College of Arts and Sciences names 2026 Van Ek Scholars
Twenty-six students receive one of the college’s most prestigious honors, recognized for their exemplary academic achievement and meaningful contributions to the campus and broader community
The College of Arts and Sciences has awarded the Jacob Van Ek Scholarship—one of the college’s highest honors—to 26 outstanding undergraduates.
Named in honor of Jacob Van Ek (1896–1999), the award commemorates his remarkable contributions to the university. Van Ek joined Â鶹ÊÓƵ in 1925 as a young assistant professor shortly after earning his doctorate from what is now Iowa State University. Within three years, he rose to the rank of full professor and, by 1929, was appointed dean of the College of Liberal Arts—a role he held until 1959.
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The following students are this year’s Jakob Van Ek Scholar Award recipients:
- Ray Anchordoquy: physicsÌý
- Ben Braun: physics
- Carlos Carale: neuroscience
- Monique Castaneda: political science/Japanese
- Chelsea Elliott: speech, language and hearing sciences
- Elizabeth Ervin: dance/integrative physiology
- Amelia Gandhi: astrophysics and planetary sciences/geological sciences
- Rachel Gaydos: speech, language and hearing sciences
- Katherine Grisak: international affairs
- Gianna Guido: Spanish/political science
- Nadine Huseby: anthropology
- PiperJo Jones: biochemistry/mathematics
- M Jordan: anthropology
- Deven Kukreja: political science/Japanese
- Aris Larson: integrative physiology
- Shea Musson: speech, language and hearing sciences
- Jessica Nesbit: integrative physiology
- Emmalyn Nono: neuroscience/linguistics/Chinese
- Julia Renz: molecular, cellular and developmental biology/psychology/neuroscience
- Soren Rollin: geological sciences/anthropology
- Samuel Ruzzene: integrative physiology
- Alexander Scholpp: economics, international affairs
- Dhruv Seth: neuroscience
- Annika Stephan: biochemistry
- Piper Tocco: humanities/secondary education
Tvishi Yendamuri: biochemistry
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