Borgeson Scholar Program

The program fosters faculty-student mentoring, professional connections and the experience of developing and completing a self-directed project. The Borgeson Scholar Program contributes to the vibrant summer research community on Hope's campus, which includes summer research luncheons, social opportunities and presentation experience. Student collaborators may present their work at the Summer Research celebration, the Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity and the National Conference of Undergraduate Research. Student-collaborators have also exhibited their work in public venues. Contact the Department of Art and Art History for more information.

The program was founded in 2016 by Clarke and Nancy Borgeson in collaboration with the Department of Art and Art History.

Past Awards

2024 — “Investigating the possibilities of surface construction in Sculpture”

Professor Lisa Walcott (associate professor of art) and Sophia Funston ’25 (studio art major)

The surface of a sculpture, as its outermost covering, is often all the viewer perceives, influencing both aesthetics and content of a sculpture. Professor Lisa Walcott and Sophia Funston explored the potential of constructed surfaces — those altered by various treatments or materials — by examining historical precedents and contemporary trends. Through this exploration, the artists investigated how different surface treatments, such as encaustic, silicone, metal patinas and flocking, can transform a sculpture’s appearance and/or meaning.

The project included six weeks of research in the studio, where Walcott and Funston began with a series of tests on various surface enhancement techniques inspired by their study of a variety of sculptors. These sculptors were discovered in books, online and in person during a trip to Chicago-area galleries and museums. A set of categories for the surface treatment’s role within an artwork were developed to aid in the understanding of constructed surfaces. In addition to the categories, tags were used on the research website to identify materials or physical qualities of the surface treatments within the works, allowing for cross-referencing within the project.

This research has given Funston and Walcott an expanded understanding of the materials that can be applied to the surface of a sculpture and the effects of those applications. Their visual vocabulary has been elevated, allowing them to see more creative solutions. Sophia presented their project numerous times, sharing the questions and results about constructed surfaces. The research led to a new body of work with an expanded application of constructed surfaces, which was published through an exhibition titled “Standing Upright and Hanging by a Thread” at the Holland Area Arts Council from October 11–November 1, 2024.

2023 — “Intercultural Art Practices in Seoul and NYC: stone and plate lithography”

Professor Leekyung Kang (assistant professor of art) and Joanna Locke ’24 (studio art major)

In June of 2023, Professor Leekyung Kang and student Joanna Locke began their research using lithography at the Print Art Research Center (PARC) in Seoul, South Korea. Professor Kang had used lithography in the past; however, this was Locke's first time interacting with this intricate process. Working under Tamarind-trained master printer Chunwoo Nam at PARC, Locke spent hours stone grinding, drawing, and printing to become familiarized with the process. She was properly trained to execute both stone and plate lithography. While enhancing her knowledge in Seoul, Locke was also able to assist Kang with her solo exhibition at the Graphite on Pink Gallery, gaining first-hand experience of how to install a show and collaborate with a gallery. Additionally, a large part of Kang and Locke's time was spent working with local artists and visiting galleries and museums, gaining significant knowledge about the East Asian contemporary art world.

In addition to the experience in Seoul, Kang and Locke traveled to New York City, where they worked together in the Robert Blackburn Printmaking Studio. Here they continued their lithogrpahy practice, this time in an experimental sense, exploring different approaches on stone. By testing a variety of drawing materials and nitric acid tint processes, Kang and Locke were looking to push this historically traditional medium. While in New York, the two were also able to immerse themselves in the contemporary art scene, expanding their knowledge by visiting print collections in museums such as the Metropolitan Museum, Frick Madison, Print Center New York, Museum of Modern Art (MOMA), and their Library Archives. Kang and Locke also attended exhibition openings and visited artists' studios and galleries in Chelsea and the Lower East Side. 

Locke gained tremendous exposure to the art world and was not only able to see an artist's experience in two globally different yet well-known art scenes, but also experience those cultures in which they thrive. It also opened up possibilities and new perspectives of both contemporary and traditional art practices that she had not seen before but became passionate about. Throughout this endeavor, Locke was able to use her classroom and personal experience to enhance her art and ideas.

2021 — “Recording Movement”

Professor Greg Lookerse (assistant professor of art and design) and Ambrei Koory ’22 (art history major)

Exploring the topic of what “sacred” means in arts, Professor Greg Lookerse and Ambrei Koory collaborated over the course of six weeks using the methods of mark making and dance. The pair began their research with a trip to Dallas, Texas, viewing numerous works from the Gutai group at the Rachofsky Collection. Their research combined movement and drawing as a method of trying to answer their questions regarding how the artmaking process relates to faith. Throughout the course of six weeks, Professor Lookerse and Ambrei made two performance video pieces and a variety of drawings, one of which morphed into a temporary installation in the DePree Art Building Elevator Gallery. 

“During one of Professor Lookerse’s and my first conversation together discussing our upcoming research project, I remember gingerly stepping over a canvas art piece he had on the floor trying to avoid adding a dirty shoe print to the composition. In my awkward avoidance dance Professor Lookerse remarked, “Don’t worry about stepping on the piece Ambrei, nothing in here is sacred.” Given the nature of our research and both of our interests in the intersection of faith and artmaking, we desired to explore the questions, “When is art sacred?” and “What makes it so?” Additionally, coming from a dance background, we wanted to add to our research the questions, “What is dance?” and “Is it at all involved in the sacred and liturgical setting?” I entered into this summer with the expectation that these were unanswerable questions or at least unanswerable within our timeframe. However, throughout Professor Lookerse’s and my exploration of faith and art through the processes of mark making, movement, performance and discussion, I have come away with the possibility of using the method of art making as worship.”
—Ambrei Koory '22 

2020 — “Materiality & Matter: Content Through Material Choices”

Professor Lisa Walcott (assistant professor of art) and Abby Wallar ’21 (studio art major; engineering minor)

Professor Lisa Walcott and Abby Wallar spent 10 weeks researching the role material can play in the form and content of sculptural work through studio investigations, exhibition texts and interviews. “The Allure of Matter,” an exhibition that explored the role of materiality in contemporary Chinese art, served as a focal point for the investigation, including a research interview with co-curator Orianna Cacchione. The COVID-19 pandemic altered the planned research patterns, however; collaboration seemed more relevant than ever in such circumstances. The first five weeks of the project were conducted remotely through virtual conversations and exchange of small material sculptures in which the artists took turns adding materials as they attempted to physically collaborate from different spaces. These small collaborative sculptures served as models for seven large sculptures created together in the studio during the second five weeks. The artwork was exhibited in the De Pree Gallery and the research was presented at the National Conference for Undergraduate Research, and the Celebration for Undergraduate Research & Creative Activity at Hope College.

2019 — “Place and Space II: Imaginative Memory and the Visual Constructions of Meaning”

Dr. Anne Heath (associate professor of art history) and Emily Lindbloom ’20 (studio art major; art history minor)

Dr. Anne Heath and Emily Lindbloom teamed up again to continue their work on medieval and contemporary environments. Emily joined Dr. Heath in Vendôme, France, where Emily photographed the abbey of La Trinité with Dr. Heath. Back in Holland, Emily produced publication quality drawings of lost artifacts from the abbey according to Dr. Heath’s research specifications. Emily produced a body of work based on her research of medieval concepts of light, color and vision.

2018 — “A Baluch Exhibition”

Dr. Debra Swanson (professor of sociology and social work), Charles Mason (Kruizenga Art Museum) and Caleigh White ’20 (studio art and art history)

In preparation for an exhibition at the Kruizenga Art Museum on Baluchistan textiles, Caleigh White and Dr. Debra Swanson traveled to Washington, D.C. There they met with curatorial staff from the Textile Museum and learned about planning an exhibit of textiles. Caleigh also completed many hours of reading and research on the Baluch people, who live primarily in the borderlands of Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan. Caleigh and Charles designed the layout for the show, and Caleigh organized her research notes and journal articles in categories that parallel the planned exhibit. The exhibition, Once were Nomads: Textiles and Culture in Baluchistan opened at the KAM in January 2019.

“This experience has taught me more about research and how the curation process works. I learned the importance of creating a story with the artwork or artifacts within the gallery and how placement is crucial to that story-telling. I am so excited to go forward in my studio art and art history career with this experience.”
—Caleigh White

2017 — “Space and Place: Making Meaning in Natural and Architectural Environments”

Dr. Anne Heath (associate professor of art and art history) and Emily Lindbloom ’20 (studio art major; art history minor)

Dr. Anne Heath and Emily Lindbloom studied built and natural environments and considered the ways in which personal and social narratives were formed when people move through buildings and landscapes. The first part of the project created renderings for Dr. Heath of medieval churches that were built in the 13th and 14th centuries, but whose furnishings were removed in the 18th century. In the second part of the project, Emily advanced her own artistic practice by creating a portfolio of sketches and drawings that document environments and human geographies around campus and Holland.

“Researching with Dr. Heath brought me an in-depth understanding of how specific places, like medieval abbeys, are created, act upon human engagement, and have a developing history. In our one-on-one meetings, Dr. Heath presented periods of art history and subjects that were completely new and unfamiliar to me, of which now I have a greater appreciation. As our project progressed I was able to connect certain themes from our research to my own art making, enhancing both my skills in the studio and the concepts behind my work.”
—Emily Lindbloom

2016 — “He who Lendeth to the Poor”

Dr. Temple Smith (professor of sociology and social work), Sydney Enloe (studio art), Madeline King ’19 (studio art), Darwin Guillen ’17 (studio art) and Elizabeth Stuart ’18 (studio art and theater)

Homelessness is a concern in every community, and how people personally react to this social phenomenon is also a concern. This project explores the social construction of invisibility for homeless people and entreats viewers to a space of personal reflection to challenge and ask, What is our responsibility to the poor? Through photography this project explored homelessness while engaging in collaborative interdisciplinary research within art and humanities and sociology. The end goal was to create student-led artistic expression that can be used to stimulate discussion to explore homelessness.