Kahn Career Entry Awards

The Esther B. and Albert S. Kahn Career Entry Award Fund was established in 1985 with an endowed contribution of $1 million from Esther Kahn (Wheelock’55, Hon.’86). Each spring, students completing their last semester of graduate or undergraduate studies are eligible to compete for the award.

Past recipients of the award include opera stars Stephen Salters (CFA’91,’94) and Dominique Labelle (CFA’89), TV and theater scene designer Antje Ellermann (CFA’94), and actor Russell Hornsby (CFA’96). Find a complete list of recent finalists and winners below.

Winners & Finalists

2025

Grand prize winner: Nyla Mawire (CFA’25), BM, Tuba Performance, was the grand winner of a $20,000 prize. The finalists listed below received $2,500 stipends.

Finalists:

Cassandra McDonald (CFA’25) DMA, Trumpet Performance
Sydney Hovasse (CFA’25) BFA Theatre Arts, Costume Design
Gregg Wiggans (CFA’25) MFA Directing
Gabriel Joy Reid (CFA’25) MFA Visual Narrative
Anthony Venturi (CFA’25) BFA Painting

The CFA and Boston University community celebrated six outstanding students at the 2025 Esther B. and Albert S. Kahn Career Entry Award reception on Tuesday, April 22, 2025 in the CFA Student Lounge.

2024

Grand prize winner: Madeline Riddick-Seals (CFA’24), BFA Theatre Arts – Design, Production & Management (Scene Design), was the grand winner of a $20,000 prize. The finalists listed below received $2,500 stipends.

Finalists:

James Gold
Spencer Hart-Thompson
Kimly Mengyin Wang
Madeline Riddick-Seals
Emily Rice
Tommy Vines

The CFA and Boston University community celebrated six outstanding students at the 2024 Esther B. and Albert S. Kahn Career Entry Award reception on Monday, April 22, 2024 in the CFA Student Lounge.

2023

Grand prize winner: Madelaine Kobe, a 2023 School of Visual Arts, MFA Painting graduate, was the grand winner of a $20,000 prize. The finalists below received $2,500 stipends.

Finalists:

Rayna Yun Chou
Ami Okazaki
Stephen Proski
Joseph Sedarski
Valyn Lyric Turner

2022

2022 Kahn Awards Recipients. [from left to right] Savannah Panah, Devon Russo, Gavin Fahey, Chen Peng, Mya Ison, Noah Putterman

Grand prize winner: Gavin Fahey, a 2022 School of Visual Arts, MFA Painting graduate, was the grand winner of a $20,000 prize. The finalists below received $2,500 stipends.

Finalists:

Mya Ison
Savannah Panah
Chang Peng
Noah Putterman
Devon Russo

2021

Grand prize winner: Shantel Miller, a 2021 School of Visual Arts, MFA Painting graduate, was the grand winner of a $20,000 prize. Read more about Shantel’s work. The finalists below received $2,500 stipends.

Finalists:

Jisun Oh (CFA’21), School of Music, flute and piccolo
Xuerong (Kyra) Zhao (CFA’21), School of Music, piano
Amanda Fallon (CFA’21), School of Theatre, lighting designer
Khadija Bangoura (CFA’21), School of Theatre, actor, writer, and director
Hannah Minifie (CFA’21), School of Visual Arts, sculptor

2020

Grand prize winner: Saskia Martinez, a 2020 School of Theatre BFA in Scene Design candidate, as the grand winner for a $20,000 prize and awarded the five finalists below $2,500 each.

Finalists:

Eric Carey (CFA’20), School of Music, Resident Artist, Boston University Opera Institute
Tak-Cheung Hui (CFA’20), School of Music, 2020 Doctoral of Music in Composition
Nicholas Walker (CFA’20), School of Theatre, 2020 BFA in Theatre Arts
Alexander Stern (CFA’20), School of Visual Arts, 2020 MFA Program
Diana Walsh (CFA’20), School of Visual Arts, 2020 MFA Program

2019

Grand prize winner: Max Bard (CFA’19), School of Visual Arts graduate student

Finalists:

Paul Dufresne (CFA’19), School of Theatre graduate student studying scene design
Seychelle Dunn-Corbin (CFA’19), School of Music graduate student studying saxophone performance
Matthew Hufford (CFA’19), School of Visual Arts graduate student studying painting
Choah Kim (CFA’19), School of Music graduate student in piano performance
Sarah Shin (CFA’19), senior in the School of Theatre

Judges typically select three winners annually, but this year the award format changed. Judges selected one grand winner Max Bard (CFA’19) for a $20,000 prize and offered five other finalists $2,500 each. The awards were presented by Deborah Kahn (SED’67) and Harvey Young, Dean of Boston University College of Fine Arts, on Friday, April 26, 2019 at the Faye G. Jo and James Stone Gallery.

Alia Coleman (CFA’18), School of Visual Arts’ Graduate Sculpture program
Murat Çolak (CFA’18), DMA candidate in Composition & Theory from the School of Music
Desiré Graham (CFA’18), School of Theatre undergraduate Theatre Arts program

The winners each received $12,000 grants to help them transition into artistic careers following their graduation. The awards were presented by Deborah Kahn (SED’67) and Harvey Young, Dean of Boston University College of Fine Arts, on Friday, April 27, 2018 at 808 Gallery.

Flutist Alexandra Conway (CFA’09,’17)
Actor and director Emily Brown (CFA’17)
Painter Kayla Suverkrubbe (CFA’17)

Each received $12,000 to jump-start their careers in any way they choose. On the panel this year were Linda Kahn Green (SED’63), daughter of Esther Kahn and the late Albert Kahn (SED’59,’62), and her husband, William Green. The arts leaders were Louise Kennedy, WBUR senior producer, arts engagement, Joanna Fink of the Alpha Gallery, and former Boston Globe classical music writer Richard Dyer.

Scene designer Ghazal Hassani (CFA’16)
Composer Felipe Pinto D’Aguiar (CFA’16)
Painter Leeanne Maxey (CFA’16)

On the panel this year were Deborah Kahn (SED’67) and Linda Green (SED’63), daughters of Esther and the late Albert Kahn (SED’59,’62), along with Deborah’s husband, Harris Miller, and their son, Derek Miller. The arts leaders were Louise Kennedy, WBUR senior editor, education, Peggy Fogelman, newly installed director of the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, and Jane Pappalardo (CFA’65), a philanthropist and chair of the Council for the Arts at MIT.

Grant Eligibility

Boston University College of Fine Arts undergraduate or graduate students in the performing and visual arts completing their last semester of study prior to graduation (and not continuing in other programs of study) are eligible to compete for the Kahn Career Entry Fund award.

About the Grants

The number and size of grants awarded each year are determined by the available income from an endowment fund managed by Boston University. It was the intention of the donor, Mrs. Esther Kahn, to award one-year grants. This year’s awards will total $40,000. Six final candidates (two per School) will be chosen and will each receive $4,000. The final award winner will be chosen from the final candidate pool and will receive an additional $16,000 for a total grand prize of $20,000.

The awards are based on a combination of talent, artistic accomplishments, strength of application and presentation.

Application & Selection Process

Each School will select two final candidates for the consideration of the Selection Committee. Each finalist will be asked to deliver a brief (10-12 minute) presentation in which they provide an overview of the written application, share examples of their work in the visual and performing arts. The strength of the presentation will play a role in the overall evaluation process.

Candidates are asked to submit the following (in this order) to their School Director:

A two page proposal, outlining your career entry plans and how the Kahn Award will assist your transition from student to arts professional.
Your curriculum vitae/resume.
A one page personal statement discussing your role as an artist in contemporary society, including an illustration of your concern for social issues, as well as how the award funds will be of particular benefit to you at this time.
A one page general budget outlining anticipated expenses as you begin your career.
Your nomination letter.
A completed and signed application.
Your work, submitted according to the requirements described on submission form.