First Place, Student Award for Excellence

Kimberly Wang, Class of 2026. First Prize, a double major in Computer Science and Mathematics at MIT (GPA: 5.0/5.0), combines academic excellence with a deep commitment to global cultural engagement. She has studied Japanese, Chinese, Spanish, and is actively learning Arabic, which she explored further through the MISTI Arab World teaching program in Amman, Jordan. Kimberly is a strong advocate for the Arabic program at MIT and has taught Python, data analysis, and NLP to young adults in Jordan. She contributes to AI research at MIT, developing NLP tools for the Central Bank of Armenia and multimodal models at CSAIL. Her honors include the Math Prize for Girls, AIME distinction, and U.S. Presidential Scholars candidacy. 

Margarita Ribas Groeger Distinguished Scholar

Jada Li, Class of 2025, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, for her studies in Spanish. Jada is an “exceptional student in every respect—intelligent, hardworking, highly collaborative with her peer, and always with a cheerful attitude.” Beyond the classroom, Jada has been a strong advocate for language education on many fronts through her involvement MIT ActLingual, a club geared for promoting the use of foreign languages for community service, as well as lobbying members of Congress to support funding for language learning in the educational system. Likewise, she has served as the Spanish Ambassador for Global Languages Spanish program in AY2025. Jada has traveled to Spain on numerous occasions including participation in MISTI internships and through IAP study abroad class The Spanish Incubator.

Ellen Crocker Distinguished Scholar

McKenzie Dinesen, Class of 2025, majoring in Aerospace Engineering and minoring in Russian and Eurasian Studies, for her studies in Russian. McKenzie is a valuable contributor to the program and a committed scholar of the region’s language, history, and politics. As a recipient of the prestigious Project Global Officer scholarship, McKenzie engaged in study abroad programs, bringing her enthusiasm to classes, extracurricular activities, and campus events promoting the program. Additionally, she made significant contributions to the Canvas Innovation Fund project, enhancing Canvas modules for various courses.