USC Glorya Kaufman School of Dance Commencement, May 15, 2026. (USC Photo/Michael Baker)

Students were recognized for excellence in research and interdisciplinary achievement.

By USC Kaufman Staff

Cardin Chung ’26, Rhaine Marquardt ’26 and Emily Fluker ’26, all recent BFA graduates of the USC Glorya Kaufman School of Dance, have been recognized by USC — and beyond — for their excellence and future promise.

Chung is the recipient of a grant from the Fulbright U.S. Student Program, a prestigious international exchange initiative sponsored by the U.S. Department of State that funds recent graduates and young professionals to study, conduct research or teach English abroad while fostering cross-cultural understanding. In addition to his BFA in dance, Chung graduated from USC with minors in web development and jazz studies. Originally from Oregon, Chung will travel to Germany on an Open Study/Research Award in the creative performing arts, where he will research the experiential effects of integrating wearable technology within dance to generate live music and visuals. Chung previously completed a residency at the Dance Research and Residency Center at Lake Studios Berlin in summer 2024, which gave him a chance to develop wearable technologies for dance capable of controlling live music and visuals. He has conducted similar work as a senior at USC and will continue his research through the Fulbright program.

Along with Marquardt, Chung also was named a USC Discovery Scholar, an honor that “recognizes undergraduates who excel academically and make meaningful contributions through exceptional research or creative work, demonstrating promise for future scholarship or artistic achievement.” USC selects 10 graduating seniors annually for the Discovery Scholar distinction. Those selected receive $10,000 prizes toward graduate study.

A native of Calgary, Alberta, Marquardt graduated with a BFA in dance and a minor in business from the USC Marshall School of Business. She received the USC Kaufman Artistic Excellence Scholarship and the USC Glorya Kaufman Endowed Scholarship and served as a member of the Student Advisory Board Curriculum Committee and co-director of the Southern California Choreographic Collective. Additionally, she was named the 2025 New Century Dance Project choreography grand prize winner in Albuquerque, New Mexico. In addition to future plans to dance and choreograph, Marquardt is devoted to advancing resource equity between artists and athletes in sport, with an interest in artist advocacy and aspirations in entertainment law.

Marquardt also joins Fluker as a Steven & Kathryn Sample Renaissance Scholar, an honor that celebrates 10 graduating seniors each year for “achieving distinction across widely divergent fields of study, demonstrating breadth and depth of academic excellence, and the ability to connect insights across disciplines.” Like the Discovery Scholar program, Renaissance Scholars receive $10,000 prizes toward graduate study.

Raised in Dallas, Texas, Fluker pursued both a BFA in dance at USC Kaufman and a business minor from the USC Marshall School of Business, which allowed her to explore the “intersection of creative movement and strategic enterprise.” Fluker has served on the USC Kaufman Student Advisory Board and Student Services team, demonstrating a commitment to arts administration and program development. She is dedicated to pursuing opportunities that allow her to discover her unique purpose as a performer while shaping her into a thoughtful leader within the dance community.