Seven students were recognized for their accomplishments in the arts at MIT's Awards Convocation on May 5, and another 17 won awards from the music and theater arts section in the School of Humanities and Social Science.
Eto S. Otitigbe, a senior in mechanical engineering from Albany, NY, received the Louis Sudler Prize in the Arts, which is presented to a graduating senior who has demonstrated excellence or the highest standards of proficiency in music, theater, painting, sculpture, design, architecture or film. The prize is made from a fund established by Louis Sudler, a performer in the arts and an arts patron from Chicago.
Mr. Otitigbe won the Harold and Arlene Schnitzer Prize in 1998 for his drawings and prints.
Seniors Petra S. Chong of Singapore, Matthew J. Hanna of Portsmouth, NH, and Julie A. Park of Edmonds, WA won Laya and Jerome B. Wiesner Awards, honoring Dr. and Mrs. Wiesner for their contributions to the arts at MIT. Established in 1979 by the Council for the Arts at MIT, the annual awards go to students (graduate or undergraduate), organizations and/or living groups for achievement in the creative and performing arts. The range of contributions is wide and includes creative work in literature, music, drama, visual arts, photography, film, and dance, among other art forms.
The Harold and Arlene Schnitzer Prize in the Visual Arts recognizes artistic talent and creative concepts based on a body of work and written personal statements. The 1999 recipients are media arts and sciences graduate student Richard R. Fletcher of Cambridge; electrical engineering and computer science (EECS) graduate student Matthew D. Hollingworth of Perth, Australia; and Vince E. Carballo, a sophomore in aeronautics and astronautics from Ozone Park, NY. The prize was established through an endowment from Harold and Arlene Schnitzer of Portland, Oregon. Mr. Schnitzer, a real estate investor, graduated from MIT in 1944 with a degree in metallurgy.
MUSIC AWARDS
The Gregory Tucker Memorial Award in recognition of exceptional ability in composition, performance and/or music historical studies went to Jason W. Krug, a junior in music from Indianapolis, and William M. Koffel, a junior in EECS from Framingham, MA.
The Ragnar and Margaret Naess Award in recognition of exceptional talent and commitment to private performance study went to Jessica Laszlo, a junior in EECS from Piedmont, CA; Jason Lawrence, a sophomore in mechanical engineering from Manhasset, NY; freshman Andrew Pak of New York, NY; and Sean Sutherland, a sophomore in EECS from St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
The Philip Lowe Memorial Award in recognition of creative accomplishment in music went to Yukiko Ueno, a graduate student in biology from Cambridge; Sandi Choi, a senior in economics from Park Ridge, IL; freshman James Alt of New York, NY; Jennifer Grucza, a graduate student in EECS from Champaigne, IL; and Stanley Hong, a senior in EECS from Sierra Madre, CA.
Candice McElroy, a senior in music from Westford, MA, won the Brad and Dorothea Endicott Award in recognition of distinguished service and musical contribution to the program in world music.
THEATER AWARDS
The Joseph D. Everingham Award, which recognizes a single creative accomplishment in theater arts by a graduating senior, went to April M. Griffin, a management major from Richmond, VA; Fernando J. Paiz, an EECS major from Miami; and Damon W. Suden, a mathematics major from Staten Island, NY.
Ms. Griffin was honored for her performance as "Lady in Navy" in the spring 1999 Dramashop production of For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow is Enuf and in recognition of her significant role in the founding of the MIT Black Theater Guild. Mr. Paiz was recognized for his performance as Angelo in the Shakespeare Ensemble production of Measure for Measure in November 1998 and for years of continuous dedicated leadership in the organization and productions of the Shakespeare Ensemble. Mr. Suden won for his acting in several Shakespeare Ensemble productions: as King John in King John (spring 1997), as Flores in Fuente Ovejuna (fall 1997) and as Cerimon in Pericles, Prince of Tyre (spring 1999), and for his committed activity with the Shakespeare Ensemble on and off stage.
The Edward S. Darna Award, presented to a graduating senior who has demonstrated excellence in theater arts and made a substantial contribution to the life of the theater on the MIT campus, went to Andrea H. Zengion, a humanities major from New Tripoli, PA, and Jason R. Carrillo, an aeronautics and astronautics major from Georgetown, TX.
A version of this article appeared in the June 2, 1999 issue of MIT Tech Talk (Volume 43, Number 32).
