The English Department's Aileen Kuang (BA, '26) was awarded a Dean's Medal in the Humanities this year. Kuang's professor for the Critical Practice course, Jesse Oak Taylor, had the following to say about her incredible value in the classroom: "She just brings the room to life, making the conversations collective while elevating the discourse well above the norm for a class at this level."
On top of being an outstanding student, Kuang completed an impressive array of independent research projects during her undergraduate career (not to mention teaching assistantships, editorial work, peer mentoring, and more), which collectively led to her selection for the Dean's prestigious award. This Perspectives article by Nancy Joseph has more.
In addition to earning a BA with Honors in English, Kuang received a BS in Informatics and a Minor in the Comparative History of Ideas. And her next move? A PhD in English from the University of Wisconsin-Madison -- bringing her multifaceted, interdisciplinary work from one UW to another. Kudos and best of luck on your next chapter, Aileen!