Art History has a Dean’s Medalist!

Steffani Bennett completed her Art History bachelor’s degree in March and was recently chosen as the 2011 College of Arts & Sciences Dean’s Medalist for the Arts. She also received the School of Art’s de Cillia Graduating with Excellence Award for an undergraduate student in the Division of Art History and a 2011 Library Research Award from the UW Libraries. As the child of a US diplomat, Bennett was born and raised in East and Southeast Asia, attending international schools in China, Thailand, and Taiwan. Her experiences in those countries fostered a great love of East Asian culture and art, which she studied at the University of Washington. Bennett also broadened her art historical perspective through courses in areas other than Asian art. Professor Susan Casteras said recently, “Steffani’s ability to master new subjects was particularly impressive. Although she had never studied 19th-century art, she produced the most dazzling and brilliant research and insights of the entire class in my seminar on the subject.” After spending a year studying abroad in Kyoto, Japan, and other coursework in Japanese art, culture, and language, Bennett has decided to pursue a PhD in art history with a desire to better understand the complex artistic interactions between Japan and China. Professor Casteras has also said, “She is someone whose incredible potential will undoubtedly be realized in major future contributions to Japanese studies.” Bennett will spend a year solidifying her Chinese language skills before attending graduate school.