The school has two awards that celebrate those who contribute to our mission of promoting a diverse, inclusive, and engaged academic community, and/or who facilitate meaningful connections between the school and the wider community:
The Xiaohui Zhang Diversity & Community Engagement Award
This award honors SLCL student Xiaohui Zhang (1985 – 2020) for his exemplary combination of academic and human qualities, as well as for his strong sense of community engagement, which guided his actions during his years at Illinois. The award is given to a graduate student, faculty, and/or staff member in the school who has contributed to the school's mission of promoting a diverse, inclusive, and engaged academic community, and/or who has facilitated meaningful connections between the school and the wider community, in a spirit of respect, partnership, and reciprocity. Candidates may be nominated by any staff, faculty, or graduate student, or may self-nominate. Candidates’ contributions and impact will be assessed in relation to opportunities and career stage. The awardee will receive a certificate of recognition and $500.
Deadline: February 17, 2025
Previous Recipients
2023-2024
♦ Luis David Gaytán-Soto (Spanish & Portuguese)
2021-2022
♦ Amber Dunse (English as a Second Language)
♦ Ky Merkley (Classics)
2020-2021
♦ Ann Abbott (Spanish & Portuguese)
The SLCL Diversity & Engagement Award
This award recognizes alumni or members of the community at large who have made significant contributions (tangible and intangible) to the SLCL community; contributions which strengthen our public service mission, our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusivity, and our international connections. Nominations may be made for a community member or alum by any SLCL faculty, staff, students, alumni, or by anyone with a close association to our programs or initiatives. The awardee will receive a certificate of recognition and a commemorative gift.
Deadline: February 17, 2025
Previous Recipients
2023-2024
♦ Eman Saadah (Department of Linguistics)
2021-2022
♦ Jude Krushnowski (Foreign Language Teacher Education)
2020-2021
♦ Tanzhen Li