Eleven KU Law students honored for scholarship, leadership and service

LAWRENCE — Eleven University of Kansas School of Law students received awards during the spring 2026 semester for distinguishing themselves in scholarship, leadership and service to the law school and the community.

The recipients:

• Wren Browne, Midland, Michigan: Janean Meigs Memorial Award
• Angela Davis, Emporia: Class of 1949 Leadership Award
• Ben DeKoning, Wichita: Walter Hiersteiner Outstanding Service Award
• Keegun Gose, Abilene: Janean Meigs Memorial Award
• Alec Nee, Lee’s Summit, Missouri: Faculty Award for Outstanding Scholastic Achievement
• Evan Norkey, Olathe: Robert F. Bennett Award
• Abby Ottaway, Wichita: Class of 1949 Leadership Award
• Will Orlowski, Lawrence: Samuel Mellinger Scholarship, Leadership and Service Award
• Hadley Sayers, Shawnee: Faculty Award for Outstanding Scholastic Achievement
• Tanya Singh, Manhattan: Faculty Award for Outstanding Scholastic Achievement
• Madi Stapleton, Olathe: Justice Lloyd Kagey Leadership Award

All award winners are graduates of the Class of 2026, who were recognized at the KU Law hooding ceremony on May 16. Alec Nee, of Lee’s Summit, Missouri, and Madi Stapleton, of Olathe, were selected to serve as the 2026 banner carriers, an honor bestowed upon the student or students who exemplify excellence in their program. The graduating class was composed of 110 recipients of the Juris Doctor as well as one Master of Laws in American Legal Studies graduate. Seventeen students graduated from the Master of Science in Homeland Security: Law & Policy program.

Funds for the awards are managed by KU Endowment, the independent and nonprofit organization serving as KU’s official fundraising and fund-management organization. Founded in 1891, KU Endowment was the first foundation of its kind at a U.S. public university.

Student awards are listed below alphabetically.

Wren Browne

Wren Browne, of Midland, Michigan, received the Janean Meigs Memorial Award. This award is given to the graduates who have demonstrated a caring spirit in service to the students of the university and/or the community at large. Browne served as president of the Jewish Legal Society and Trans Law Student Association and was an active member of OUTLaws & Accomplices. They were also the executive secretary of the Student Bar Association, where they were instrumental in organizing events such as spirit week and barrister’s ball. Browne served as a student ambassador since their first year at KU Law and later worked in the Career Services Office as a student worker. Browne is the child of Bridget Sullivan and Phil Browne and is a graduate of Midland High School and Saginaw Valley State University.

Angela Davis

Angela Davis, of Emporia, received the Class of 1949 Leadership Award. This award is given to the students who contributed most significantly to the overall experience of the students in Green Hall. Davis was a dedicated member of KU Law’s Student Bar Association, serving as president during her third year. Davis is the daughter of Bryan and Jackie Davis, who she credits with teaching her values of honesty, sincerity and integrity. She graduated from Emporia High School and KU.

Ben DeKoning

Ben DeKoning, of Wichita, received the Walter Hiersteiner Outstanding Service Award. The recipient of this award is the graduate whose service to their fellow students in the School of Law or the university community demonstrates the greatest promise for contribution to the legal profession and to society. DeKoning was managing editor of the Kansas Law Review, a Dean’s Fellow, Student Bar Association class president for two years, a member of the Mock Trial Council, president of the Intellectual Property Society and research assistant to Professor Andrew Torrance. DeKoning is the son of Rod and Marcy DeKoning and graduated from Andover High School and Kansas State University.

Keegun Gose

Keegun Gose, of Abilene, received the Janean Meigs Memorial Award. This award is given to the graduates who have demonstrated a caring spirit in service to the students of the university and/or the community at large. Gose served on the executive boards of both the Student Bar Association and the Kansas Journal of Law & Public Policy and was a founding member of the Jayhawk Defenders. He was also a member of the Moot Court Council and wrote the article “Police Body Worn Cameras in Kansas: You Can’t Prove What You Can’t See,” published this year in the journal. Gose served as a Dean’s Fellow during his second and third years at KU Law. He is the son of Jon and Mitzi Gose. He graduated from Abilene High School and KU.

Alec Nee

Alec Nee, of Lee’s Summit, Missouri, received the Faculty Award for Outstanding Scholastic Achievement. This award is given to the graduates who have made the most significant contribution toward overall legal scholarship. Nee is a seven-time CALI Excellence for the Future Award recipient. He served as a comments editor for the Kansas Law Review. He was also a Shook, Hardy & Bacon Advocate and member of the Moot Court Council, competing in two national moot court competitions. In addition, Nee competed with the Mock Trial Team at the Queens District Attorney’s Office Mock Trial Competition and served on the KU Court of Parking Appeals as both a prosecutor and judge. Nee is the son of Joel and Annie Nee. He graduated from Lee’s Summit West High School and Missouri State University.  

Evan Norkey

Evan Norkey, of Olathe, received the Robert F. Bennett Award. This award is presented to the graduate whose undergraduate degree is from a Kansas university or college and who has demonstrated leadership qualities through public service. Norkey served on the boards of the Public Interest Law Society, OUTLaws & Accomplices and the Trans Law Student Association. They also helped found Advocates For A Barrier-Free Legal Education, a student organization focused on disability advocacy. Norkey additionally served on the Student Organization Funding Committee and participated in the Project for Innocence and the Legal Aid Clinic. They were active in both Moot Court and Mock Trial and participated in competitions for each. Norkey also contributed extensively to the KU Court of Parking Appeals as both a student attorney and guest judge. They graduated from Blue Valley West High School and KU.

Will Orlowski

Will Orlowski, of Lawrence, received the Samuel Mellinger Scholarship, Leadership and Service Award. This award is given annually to the graduate who has most distinguished themselves in the combined areas of scholarship, leadership and service. Orlowski helped found and grow the Balance & Well-Being organization, serving as president and later treasurer. He was also the re-founding president of KU Law’s American Constitution Society chapter, a staff articles editor for the Kansas Journal of Law & Public Policy, a Student Bar Association 3L representative and a student ambassador. Orlowski is the son of Jeffrey and Lori Orlowski. He graduated from Shenendehowa High School and KU.

Abby Ottaway

Abby Ottaway, of Wichita, received the Class of 1949 Leadership Award. This award is given to the students who contributed most significantly to the overall experience of the students in Green Hall. Ottaway is a two-time CALI Excellence for the Future Award recipient in criminal procedure and immigration. She served as executive staff articles editor for the Kansas Journal of Law & Public Policy, where she published “Just Because It’s Constitutional Doesn’t Mean It’s a Good Idea: Why Kansas Must Respond to Homelessness with Housing Instead of Criminalization.” Ottaway also served for two years on the Student Bar Association executive board as ABA representative and was a Shook, Hardy & Bacon Scholar. She was a founding member and vice president of the Jayhawk Defenders. She is the daughter of Emily Giles and Luther Ottaway. She graduated from The Independent School and Trinity University, San Antonio.

Hadley Sayers

Hadley Sayers, of Shawnee, received the Faculty Award for Outstanding Scholastic Achievement. This award is given to the graduates who have made the most significant contribution toward overall legal scholarship. Sayers served as an articles editor for the Kansas Law Review and as a teaching assistant for Lawyering Skills for two years. She was also a member of KU Law’s Moot Court program and earned the Best Respondent Brief award at KU Law’s in-house moot court competition. Sayers is the daughter of John and Gretchen Sayers and graduated from Shawnee Mission Northwest and Tulane University.

Tanya Singh

Tanya Singh, of Manhattan, received the Faculty Award for Outstanding Scholastic Achievement. This award is given to the graduates who have made the most significant contribution toward overall legal scholarship. Singh served as vice president of the Business and Tax Law Society, chaired KU's Student Health Advisory Board and was a member of the Moot Court Council. She also oversaw the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program for the 2025-26 academic year and served as a student ambassador for three years. Singh additionally worked as a research assistant for professors Najarian Peters and Andrew Torrance and participated in KU Law’s Medical-Legal Partnership field placement program. She will be attending KU Medical School this fall. Singh is the daughter of Preeti and Avinash Singh. She graduated from Manhattan High School and KU.

Madi Stapleton

Madi Stapleton, of Olathe, received the Justice Lloyd Kagey Leadership Award. This award is presented to the graduate who has most distinguished themselves through leadership in the School of Law. Stapleton served as lead comments editor for the Kansas Law Review and served as a writing teaching assistant for the lawyering skills faculty. She also completed an independent study with Professor Sharon Brett and was the first and only student featured at this year’s Annual Federal Courts Junior Scholars Workshop. Stapleton is the daughter of Victoria Ford and Jeff Stapleton. She graduated from Olathe East High School and Western Washington University.