Four College of Arts & Letters students graduated with perfect 4.0 GPAs and received Board of Trustees Awards for having achieved the highest scholastic average at the end of their undergraduate careers at Michigan State University.
They are among the 130 MSU students recognized this spring by the MSU Board of Trustees for having graduated with a 4.0 GPA. The following are the Spring 2021 College of Arts & Letters graduates who have reached this lofty academic achievement:
- Caroline Chuah, B.A. Linguistics, Honors College
- Katarina Genson, B.A. Apparel and Textile Design
- Alexander Hughes, B.S. Materials Science and Engineering, B.A Russian, Honors College
- Amanda Ling, B.A. English, Honors College
Caroline Chuah
Caroline Chuah graduated with a B.A. in Linguistics and minors in Communicative Sciences and Disorders, Cognitive Science, and Korean. She was a member of the Honors College and Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society and participated in the Yonsei University in South Korea Study Abroad (exchange) program. Chuah also worked as a Peer Advisor in the Office for Education Abroad from 2019-2021.
“The biggest lesson I’ve learned in these four years is not to chase success by others’ metrics,” Chuah said. “It’s easy to get caught up in thinking that grades or achievements that go on your resume are the things most worth spending your time on, but college provides so many experiences that allow you to go out of your comfort zone and grow in ways outside the classroom. There isn’t one right way to live life — being open to new experiences and figuring out the path that worked for me is how I made these four years so fulfilling.”
After graduation, Chuah plans to continue to shadow speech therapists to gain more observation experience before applying to graduate school for Speech-Language Pathology next year. In the meantime, she will return home to Singapore to “hopefully” address some chronic health issues and also spend more time with her dog and family.
Katarina Genson
Katarina Genson graduated with a B.F.A. in Apparel and Textile Design and a minor in Entrepreneurship and Innovation. During her time at MSU, she worked on VIM Magazine as Assistant Director of the Fashion Show Team from 2017-2019 and was Co-Director of Fashion Relations from 2019-2020.
Genson also interned abroad working for a summer in London, England, as a Fashion Design Intern for the fashion company, Paragon Clothing. Last year, Genson interned for the entrepreneurial company, Jespionne, where she was a lead fashion designer for lingerie and denim as well as a lead art designer and merchandiser.
“My last four years at MSU have taught me how to be an excited, empowered, and a creative individual,” Genson said. “I’ve learned that through exercising empathy, perseverance, and energy, you can find amazing people to surround yourself with as well as opportunity and knowledge.”
After graduation, Genson plans to pursue a career within the fashion, creative, or entrepreneurial industries, and continue to pursue her own entrepreneurial ventures.
Alexander Hughes
Alexander Hughes graduated with a B.A. in Russian, a B.S. in Materials Science and Engineering, and is a member of the Honors College. He did a study away at Middlebury Language School in Vermont. For eight weeks, he was completely immersed in the Russian language, along with other dedicated language teachers and students.
After graduation, Hughes plans to look for engineering jobs in Russia or for a company that conducts business with Russia. He also says he would be interested in pursuing a certificate in TESOL and teaching English in Russia.
Amanda Ling
Amanda Ling graduated with a B.A. in English with minors in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages and Spanish. She was also a member of the Honors College and a member of the MSU Varsity Swim and Dive team. A diver, Ling was honored as the recipient of the Elite 90 award for the 2021 NCAA Division I Women’s Swimming and Diving Championship. She is only the second MSU student-athlete to earn the prestigious Elite 90 award.
“MSU has taught me that I can overcome adversity and push myself to achieve things that I only dreamed were possible if I work hard enough,” Ling said. “I have also learned how important it is to surround yourself with people who lift you up and will support you in who you are.”
After graduation, Ling’s plans are to attend the Ohio State University to work towards an M.A. in Adolescent, Post-Secondary, and Community Literacies and continue her collegiate diving career as a member of the Ohio State Swimming and Diving Team.
