The 2020 Ashton Phelps Sr. Memorial Award Recipient for 2020 is Rebecca Stelman.
Rebecca Stelman is graduating with a BA in Communications and a BSM in Marketing with a Finance minor. A long-distance runner, she joined friends from Tulane in a recent half marathon around New Orleans. Rebecca took on leadership roles as a Resident Advisor and as an executive board member for NJBeats A Cappella and Trash to Treasure, a student-led waste reduction initiative. In her coursework, she explored a diverse range of communication topics in which she developed complex examinations of media texts, often using a feminist and multicultural lens. She further challenged herself to take several communications courses in Spanish while studying abroad in Spain. As an Altman Scholar, she also studied in Vietnam and Colombia. After graduating Magna Cum Laude this May, Rebecca plans to apply her understanding of new media and cross-cultural communication to start her career at a firm that prioritizes ethical and sustainable business practices.
The 2020 Glendy Burke Medal in Communication is Zachary Kanzler.
Zachary Kanzler is graduating from Tulane University two semesters early with BA degrees in Communications and Environmental Studies. He is a photographer, videographer, musician, and writer. All of his skills, both academic and artistic, have helped him in the founding of the Critical Visualizations and Media Lab (CVML) at Tulane. The CVML is a mobile humanities lab that utilizes digital media to create awareness about social and environmental justice issues. The lab, led by Dr. Chris Oliver, recently developed “The American Dream Denied: New Orleans Residents of Gordon Plaza Seek Relocation,” a multimedia art exhibition for the Newcomb Museum of Art. Zachary had 7 credited pieces within the final exhibition including photo portraits, video interviews, and a soundscape. After graduation, Zachary will continue to work with the CVML.
The 2020 Glendy Burke Medal in Communication is Lauren Gaines.
Lauren Gaines a senior from Baton Rouge, LA. She will be graduating Magna Cum Laude from Tulane with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication and a minor in Political Science. During her time at Tulane, Lauren was the first Black woman elected as Executive Vice President of the Undergraduate Student Government and the second Black Homecoming Queen in 30 years. She plans to pursue a career in non-profit communications and marketing.
Congratulations to the 2020 award recipients!