The Office of Undergraduate Research, which oversees the Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program (UROP), awards students and faculty for their achievements at the end of each spring semester. This year, the Outstanding Undergraduate Researcher Award for the College of Fine Arts went to Elise C. LeMonnier. She was also voted as the Outstanding Graduating Senior for the Department of Art & Art History and the College of Fine Arts Undergraduate Researcher.
According to her faculty mentor, Professor Meekyung MacMurdie, Elise's research: "challenges long-held assumptions about medieval pilgrimage and devotion by means of an art historical analysis of pilgrim badges, making ground-breaking use of Digital Humanities methods in order to address how medieval pilgrims negotiated their own individual experience in the face of increasingly-global political, economic, and religious networks."
Professor MacMurdie further stated:
With a passion for producing and sharing knowledge that extends beyond our department, Elise is currently working as research assistant to Dr. Jane Hatter in the School of Music, supported by a grant from Digital Matters, and has also collaborated with librarians at Marriott Library in advocating for Open Pedagogy Resources that prioritize inclusivity through features like alternative text and speech-to-voice options. Her efforts demonstrate care, sensitivity, and optimism, and she brings the same dedication to all her work. A practicing poet and visual artist, Elise productively moves between disciplines and approaches, blending creative and academic research–whether producing rigorous (and hilarious!) videos on pilgrim badges or crafting collages of feminist mixed-media cathedrals.
Professor Martin Novak had the following to say about Elise: "As a student majoring in Art History with a minor in Arts and Technology, Elise has consistently demonstrated exceptional academic achievement and proactive involvement in her studies. Her dedication and innovative approach to integrating her Arts Technology minor with her Art History major distinguish her as an exceptional interdisciplinary student."
During the UROP ceremony, Professor Marueen O'Hara Ure was awarded the 2025 Outstanding Undergraduate Research Mentor Award for Fine Arts. This past year she worked with Annie Wang, who received an Honorable Mention, Poster Prize Winner at the ceremony.
The Department of Art & Art History congratulates these award winners.You can watch the awards ceremony by visiting the OUR Awards website.
Images of Elise C. LeMonnier's artwork and portrait provided by The College of Fine Arts.
The image of Annie Wong by Maureen O'Hara Ure.
