Dear Global Languages Community,

Today we celebrate Commencement for the Class of 2023. My colleagues in Global Languages join me in saluting your extraordinary achievements, Class of 2023!

We hope you will have a stimulating summer filled with transformational adventures. Thank you for having made Global Languages such a vibrant community during your time at MIT. The greatest joy for all of us in Global Languages is working with such engaged and engaging students. In my view, the undergraduates are what makes MIT such a special institution, and those students committed to Global Languages are exemplifying the unique MIT spirit most brilliantly. You have made MIT and Global Languages a better place over the past four years – every single day.

Thank you for everything!
Per

Congratulations to graduating students

Global Languages gives hearty congratulations to the entire class of 2023, with special recognition to our 49 graduating minors, and 225 graduating concentrators. Also congratulations to our graduating major, Stefan Damchevski, who had a double major with Chemical Engineering (10B) and German.

and to 2023 Global Languages student award winners

Global Languages Excellence Awards are presented to outstanding students who best reflect the unit’s goals for achievement of proficiency in language, cultural understanding and enthusiasm in language learning. Michael Sutton, class of 2023, Course 6, won First Prize for his studies of Chinese, Portuguese, and Spanish. Theo St. Francis, class of 2023, Aero-Astro, is the recipient of the Ellen Crocker Distinguished Scholar award for his studies of Portuguese. Nghi Nguyen, class of 2023, Course 6, is the recipient of the Margarita Ribas Groeger Distinguished Scholar award for her studies of French and Japanese.

The Miyagawa Japanese Prize is awarded annually to students who demonstrate excellence in their study of Japanese. The First Prize recipient is Rawisara Lohanimit, class of 2024, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. The Second Place recipients are Madison Bronnimann, class of 2024, Aeronautics and Astronautics; and Brandon Wong, class of 2025, Mechanical Engineering.

The Jing Wang Memorial Prize recognizes students who have excelled in their study of Chinese. Winners of the award this year are Anna Chau, class of 2023, Course 6-2; and Stanley Chen, class of 2024, Course 6-7.

The German Excellence Award honors students who exhibit excellent language skills and creativity in the study of German language and culture in classes at MIT. The First Prize this year is Sherry Nyeo, class of 2023, for her essay “Die Einsamkeit des Schachspiels” written for 21G.420 Visual Histories. A special prize went to Stefan Damchevski, class of 2023, for continued outstanding work in German. Second Prize winners were: Lili Wilson, class of 2025; Sofia Haug, class of 2025; Elizaveta Tremsina, G; Alexis Zitzmann, class of 2024; Liane Makatura, G; Vin Armelin, class of 2023; Lucia Padilla, class of 2023; and Sophia Sonnert, class of 2023. Third Prize winners were: Inoela Vital, class of 23; Loreta Arzumanyan, class of 2026; Elmar Cruz, class of 2023; Haris Imanovic, class of 2026; Laura Schmidt-Hong, class of 2023; Tamara Hinderman, class of 2025; Paul Portmann, class of 2023; and Willow Huang, class of 2025.

The De Courtivron Writing Prize recognizes high-quality undergraduate writing (creative or expository) on topics related to immigrant, diaspora, bicultural, bilingual, and/or mixed-race experiences. First Prize went to Kenny Logan, class of 2026, for “La Balsa (The Raft).” Second Prize went to Alexandra Nwigwe, class of 2023, EECS and Design, for “Before You Cross the Street.” Honorable Mentions went to Layal Barakat, class of 2023, Mechanical Engineering, for “The Ride Home”; Sophie Vulpe, class of 2026, for “Shedding Skin”; and Cindy Xie, class of 2024, Urban Planning and Biology, for “My Parents Visit Ralphs on Their First Halloween in America.”