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CAS in the Media Arts and Sciences Media Headlines

Senior wins Boren Award to study Mandarin in Taiwan

Thomas G. Taylor, a senior studying social sciences through the WSU Global Campus, has received a Boren Scholarship from the National Security Education Program (NSEP) to study the Mandarin language in Taiwan during the 2014-15 academic year.

He is one of 165 Boren recipients out of 868 applications from students in 38 disciplines nationwide. The new Boren Scholars represent 25 disciplines at 90 institutions in 36 states.

Taylor’s degree program includes concentrations in political science, sociology, and history.

He is WSU’s 13th Boren Scholar since 2001; the designation is for awardees who are undergraduates. WSU has also had two graduate student Boren Fellows since 2000.

NSEP reports that among this year’s winners, China is the most requested destination and Mandarin the second most popular language.

Learn more about this distinguished scholarship and others

45 undergraduates named top researchers in SURCA competition

SURCA 2014 Applied Sciences Winners
SURCA 2014 Applied Sciences Winners

Thirty-nine awards were presented recently to 45 WSU students—many in the College of Arts and Sciences—at the third annual Showcase for Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities (SURCA) 2014.

The work of 192 students University-wide was detailed in 11 oral and 145 poster presentations open to faculty, staff, students, and guests. More than 100 judges evaluated the presentations. The judges included WSU emeriti faculty and retirees, faculty, staff, and post-doctoral students as well as experts from companies outside of WSU.

While many students from urban campuses traveled to participate, SURCA was made available to two place-bound students thanks to web conferencing provided by the Global Campus. A Pullman student studying abroad in Mexico and a WSU Vancouver student who was unable to attend SURCA in person talked “live” to their judges who were in the senior ballroom of the Compton Union Building.

More about the competition and list of winners

CAS alumna is state’s top science teacher

Pamela Nolan-Beasley
Pamela Nolan-Beasley
Two WSU alumnae are the most recent state winners of the annual Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching.

Pamela Nolan-Beasley, who earned her master’s degree in foreign languages and literature at WSU, is a certified K-12 teacher at Waitsburg (Wash.) Elementary School where she has taught kindergarten for 13 years. She is also a state Leadership and Assistance for Science Education and Reform (LASER) facilitator and teacher leader for sustainable innovation and reform in science. She will receive $10,000 from the National Science Foundation and a trip for two to Washington, D.C., for recognition events and professional development.

More about the Presidential Awards