KU News Release

KU classics department recognizes 2008 award recipients at annual honors reception

LAWRENCE — The Department of Classics at the University of Kansas recognized 13 of its top graduate and undergraduate students with more than $8,000 in awards and scholarships at its 33rd annual spring honors reception.

Students in KU’s classics department study Greek and Latin as well as Greek and Roman literature, civilization and archaeology.

Anthony Corbeill, professor of classics, presided and presented special honors for outstanding achievements relating to classics, classical languages and classical antiquity.

In addition to the four Tenney Frank Undergraduate Scholarships, awards presented included:

— The Tenney Frank Award for Foreign Study in Classics is awarded by vote of the classics faculty to five students who will study abroad.
— The Albert O. Greef Translation Award is presented to any student enrolled in a Greek or Latin course for the best translation of a passage from Greek or Latin literature.
— The Mildred Lord Greef Essay Award honors the best paper written for a classics course.
— The Austin Lashbrook Award recognizes outstanding overall contribution to the classics program as determined by the classics faculty.
— The Hannah Oliver Latin Prize is determined by a competitive exam.
— The Sterling-Walker Prize in Greek, awarded to any student enrolled in a Greek course, is determined by a competitive exam.

KU Endowment manages the funds for the awards and scholarships. KU Endowment is the independent, nonprofit organization serving as the official fundraising and fund-management organization for KU. Founded in 1891, KU Endowment is the first foundation of its kind at a U.S. public university.

Students who won awards are listed below by hometown, major, parents’ names, high school and award or scholarship received.

DOUGLAS COUNTY
From Lawrence 66044
Kelly Patricia Dugan, master’s student in classics; Tenney Frank Award for Foreign Study in Classics.

FRANKLIN COUNTY
From Ottawa 66067
Cara Polsley, senior in classical languages; Olathe Christian School, Olathe, Kan.; Hannah Oliver Latin Prize – Second Place and Sterling-Walker Prize in Greek – Second Place.

GRAHAM COUNTY
From Hill City 67642
Zachary Leon Fischer, senior in classical antiquity, son of Vera Fischer; Hill City High School; Tenney Frank Award for Foreign Study in Classics and Austin Lashbrook Award.

JOHNSON COUNTY
From Lenexa 66285
Erik Christoffer Mortensen, sophomore in classical languages, son of Cartsen and Julie Mortensen; Basehor-Linwood High School; Tenney Frank Undergraduate Scholarship.

From Overland Park 66206
Ryan Michael Donegan, senior in classical languages, son of Kathleen Donegan; Shawnee Mission East High School; Tenney Frank Undergraduate Scholarship.

LANE COUNTY
From Dighton 67839
Kirk Mathias Bray, senior in classical languages, son of Stanley and Gloria Bray; Dighton High School; Hannah Oliver Latin Prize – First Place.

SEDGWICK COUNTY
From Wichita 67212
Christina Lynne Williams, senior in classical languages and psychology, daughter of Diana Williams; Wichita High School Northwest; Tenney Frank Undergraduate Scholarship.

SHAWNEE COUNTY
From Auburn 66402
Jennifer Louise Kirmer, freshman in anthropology and classical antiquity, daughter of Al Kirmer; Topeka High School; Tenney Frank Award for Foreign Study in Classics.

WYANDOTTE COUNTY
From Kansas City 66101
Cheryl Lynne Wilson, master’s student in classics; Mildred Lord Greef Essay Award.

MISSOURI
From Maryville 64468
Jeffrey Adam Easton, master’s student in classics; Tenney Frank Award for Foreign Study in Classics.

NORTH CAROLINA
From Mebane 27302
Jeffrey Brian O’Neill, senior in anthropology, classical antiquity and classical languages; Olathe East High School, Olathe, Kan.; Tenney Frank Award for Foreign Study in Classics.

UTAH
From Sandy 84093
Vanessa A. Copple, junior in classical antiquity and history of art, daughter of Kennis Wessel and Susan Copple; West High School, Salt Lake City, Utah; Tenney Frank Undergraduate Scholarship.

CANADA
From Pointe-Claire, Quebec
Anthony Bider-Hall, master’s student in classics, Sterling-Walker Prize in Greek – First Place and Albert O. Greef Translation Award – honorable mention.

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