First-Year Book Award

The Phi Beta Kappa Alpha Chapter of Kansas announces its annual award in recognition of outstanding KU students in their first year.

Since 2017, we have presented a book award to first-year students. This annual award recognizes excellence in three first-year KU students — one enrolled in UNIV 101, one enrolled in HNRS 190, and one enrolled in a first-year seminar. Instructors of these courses may nominate up to two students they believe exhibit intellectual curiosity across the liberal arts, as well as academic success. The winners select a book from the Phi Beta Kappa Book Award short list and is publicly recognized during a public event in the spring.

Nominations

We ask that instructors of the courses mentioned above nominate up to two students they believe exhibit intellectual curiosity across the liberal arts, as well as academic success. Each nomination includes responses of no more than 100 words each to three questions and are submitted online in the early spring.

Past winners

In 2022, the three winners of the First-Year Book Award were Zuleyma Loma, Joohye Oh, and Sam Schaper.