Spotlight on Students and Faculty
April & May 2025
Student Spotlight
Congratulations to all our graduating students across every campus! We’re proud of all you’ve accomplished and excited to see where your journey takes you next. Wishing you success, creativity, and joy in all that comes!
Featured projects from our students:
Tessiture in Bloom
DTC junior Quinn Carrick has been awarded the 2025 Emeritus Undergraduate Award in the Arts and Humanities category. Quinn’s work explores virtual reality narratives and experiences. Professor Dene Grigar notes, “Quinn’s contribution involves implementing sound via open Web languages and WebXR rather than a game engine and making that code available to anyone who wishes to undertake this kind of work themselves.” Read more about the project on the Vancouver Campus Showcase Website.
Outstanding Student Staff VanCoug Leadership Award
Caitlyn Kruger has been honored with the Outstanding Student Staff VanCoug Leadership Award, recognizing her exceptional leadership, dedication, and service to the campus community. Her contributions have made a lasting impact on student life and reflect the spirit of excellence celebrated by this award.
Programming a Method for Documenting NetProv
James Lesperance received the Excellence in Undergraduate Research VanCoug Leadership Award for his outstanding contributions to undergraduate research. His project, which explores and documents live social media performances known as NetProv(Networked Improvisation), also earned Second Place in the “Art and Design” category at the Student Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (SURCA) event.
In addition, James was awarded Second Place in WSU Vancouver’s Research Showcase, further recognizing the creative and scholarly significance of his work at the intersection of digital media, performance, and cultural documentation. More information about the project can be found on the Vancouver Campus Showcase Website.
Faculty Spotlight
Dr. Gunjan Gakhar (Project Lead) and Professor Brenda Grell have been awarded the Samuel H. and Patricia W. Smith Teaching and Learning Grant in the amount of $5,000 for their interdisciplinary project, Microbial Connections: Integrating Science, Community, and Interdisciplinary Learning Through Fermented Foods.
Launching this fall, the project will enrich MBIOS 304 and DTC 201 by incorporating community-based service learning and interdisciplinary approaches. Students will explore the scientific and cultural significance of fermented foods, particularly their impact on gut microbiota and mental health.
Congratulations to Professor Diamond Beverly-Porter for receiving the 2025 Fellowship Award for Black Artists from Artist Trust. This prestigious merit-based award honors artistic excellence and commitment to creative practice. Diamond is one of the 15 artists in Washington state to receive this unrestricted grant. She will use the support of this award to develop her video game Rhythm and Rope, purchasing digital design assets and traveling to document community histories of Double Dutch. She also plans to build an arcade console to showcase the game at the2025 BIPOC Games Conference at the Museum of Play in New York.
Read more about Professor Porter’s work and award through WSU Insider and Artist Trust.
DTC Awards and Showcase | Pullman Campus
Celebrating outstanding achievements in design, research, innovation, and community engagement by students and faculty. Congratulations to those who won an award at the showcase this year!
Excellence in Game Design & Theory
Thalia McBrayer & Aozora Short
Excellence in Web Design & Development
Anna Feric
Excellence in Animation & 3D Modeling
Elaina Parrish & Amara Brock
Excellence in Multimedia Design & Production
Artem Kireev
&
Joshika Gangiredla, Ben Tasaki, Cedric Kraynak, Anna Silverman, Bee Henson, Clara Greer, Justin Duckworth for Club Studio
Excellence in Graphic Design & Visual Communication
Sarah, Mason Muehlbauer, Diana, Jaden, Kaylee, Andrew Nolan, Gerra Shock, Bee Henson
Excellence in Film & Video Production
Willem Dunlap
Innovation Award
Stella Rockwell
Advocacy & Community Engagement Award
Lillian Adkins
Emerging Scholar Award
Alliyah Jackson & Chloe Webb
Distinguished Scholar Award
Sarah Kujath
Outstanding Senior Award
Cedric Kaynak
Innovative Teaching Award
June T. Sanders