87th-annual Honors Convocation

Anjolaoluwa Favour Oyebadejo ’24, Meredith Shepherd ‘24 and Kennedi Burroughs ’24 headlined award recipients at Hanover College’s 87th-annual Honors Convocation. The trio was joined by Anthony Miller and Xiaolong Wu, who earned top faculty honors at the event, held April 11 in Fitzgibbon Recital Hall, Lynn Center for Fine Arts.

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Oyebadejo, Shepherd and Burroughs were presented with Hanover’s highest student awards during the hour-long program, which recognized academic, community and creative achievements.

Oyebadejo earned the John Finley Crowe Citation for Scholarship and General Excellence. She also earned the Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award and the Keith and Gwen White Award for Graduate Study in Chemistry.

A chemistry major with a minor in graphic design, Oyebadejo is a member of Alpha Lambda Delta and Mortar Board honor societies. She has conducted research at the University of Kansas and served as an intern at Eskenazi Health and the Indiana Immunization Coalition. She founded the club, Be Kind, which partners with the local Salvation Army. She has been active with many other campus organizations, including: Student Senate, Black Student Union, American Chemical Society, Sister 2 Sister, International Club, Art Club, Panthers Making a Difference, Rhythm and Poetry, and Red Cross Panthers.

Shepherd, a member of Alpha Delta Pi sorority, received the Henry C. Long Citation for Scholarship and General Excellence and the Dorothy S. Bucks Award in English. A prior honors recipient, she was presented with the Dennis Kovener Award and the John Livingston Lowes Award in English during the 2023 convocation.

Shepherd, a member of Alpha Lambda Delta honor society, is an English major with a focus on creative writing. She served as a tutor in the Gladish Learning Center, as well as an intern at the Levett Career Center and Madison (Ind.) Chamber of Commerce. In addition to positions with Student Senate and Hanover’s concert band, she also held memberships in a variety of campus organizations, including: Campus Activities Board, Kennings, Horror Club, Psychology Club, Table Top Club, Love Out Loud, Rhythm and Poetry, and Science Fiction/Fantasy Club.

Burroughs, along with Oyebadejo, earned the Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award. The honor is presented annually to recognize outstanding service to the campus community and the community at large.

Burroughs, a biochemistry major, is a member of Alpha Lambda Delta and Beta Beta Beta honor societies. She has served as a student representative on the College’s Committee on Equity, Inclusion and Multicultural Education and is a member of Black Student Union and Sister 2 Sister. In addition, she conducted research through the Indiana University School of Medicine’s Physician Engineers, Scientists and Clinicians Preparatory Program at the Wells Center for Pediatric Research and, on campus, worked in the College’s Health Services Department.

Faculty members Miller and Wu, in recognition of their efforts in the classroom, were presented with Hanover’s top awards for teaching and scholarly activities.

Miller was presented with the Arthur and Ilene Baynham Outstanding Teaching Award. Established by the College in 1969, the honoree is selected by a ballot of currently enrolled students and alumni from the past two graduating classes. To be eligible, a faculty member must be in at least the fourth year of teaching at the College. The winner receives a bronze medallion and a cash prize.

A specialist in world and East Asian history, Miller joined the College’s faculty in 2020. His recent courses include modern East Asia, world history since 1500, China and Christianity, and the Middle Kingdom and Midwest. His research interests include the Cold War, Sino-American relations and the transnational ties forged by religion, immigration and diplomacy connecting the U.S. Midwest to China.

Miller earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees at the University of Northern Iowa and a doctoral degree at the University of Kentucky. Prior to his arrival at Hanover, he worked at the University of Colorado’s International College Beijing, the University of Maryland University College’s Asia Program in Japan and Miami University.

Xiaolong Wu, professor of art history, received the Daryl R. Karns Award for Scholarly and Creative Activity. The award, named for the biology professor who died in 2011, recognizes sustained scholarly or creative achievement. Faculty members nominate colleagues for the award, which are sent to three judges at liberal arts colleges similar to Hanover. The winner receives a bronze medallion and a cash prize.

A specialist in Chinese and Japanese art and Eastern art history, Wu joined Hanover’s faculty in 2004. He has taught such courses as the history of Western art, beauty and idea in Asian art, arts and cultures of Japan and China, modern and contemporary Chinese art and archeology of East Asia.

Wu holds a bachelor’s degree from Peking University and master’s and doctoral degrees from the University of Pittsburgh. Before joining Hanover’s faculty, he served as a teaching associate in the Henry Frick Department of History and Art and Architecture at Pittsburgh.

87th-annual Honors Convocation award recipients: