From top to bottom, left to right: Wei-Li Wu; Mingfeng Cao; Remington Gillis; Jiayuan Li; Yutong Lu; Henry Stevens; Xiaonan Wang; Yunke Gu; Ruihan Wan; John Lewis; Zhengyuan Cui; Yanfei Mao
On May 1 2022, Department of Athletics presented 12 senior student-athletes with the very first Scholar-Athlete Leadership Award, in recognition of their contributions to the promotion of Athletics’ program values in the past four year.
The presentation was held virtually via zoom. Youmei Feng, Chancellor of Duke Kunshan University and Raphael Moffett, Dean of Student Affairs both attended the presentation. In their opening remarks, they both acknowledged the value that sports clubs and scholar-athletes have brought to DKU.
“The award winners today have helped build the foundations of the University sports program and continued to promote DKU values through club leaderships and individual excellence. You have created a legacy as DKU athlete pioneers that paves the way for future classes’ success.” Said Chancellor Feng during her opening remarks.
Dean Raphael, who has been a huge supporter of Athletics, assented: “Athletics is a big part of our identity, and I believe that the Athletics opportunities we provide really are gate ways to learning life lessons.”
The awards were then presented by Athletics Director Zarko Krkeljas, alongside with other Athletics staff and instructors. The students awarded are founders of DKU sports clubs, captains of varsity teams and those who have competed individually and achieved great honors in their relevant fields.
Gary Cui, the first captain of DKU Men’s basketball team is one of them. “I want to thank everyone in DKU basketball team, including Arthur, Steven, Tim, Westley, Alfred, BD, Ethan and everyone I have fought with gloriously representing DKU. With the commitment we have made, we stayed together and went through the 4 years as a group, as a team as a community and as brothers. We have made it and it is such a great achievement for all of us! ” Said Gary.
As the first Annual Athletics Award Presentation, this year’s award will serve as a platform for future Athletics program awards that will reflect various ways in which individual scholar-athletes, or sports clubs as organizations demonstrate and promote excellence on and off the field.
Wei-Li Wu, Kendo, Presented by Quanwei Yan, PE Instructor
Mingfeng Cao, Kendo, Presented by Quanwei Yan, PE Instructor
Remington Gillis, Mixed Martial Arts, Presented by Wanyi Jiang, Sports and Recreation Coordinator
Yutong Lu, Softball, Presented by Yang Yang, PE Instructor
Henry Stevens, Running, Presented by Zarko Krkeljas, Athletics Director
Xiaonan Wang, Badminton, Presented by Yangjie Zhang, PE Instructor
Yunke Gu, Table-Tennis, Presented by Bingfang Li, PE Instructor
Ruihan Wan, Football, Presented by Peng Zhao, Senior PE Instructor
John Lewis, Football, Presented by Peng Zhao, Senior PE Instructor
Jiayuan Li, Basketball, Presented by Kang An, Sports Engagement Coordinator
Zhengyuan Cui, Basketball, Presented by Zarko Krkeljas, Athletics Director
Yanfei Mao, Basketball, Presented by Zarko Krkeljas, Athletics Director