harper Berkson, linguistics, will be recognized for receiving an honorable mention in the Midwestern Association of Graduate Schools Distinguished Master's Thesis competition.

The Chancellor's Teaching Assistant Award will be presented to Whitney Court, political science. Court's nomination emphasized her ability to bring her research experience into the classroom. The Carlin Graduate Teaching Assistant Award goes to Jeremy Manternach, music education and music therapy. Manternach's recommenders lauded his patient, skillful instructional technique. Three students will receive awards for outstanding undergraduate instruction: Jennifer Guthrie, communication studies; Zachary Rothschild, psychology; and Elizabeth Villalobos, Spanish and Portuguese. Additionally, Philip Duncan, linguistics, will be recognized for receiving an honorable mention in the Midwestern Association of Graduate Schools Excellence in Teaching Award competition.

Jacob Rapp, Spanish and Portuguese, will receive a Distinguished Service Award recognizing outstanding service provided by a graduate student to the KU community. One nominator noted that, "in 22 years at KU, I have never met a graduate student with such a strong service ethic."

Representatives of academic programs throughout the university nominated graduate students for the teaching and service awards. Selection committees chose winners based on their departmental nominations and student evaluations.