Elanor "Ellie" Sullivan, an honors anthropology and Chinese major, received the 2025 Liu Family Distinguished Achievement Award in Asian Studies during a graduation ceremony on May 16 that honored students earning degrees from the Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures (EALC). Michel Hockx, director of the Liu Institute for Asia and Asian Studies and an EALC professor, presented the award.
The EALC presents the Liu Family Distinguished Achievement Award in Asian Studies each year to the student whose character and undergraduate work best exemplify commitment, diligence, and imagination in studying Asia.
"During her four years at Notre Dame, Ellie sought out opportunities to broaden her perspective and immerse herself in Chinese language and culture—whether learning to make dumplings with friends or practicing Chinese calligraphy in her free time," Hockx said in presenting the award.
A resident of Redondo Beach, California, Sullivan wasn't expecting to pursue a degree in Chinese, but was interested in a challenge. "I showed up as a freshman and thought it looked hard and new. So I enrolled."
That decision eventually led to Sullivan spending a year abroad at the National University of Singapore, serving as a research assistant for EALC and the Department of Political Science. and was inducted into the Phi Beta Kappa Society in 2024.
After graduation, Sullivan plans to join McMaster-Carr in Chicago as part of its management program.