The 2023-2024 Dean’s Prize awards outstanding College of Letters & Science undergraduates from this academic year’s graduating class. These scholars represent the L&S undergraduate liberal arts education demonstrating academic rigor, research and accomplishment; commitment to inclusion and equity; breadth of study and exploration; and relentless intellectual curiosity. Candidates had to meet basic requirements including a minimum 3.75 cumulative GPA, 24 completed honors credits, and a depth of engagement to the principles of the Wisconsin Experience.
Dean’s Prize recipients were awarded $1,500 and a plaque presented by Dean Eric M. Wilcots, Mary C. Jacoby Professor of Astronomy, at the Letters & Science Honors Commencement Reception on May 10.
Paige Ung (BS ’24) is from Minneapolis, Minnesota, and majored in Neurobiology with a certificate in Asian American studies. In addition to being a Mercile J. Lee Scholar, Paige conducted research in neurology and had a Hilldale Fellowship researching “Effects of Mitochondrial Rcc1-like Gene on Hippocampal Learning and Memory,” supervised by Department of Neurology Associate Professor Corinna Burger.
Paige’s commitment to the Wisconsin Experience includes tutoring middle school students, mentoring middle school girls and first-year college students, and facilitating the All-Campus Leadership Conference. In addition, she served in the Laos and Cambodian Student Association, is a member of the Student Leadership Program, and is a notetaker for the McBurney Disability Resource Center.
“Paige is an excellent mentor,” Burger says. “I put her in charge of mentoring two other undergraduate students, and she has shown she is patient, kind, and she can teach the techniques in an articulate manner, explain the science behind them, and guide the students through the experiment. Her training as a mentor has been invaluable for her future as a scientist and as a physician.”
Paige’s future plans include pursuing medicine with a focus on research after taking some time off to work and travel.
Anna Nelson (BA ’24) is from Hudson, Wisconsin, and graduated this spring earning comprehensive honors with majors in Philosophy and Gender & Women’s Studies, as well as a certificate in Art Studio. Some of Anna’s many accomplishments include writing and illustrating a philosophy comic book, Rawls for Beginners, creating podcasts for the Center for Ethics & Education, preparing evidence for a legal defense firm, and serving as a volunteer summer camp counselor at a Madison community center. Anna is also a coeditor of the Madison Journal of Literary Criticism. Anna received a sophomore research fellowship and an honors research apprenticeship. She is the rare undergraduate completing a dual honors thesis.
“Anna has very sharp analytical skills, a terrific philosophical imagination, and an ability to go deep that really only a handful have,” says Harry Brighouse, the Mildred Fish Harnack Professor of Philosophy of Education and Dickson Bascom Professor of the Humanities. “In the classroom she is curious and excited. … She has, along with astonishing intellectual strength, the kind of emotional intelligence that will lead her, if she wants, to be a great teacher, or a great lawyer, a great journalist, or a great CEO of a large company.”
After a break from school, Anna plans to work in journalism and radio documenting stories of justice, community building and social change.
Cayden Kirkpatrick (BS ’24) is from Fitchburg, Wisconsin, and completed comprehensive honors with majors in History (Honors), French and Astronomy–Physics, plus a certificate in American Indian & Indigenous Studies. Cayden’s strong record of strengthening Indigenous student and scholar communities includes his service as an NDGNS scholar and his leadership as the president of the American Indian Science and Engineering Society. He has participated in and presented research at the American Astronomical Society and the University of Texas. Cayden is also a Phi Beta Kappa fellow and a Rath Foundation scholar.
“Cayden shows a level of maturity that is uncommon for his age,” Assistant Professor of Astronomy Michael Maseda says. “He is remarkably thoughtful and introspective about his role as a scholar in society and as a potential leader. I have no doubt that Cayden will be successful.”
After earning a master’s degree in philosophy at University College Cork in Ireland, Cayden plans to attend law school and be an advocate for tribal communities or pursue a PhD in history or astronomy to teach undergraduates.