Published: April 28, 2022

The award, considered one of the College of Arts and Sciences' highest honors, is given to students for academic achievement and service


The College of Arts and Sciences has awarded the Jacob Van Ek scholarship, one of the college's highest honors, to 17 exceptional undergraduates.

These students were nominated by faculty at the University of Colorado Boulder for their superior academic achievement and service to the university, the Denver and Boulder communities, or larger national and international communities. The five-person Van Ek Scholars Award committee selected the winners, who receive a $230 award and a certificate of recognition.

They have done so much for the CU Boulder community, as well as in their respective communities."

"We had amazing nominations submitted from faculty this year," says Brenda Navarrete, scholarship coordinator in the College of Arts and Sciences. "They have done so much for the CU Boulder community as well as in their respective communities."

"They are very deserving, and I am excited to see the amazing things they will achieve after graduating!”

The award is named for Jacob Van Ek, who arrived at CU as a young assistant professor shortly after earning his doctorate at what is now known as Iowa State University in 1925. Within three years he was a full professor and, by 1929, he was dean of the College of Liberal Arts, serving until 1959. 

The following students are this year’s Jacob Van Ek Scholar Award recipients:

  • Areyana Janae Andrea Proctor, journalism
  • Elicia Azua, psychology
  • Evi Judge, linguistics and speech, langauge and hearing sciences
  • Jack Barker, environmental studies
  • Julia Hoa Leone, international affairs and Jewish studies
  • Kelila Rose Fitch-Cook, women and gender studies
  • Kathryn Hoesly, Chinese
  • Leen Salah Eldin Abbas, integrative physiology
  • Mackayla Coley, political science
  • Morgan Knuesel, physics and mathematics
  • Megan Lenard, psychology and sociology
  • Michelle Tracy Leung, environmental studies and ecology and evolutionary biology
  • Nicole Bouzan, molecular, cellular and developmental biology
  • Noopur Naik, molecular, cellular and developmental biology
  • Ruth Woldemichael, ethnic studies and international affairs
  • Sophia Choubai, integrative physiology
  • Ty Donovan McCaffrey, ecology and evolutionary biology