News highlights

First Study Abroad Excellence Awards presented

28 Jan 2009, PR 18/09

The first five winners of a new scheme to honour King’s College London’s most distinguished study abroad students in the arts, humanities and social sciences were presented with their certificates at a ceremony held yesterday.

The recipients of the Study Abroad Excellence Awards were: Nicholas Gerschman from George Washington University; Anne Huang from the University of Pennsylvania; Laura Heiman from Indiana University of Pennsylvania; Kathleen Scott and Michelle Wong, both from Wellesley College. They each will receive £2,500.

The Awards recognize the College’s success at attracting growing numbers of study abroad students in recent years, and the important academic contribution study abroad students make to the wider College community. Through the Awards, it is hoped to encourage more outstanding international students to study abroad for a semester or an academic year.

The Principal of King’s College London, Professor Rick Trainor presented the students with their awards at a ceremony attended by representatives of George Washington University, Professor Laurie Kaplan, Academic Director, and the University of Pennsylvania, Liz Simpson.

Dr Jan Palmowski, Head of the School of Arts & Humanities, and Professor Denise Lievesley, Head of the School of Social Sciences & Public Policy, were also present.

Invaluable contribution

Dr Palmowski comments: ‘At King’s College London we firmly believe that the experience of studying abroad makes an invaluable contribution to the academic and personal growth of the students we receive. For this reason, the awards will be made to candidates of outstanding quality, who can best demonstrate how their time at King’s builds on their academic record, and how it will help fulfil their personal and academic ambitions.’

Winner Nicholas Gerschman, says: ‘I am very proud to be one of the first recipients of this generous award. This is an excellent programme which I hope more students will be able to experience. I have really enjoyed the opportunity to study at King’s and am having a great time here.’

[Image from left: Kathleen Scott, Anne Huang, Nicholas Gerschman and Laura Heiman. Michelle Wong was not present. Image by Greg Funnell]

Notes to editors

King's Study Abroad Excellence Awards
For more information see: http://www.kcl.ac.uk/schools/humanities/int/studyabroad/excellwards/

For more information about King's College London Summer School please see:  http://www.kcl.ac.uk/schools/summerschool/

King’s College London
King’s College London is one of the top 25 universities in the world (Times Higher Education 2008) and the fourth oldest in England. A research-led university based in the heart of London, King’s has 19,700 students from more than 150 countries, and 5,400 employees. An investment of over £500 million has been made in the redevelopment of its estate in recent years

King’s has an outstanding reputation for providing world-class teaching and cutting-edge research. In the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise for British universities, 23 departments were ranked in the top quartile of British universities; over half of our academic staff work in departments that are in the top 10 per cent in the UK in their field and can thus be classed as world leading. The College is in the top group of UK universities for research earnings and has an overall annual income of approximately £450 million.

King’s has a particularly distinguished reputation in the humanities, law, the sciences (including a wide range of health areas such as psychiatry, medicine and dentistry) and social sciences including international affairs. It has played a major role in many of the advances that have shaped modern life, such as the discovery of the structure of DNA and research that led to the development of radio, television, mobile phones and radar. It is the largest centre for the education of healthcare professionals in Europe; no university has more Medical Research Council Centres.

Further information
Melanie Gardner, Senior Public Relations Officer,
Public Relations Department, King’s College London.
Tel: 020 7848 3073; email melanie.gardner@kcl.ac.uk

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This information is provided by the Public Relations Department
Tel: 020-7848 3202  Fax: 020-7848 3739  Email: pr@kcl.ac.uk