The Art Education Association of Indiana hosted its annual convention November 1-4 in Ft. Wayne, Indiana. Bloomington resident and Associate Director, East Asian Studies Center, Theresa Kang, was awarded the 2018 Outstanding Higher Ed. Art Educator of Indiana award. Award recipients are nominated by their peers for supporting artistic achievement and service in education.

Teacher Laurette Roales says, "Dr. Kang is an outstanding leader, is professional and is a great example of someone that supports the arts. She encourages me to incorporate East Asia into my curriculum and to learn more about East Asia. She has been a wonderful mentor."

Clara Stanley, board president of Brown County Enrichment for Teens Assoc. says, "Dr. Kang has been such a great advocate of supporting the arts especially in education as a scholar and educator and has shown her wonderful efforts to organizing numerous community cultural events and programs in Bloomington and other areas in Midwestern States….The influence and impact Dr. Kang has exercised through her outreaching efforts to expand the understanding of arts and culture is beyond what one person can possibly achieve. She has been such a tireless force of achieving the highest level of arts education through her knowledge and profession in local, national, and international areas. With her generous and noble character and integrity, she deserves all the recognitions as a teacher and educator regarding arts and its education."

Dr. Kang has won many honors for her work including the Monica M. Lee Research Award , and the Hardie Dissertation Award from the U. of Illinois. She has procured many grants for Indiana University and written 5 publications on different subjects.