KU News Release

May 11, 2009
Contact: Scott Jenkins, Department of Philosophy, (785) 864-2324.

KU philosophy department announces 2009 award recipients

LAWRENCE — The University of Kansas Department of Philosophy honored seven students with a total of $6,600 in awards and scholarships at a May 6 banquet.

Two students selected by the faculty each received a $1,500 award funded by former KU professor Donald Brownstein. The recipients were chosen for their demonstration of outstanding analytical abilities and creativity.

Michael J. Metcalf, a junior from Kansas City, Kan., received the J.M. Young Award. Lamar Hunt III, a senior from Leawood and Overland Park, received the Arthur Skidmore Award.

Brownstein established both awards in honor of longtime KU philosophy professors J. Michael Young, who died in 1995, and Arthur Skidmore III, who died in 2005.

Three students each received a $200 Warner Morse Scholarship, which recognizes excellence in one of the three main areas of philosophy — ethics, metaphysics and epistemology — and history of philosophy. The recipients are Erik Thomas Lauridsen, Lawrence senior; Rob E. Boyle, Wichita senior; and Nicole Elizabeth Tichenor, Ballwin, Mo., senior.

The scholarship honors Warner Morse, who taught philosophy at KU for many years. He died in 1991.

In addition, the department awarded $1,500 Harley S. Nelson Family Scholarships to two philosophy seniors: Robert D. Schmitt III, Merriam, and Joel Robert Burnett, Kansas City, Mo. The merit-based scholarships are given to rising seniors in the humanities and social sciences by the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, based on nominations from individual departments.

KU Endowment, the independent, nonprofit organization serving as the official fundraising and fund-management foundation for KU, manages funds for the department’s awards and scholarships.

Recipients are listed below by hometown, level in school, major, parents’ names, high school and award.

DOUGLAS COUNTY
From Lawrence 66049
Erik Thomas Lauridsen, senior in philosophy, son of Lee and Cathy Lauridsen; Lawrence Free State High School; Warner Morse Scholarship for metaphysics and epistemology.

JOHNSON COUNTY
From Leawood 66211 and Overland Park 66224
Lamar Hunt III, senior in philosophy, linguistics and biology, son of Lamar Hunt Jr. and Jocelyn Anderson; St. Thomas Aquinas High School; Arthur Skidmore Award.

From Merriam 66202
Robert D. Schmitt III, senior in mathematics and philosophy, son of Rebecca Weber; Shawnee Mission South High School; Harley S. Nelson Family Scholarship.

SEDGWICK COUNTY
From Wichita 67226
Rob E. Boyle, senior in chemistry, linguistics and philosophy, son of Ron and Julie Boyle; Trinity Academy; Warner Morse Scholarship for ethics.

WYANDOTTE COUNTY
From Kansas City 66112
Michael J. Metcalf, junior in philosophy and physics; J.M. Young Award.

MISSOURI
From Ballwin 63011
Nicole Elizabeth Tichenor, senior in philosophy and religious studies, daughter of Ann Maruska; Parkway West High School; Warner Morse Scholarship for history of philosophy.

From Kansas City 64151
Joel Robert Burnett, senior in philosophy, son of Dak and Pat Burnett; Park Hill South High School; Harley S. Nelson Family Scholarship.

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