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Taubman College Celebrates the Class of 2020

Taubman College congratulates the 243 graduate and undergraduate students who became alumni the weekend of May 1, 2020. In a time of change and uncertainty, the Taubman College community is proud of the graduates for bringing their best to their work and for investing so much of themselves in the Taubman College community. They join Taubman College’s global community of 10,000 alumni.

Annual student awards recognize excellence in each degree program in the areas of academics, leadership, service, and exemplary character.

2020 Doctoral Studies Award Recipients

  • Distinguished Dissertation Award in Architecture: Azadeh Omidfar Sawyer
    The award is selected by the architecture doctoral faculty in recognition of producing an exemplary dissertation.
  • Distinguished Dissertation Award in Urban and Regional Planning: Xiang ‘Jacob’ Yan
    The award is selected by the urban and regional planning doctoral faculty in recognition of producing an exemplary dissertation.
  • Doctoral Student Award in Urban and Regional Planning: Matan Elisha Singer
    The award is selected by the urban and regional planning doctoral faculty based on scholarly performance, teaching, and service to the college, university, and/or the larger discipline.

2020 Master of Urban and Regional Planning Award Recipients

  • Academic Achievement Award: Meagan Gibeson
    The award recognizes an exceptional student based on academic achievements and strength of contributions toward fostering a learning environment.
  • Service to the Community Award: Anikka Van Eyl
    The award recognizes service contributions to people or organizations outside of the University of Michigan.
  • Service to the Urban and Regional Planning Program Award: Brittany Simmons
    The award recognizes outstanding contributions to the program, to the student body, and to advancing the mission of the program.
  • American Planning Association Outstanding Student Award: Kimberly Higgins
    The award recognizes outstanding attainment in the study of planning. The program chair and faculty select the recipient each year based on a combination of academic achievement, leadership, commitment to planning as a career, and community service.

2020 Master of Architecture Award Recipients

  • Burton L. Kampner Memorial Award: Marco Nieto, “Autopsia in Abstentia;” Honorable Mention: Yanci Chen, Zhipeng Liu, and Yining Yuan, “Architecture of {AI}”
    The award recognizes the master’s degree candidate whose final design project is considered to be the most outstanding. 
  • Marian Sarah Parker Memorial Award: Delaney McCraney
    The award recognizes the outstanding woman M.Arch. degree candidate.
  • Alpha Rho Chi Medal: Ishan Pal
    Alpha Rho Chi, a national professional fraternity for students of architecture and the allied arts, awards its medal to recognize the M.Arch. degree candidate who has shown leadership and given service to the school and whose personality and attitude give promise of real professional worth.
  • AIA Henry Adams Medal: Madeline Kil
    In each recognized school of architecture in the United States, the American Institute of Architects (AIA) annually awards an engraved medal to the M.Arch. degree candidate with the highest scholastic standing.
  • Program Distinction Award: Christopher Humphrey
    The award recognizes a graduating student who has made a significant contribution to the college by a combination of exceptional academic performance and fostering community building activities within the program.

2020 Master of Science Award Recipients

  • Master of Science Student Awards: Ryan Craney, Carl Eppinger, and Chia Ching Yen
    The award recognizes exemplary academic achievement by a graduating student.

2020 Master of Urban Design Award Recipients

  • Master of Urban Design Student Awards: Yixin Miao and Salvador Lindquist
    The award recognizes exemplary academic achievement by a graduating student.

2020 Undergraduate Wallenberg Studio Travel Award Recipients

  • Phillip Allore, “Storied Ground”
  • Cayman Langton and Natsume Ono, “Alternating Duality”
  • Clare Coburn, “Irrational Territories: Counter-Tactics for a Post-Petroleum Future”
  • Jamie Johnson and Peyton Stimac, “The Reformatorium”
  • Gian Anovert and Jesica Yu, “New Kids on the Block”
  • Yangtian Yan, “Depth of Panels”

The Wallenberg Awards are made possible through the generosity of the Benard L. Maas Foundation and recognize the best conceived and executed studio work by one or more Taubman College seniors. The funds are disbursed in the form of a stipend for international travel to a country of the student’s choosing. Wallenberg Award winners engage in the culture and people of the country they visit, exploring how these shape the experiential qualities of architecture.