Academic Honors and Fellowships
2011 Churchill Scholarship Recipients
Each year the Winston Churchill Foundation awards fourteen scholarship to American university students, offering them the opportunity to study for one year at the University of Cambridge, with tuition, travel and living expenses paid. Churchill Scholars demonstrate outstanding academic achievement, and the potential to contribute to the advancement of knowledge by pursuing original, creative work in engineering, science, and math.
Daniel J. (DJ) Strouse graduated with a bachelor of arts in physics, and a bachelor of science in mathematics. Described by his professors as a student possessing intellectual energy, creativity, and initiative, DJ has worked in several neuroscience research laboratories at USC, and participated in quantum theory research at the Institute for Scientific Interchange in Italy, and the Institute for Quantum Computing in Canada. During the summer of 2010, he conducted computational neuroscience research as an Amgen Scholar at Stanford University, and helped implement a project to provide health education and improve water quality in India through the USC Global Impact Program. He also completed an internship in China as a USC Global Fellow.
2011 Critical Language Scholarship Recipients
Jyoti Gaur studied Punjabi in Chandigarh, India.
Travis Glynn studied Urdu in Lucknow, India.
2011 Fulbright U.S. Student Program Grant Recipients
As the flagship international fellowship program of the United States, the Fulbright Student Grant supports one year of independent study, research, and teaching in one of over 150 countries around the world. Each year, nearly 6,000 students from around the United States compete for about 1000 Fulbright grants.
Michelle Damian will spend a year in Japan examining the island and coastal communities of the Seto Inland Sea to study the developing maritime cultural landscape during the Muromachi era. She will spend time at archaeological sites, archival repositories and possibly dive to observe shipwrecks for her research.
Lydia Green earned a bachelor’s in Linguistics in 2009. She received a Fulbright to study in the United Kingdom. She is currently pursuing a doctorate in linguistics at the University of Newcastle in Australia. Green will also pursue a master’s degree in Language Documentation and description at the University of London, School of Oriental and African Studies as preparation for her doctoral research in endangered languages. As part of her studies, she will research language loss in the endangered-language community of Logba, Ghana.
Lyndsey Hoh graduated from the USC Thornton School of Music with a bachelor’s in performance and a minor in philosophy from USC Dornsife. Hoh will study at the University of Helsinki in Finland where she will research the symbology and semiotics of music inspired by Kalevala, a 19th-century work of epic poetry.
Emily Kamen graduated from USC with a major in Psychology, and a minor in Natural Science. She will spend one academic year teaching English in South Korea. Emily’s post-Fulbright plans include medical school. With a specific interest in non-Western medical practices, Emily will use this opportunity to advance her knowledge of medicine by studying traditional Korean practices.
Gary Lee graduated in 2007 with a bachelor’s in Political Science and a minor in Political Organizing in the Digital Age. Lee joined Obama for America in April 2007, a month before graduating. For the past 2 1/2 years, he has worked for President Barack Obama as a White House liaison. He will leave his position at the White House to conduct research in Korea as part of his Fulbright. Lee will examine the Korean legislature’s role in the Korea-United States Free Trade Agreements.
Cara Magnabasco received Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry and Bachelor of Arts in Entrepreneurship. Her Fulbright year will be spent in Norway, taking courses at the University Centre in Svalbard and performing research at the Longyearbyen CO2 Lab working to implement carbon capture and storage technologies within their coal mining community in order reduce annual carbon emissions.
Tiffany Yang graduated with a major in Comparative Literature, and a minor in Spanish and will spend her Fulbright year teaching English to secondary school students in South Korea. Combining her passion for English, writing, and literature, Tiffany will spend her time outside of the classroom leading English communication and creative writing workshops for the local community.
2011 Luce Scholarship Recipient
The Luce Scholarship was established by the Henry Luce Foundation to increase the understanding of Asia among future leaders of American society. A select group of fifteen Luce Scholars is selected nationally on the basis of their outstanding academic record and strong potential as leaders in their future careers.
Craig Western graduated with a bachelor of science in mechanical engineering. Throughout his time at USC, Craig demonstrated outstanding leadership and an exemplary commitment to scholarship. As a member of USC’s Teamcore research group, Craig contributed to the development of software designed to optimize placement of security forces. The program, currently operating at Los Angeles International Airport, received special commendation from the city of Los Angeles. He worked on two major NASA projects through a position with the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Craig was also a team project coordinator for i-Podium, the Viterbi School of Engineering’s experimental education program that facilitates communication between USC students and their counterparts in China and Taiwan. Craig also pursued experiences abroad. He held a marketing internship in Taipei and studied in Madrid. For the past three years, Craig volunteered through USC’s chapter of Engineers without Borders, and served as a team project manager to bring fresh water to a rural village in Honduras. Read more about Craig.