KU Theatre & Dance announces 2024 award and scholarship recipients

LAWRENCE — The University of Kansas Department of Theatre & Dance recognized 70 students as recipients of its year-end awards and scholarships for academic merit and contributions to departmental performances.

“Scholarships make a tangible difference by relieving financial pressure and giving students space to learn and grow,” said Henry Bial, professor and chair. “In addition to helping those in need, the award process provides an opportunity to recognize and encourage outstanding achievement. We are grateful to the many alumni and friends who have chosen to invest in the future of theatre and dance through their support of our various scholarship funds.”

The Kilty Kane Award, given in recognition of outstanding contributions made to the University Theatre, was presented to Edmund Ludlum, a Topeka native who completed their Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre Design as well as a Bachelor of Fine Arts in the History of Art. 

The Kuhlke Humanitarian Award, given in recognition of humanitarian service to the department, was presented to Jordan Nevels, an Overland Park native who completed her Bachelor of General Studies degree in Theatre Performance with a minor in Film & Media Studies. Both awards are named for actors (Jerome Kilty and Emeritus Professor William Kuhlke) credited with memorable performances as guest artists in Murphy Hall.

The Key Collaborator Award, given in recognition of outstanding contributions to the University Dance Company, was presented to Cailan Niswonger, of Flower Mound, Texas, who completed a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance with a minor in business. 

The Elizabeth Sherbon Award, named for the retired KU professor who established the dance major at KU, was presented to an outstanding dance student. This year’s recipient was Sloane Smith, a returning dance and exercise science student from Littleton, Colorado, for her academic and performance achievements.

The awards and scholarships listed include financial support totaling nearly $240,000.

Scholarship and award recipients are as follows:

Kansas

• ShonMichael Anderson, Wichita, Loren Kennedy Ambassador Co-Coordinator, New Theatre Guild Don Knotts Scholarship, Patricia Joyce Ellis Drama Scholarship
• Giavonni Armstrong, Topeka, Theatre & Dance General Scholarship
• Katelyn Arnold, Topeka, Loren Kennedy Ambassador, New Theatre Guild Jacqueline and Curt Stokes Scholarship
• Morgan Blanton, Wichita, Lee Family Scholarship in Dance
• McKenna Bizal, Overland Park, Elizabeth Sherbon Scholarship
• Drue Bowen, Overland Park, Theatre & Dance General Scholarship
• Elliot Bowman, Topeka, Glenn Bickle Award
• Seth Bruey, Newton, Adah Hagan Clarke Scholarship in Theatre, Claire Reinhold Scholarship in Theatre
• Tara Leigh Burgat, Spring Hill, Theatre & Dance General Scholarship
• Hope Casner, Argonia, Jump Start Award
• Connor Cooper, Lawrence, Theatre & Dance General Scholarship
• Hayden Daugherty, Wathena, Gerhard Zuther Memorial Award for Dramatic Scriptwriting, Loren Kennedy Ambassador, Margaret Bushong and Suzanne Calvin Scholarship, Moxie Talent Agency Scholarship
• Hannah Davis, Lenexa, Patricia Joyce Ellis Drama Scholarship
• Sofia Dunkelberger, Wichita, Loren Kennedy Ambassador
• Layla English, Lawrence, Theatre & Dance General Scholarship
• Zoe English, Mission, Marilyn Hunt Scharine Award, Stephanie Ann Smith Memorial Scholarship
• Rosario Fagan, Andover, Janet Hamburg Dance Scholarship
• Coy Garrett, Lawrence, Laura Louise Pryor Award
• Sophia Harrison, Topeka, Dance General Scholarship
• Cooper Holmes, Overland Park, Loren Kennedy Ambassador, Dorothy and Benjamin Glick Scholarship, Patricia Joyce Ellis Drama Scholarship, Theatre & Dance General Scholarship
• Sean Ingram, Shawnee, David E. Blackwell Scholarship
• Aubrey Krapes, Olathe, Janet Hamburg Dance Scholarship
• Olivia Laycock, Wichita, Patricia Joyce Ellis Drama Scholarship
• Edmund Ludlum, Topeka, Kilty Kane Award
• Connor Maloney, Wichita, Loren Kennedy Ambassador, New Theatre Guild William and Penny Gamm Scholarship
• Lacey Marr, Shawnee, Marilyn Hunt Scharine Award, David E. Blackwell Scholarship, John David Lentz Memorial Scholarship
• Knox McClendon, Topeka, Brian Ten Eyck Davis Award
• Olly G. Mitchell, Maize, Julie Damron-Dittmer Scholarship
• Abbie Needham, Andover, Theatre & Dance General Scholarship
• Jordan Nevels, Overland Park, Kuhlke Humanitarian Award
• Katie Noll, Overland Park, Bernadette Robinson Scholarship, Dance General Scholarship
• Hana Rose North, Salina, Loren Kennedy Ambassador, Donald and Betty Dixon Scholarship in Theatre
• Caleb Jonathan Parish, Sally Six Hersh Memorial Scholarship
• Nicole Piekalkiewicz, Lawrence, Shirley and Tom P. Rea Memorial Award
• Allison Rader, Lenexa, Julie Damron-Dittmer Scholarship
• Jacobi Robinson, Abilene, Jon T. Eicholtz and Barbara Eden Acting Scholarship
• Eliana Rundus, Lee Family Scholarship in Dance, Dance General Scholarship
• Casey Schenk, Topeka, Friends of Theatre & Dance Reese Saricks Scholarship
• Madi Seelye, Lawrence, Edna Bulkeley Dance Scholarship
• Anna Shelton, Hesston, Barbara Nordling Dance Scholarship
• Ilaina Shepherd, Wichita, Janet Hamburg Dance Scholarship
• Marek Skeeba, Lecompton, Donald and Betty Dixon Scholarship in Theatre, New Theatre Guild Dennis D. Hennessy & Richard Carrothers Scholarship
• Molly Stover-Brown, Wichita, Theatre and Dance General Scholarship
• Morgan Tate, Shawnee, Adah Hagan Clarke Scholarship in Theatre
• Alexia Watson, Ingalls, Patricia Joyce Ellis Drama Scholarship
• Maya Welde, Overland Park, Loren Kennedy Ambassador, New Theatre Guild Dodie Myers Brown Scholarship, Richard Kelton Memorial Scholarship
• Elizabeth Wellman, Lawrence, Loren Kennedy Ambassador
• Stephanie Wirth, Topeka, Barbara Nordling Dance Scholarship, Dance General Scholarship. 

Other states and countries

• Sergio Alicea Román, San Juan, Puerto Rico; Ambrose Saricks Family Scholarship, Ethel Hinds Burch Awards
• Tanner Ashenfelter, Camp Verde, Texas; Charles "Buddy" Rogers Scholarship
• Marzi Ashrafian, Iran; Susan Tisdall Niven Scholarship
  Kendall Brisco, Kennesaw, Georgia; Claire Reinhold Scholarship in Theatre
• Tiffani Brooks Hagan, Spartanburg, South Carolina; Susan Tisdall Niven Scholarship, Ethel Hinds Burch Awards
• Alexandria Demps, Kansas City, Missouri; Harry B. Craig Dance Scholarship, Dance General Scholarship
• Cole Dickey, Excelsior Springs, Missouri; Allen Crafton Memorial Scholarship
• Allison FitzSimmons, Lincoln, Nebraska; Loren Kennedy Ambassador
• Jonah Greene, Fayetteville, Arkansas; Joseph R. Roach Dissertation Research Award
• Penelope Guezuraga, Kansas City, Missouri; Janet Hamburg Dance Scholarship
• Myles Hollie, Richmond, Virginia; Loren Kennedy Ambassador, Charles "Buddy" Rogers Scholarship
• Alex Hunt, Farmington, Minn., Janet Hamburg Dance Scholarship
• Cullen Krishna, Bellevue, Nebraska; Patricia Joyce Ellis Scholarship
• Webster McDonald, Jamaica; Jack B. Wright Award
• Cailan Niswonger, Flower Mound, Texas; Key Collaborator Award
• Alaina Rossell, Kenosha, Wisconsin; Adah Hagan Clarke Scholarship in Theatre
• Alexa Schwartz, Houston; Theatre and Dance General Scholarship
• Sloane Smith, Littleton, Colorado; Loren Kennedy Ambassador Co-Coordinator, Elizabeth Sherbon Award, Betty Joe Lorbeer McMillen Ballet Scholarship, Dance General Scholarship
• Enya Sullivan, Scottsdale, Arizona; Loren Kennedy Ambassador, Alexis and Craig Stevens Performing Arts Scholarship
• Kennedy Tolar, Tulsa, Oklahoma; Loren Kennedy Ambassador, Social Justice Award
• Niala Vannice, Fort Collins, Colorado; Janet Hamburg Dance Scholarship
• Mackenzie Wichman, Omaha, Nebraska; Claire Reinhold Scholarship in Theatre
• Santina Yvanez, Altadena, California; Janet Hamburg Dance Scholarship

The Department of Theatre & Dance is one of three departments in the School of the Arts. As part of the KU College of Liberal Arts & Sciences, the School of the Arts offers fresh possibilities for collaboration between the arts and the humanities, sciences, social sciences, international and interdisciplinary studies. 

For more information on the Department of Theatre & Dance, visit the department website. For information about audition opportunities and performances of the University Theatre, visit the KU Theatre website. For the University Dance Company, please visit the department website.