Class of 1879 Prize for Outstanding Projects in the Humanities
The Class of 1879 Prize is awarded by the Humanities & Arts department yearly for excellent work in the culminating project for the Humanities & Arts Requirement. These projects must demonstrate exceptional creativity and skill in conceiving, developing, and expressing a theme within any discipline in the humanities and arts.
History of the Prize
WPI has recognized exemplary work in the humanities and arts since 1872, when the department of English and Modern Languages established an award for the best paper in composition classes. At its reunion in 1900, the Class of 1879 endowed this prize for a paper "on a topic of general interest." The endowment was continued by Spencer Miller 1879, who wanted “to encourage graduates of the Institute to develop the art of clear and lucid English in the discussion of engineering subjects.” The Class of 1879 Prize was then awarded annually to the best term paper in the departments of English, History, and Languages until the adoption of the WPI Plan in 1970. In 1983, the department of Humanities & Arts began to award the Class of 1879 Prize to the best Humanities Requirement Projects.
The Class of 1879 Prize has evolved alongside WPI. Today’s prize-winning projects rarely concern engineering subjects, and some aren’t even traditional essays. But we still honor the spirit of Mr. Miller’s prize, to encourage and reward the highest achievements of human expression.
Details for each year's competition are announced in November/December, with a deadline for submission in January. For information on the competition and how to submit your project for consideration, please contact the HUA office at ext. 5246 or at huaweb@wpi.edu.
Note: Prizes awarded for projects completed the previous year.
Browse Award Recipients
| Year | Recipient | Name | Title | Awarded by | Type | Department | Details |
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| 2021 | Robbie Oleynick advisor: Laura Eckelman | Class of 1879 Prize for Outstanding Projects in the Humanities | Winner | Worcester Polytechnic Institute | Undergraduate | "Scoring A Silent Sky" |
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| 2021 | Kalina Bonofiglio advisor: Joe Aguilar | Class of 1879 Prize for Outstanding Projects in the Humanities | Winner | Worcester Polytechnic Institute | Undergraduate | "Blue Sky Society" |
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| 2021 | Alison Drapeau advisor: Lindsay Davis | Class of 1879 Prize for Outstanding Projects in the Humanities | Winner | Worcester Polytechnic Institute | Undergraduate | "Proposing Universal Policy to De-Feminize Childcare" |
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| 2021 | Paul A. Pacheco Jr. & Vanessa Van DeMark advisor: Kristin Boudreau | Class of 1879 Prize for Outstanding Projects in the Humanities | Honorable Mention | Worcester Polytechnic Institute | Undergraduate | "Addressing the Gender Gap in STEM Education with Classroom Interventions" |
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| 2021 | Sage Ortega-Shue advisor: Joseph Cullon | Class of 1879 Prize for Outstanding Projects in the Humanities | Honorable Mention | Worcester Polytechnic Institute | Undergraduate | "The Appropriation of Defensible Space" |
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| 2020 | Cosette Domkofski | Class of 1879 Prize for Outstanding Projects in the Humanities | Winner | Worcester Polytechnic Institute | Undergraduate | “Those Who Endure,” advisor: Joseph Aguilar |
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| 2020 | Julia Milks | Class of 1879 Prize for Outstanding Projects in the Humanities | Honorable Mention | Worcester Polytechnic Institute | Undergraduate | “Psychiatric Healthcare in Morocco,” advisor: Rebecca Moody |
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| 2020 | Payton Bielawski | Class of 1879 Prize for Outstanding Projects in the Humanities | Honorable Mention | Worcester Polytechnic Institute | Undergraduate | “Sheltered: A Look into the Connection Between Nature and Humankind,” advisor: Marie Keller |
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| 2020 | Samuel Hopkins | Class of 1879 Prize for Outstanding Projects in the Humanities | Honorable Mention | Worcester Polytechnic Institute | Undergraduate | “Development of Single-use Plastics in a Throwaway Culture,” advisor: Joseph Cullon |
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| 2020 | Johanna Whitwell | Class of 1879 Prize for Outstanding Projects in the Humanities | Winner | Worcester Polytechnic Institute | Undergraduate | 'Evaluating the Influence of Italian Fascism on Brazilian Integralism and the Vargas Regime' advisor: John Galante |
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| 2020 | Minh Anh Kieu | Class of 1879 Prize for Outstanding Projects in the Humanities | Winner | Worcester Polytechnic Institute | Undergraduate | “Insiders, Outsiders, and In-Between: Asian Nonimmigrant Experience in the American Context of Intersectional Racism" advisor: Jennifer McWeeny |
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| 2019 | Carla Duarte | Class of 1879 Prize for Outstanding Projects in the Humanities | Winner | Worcester Polytechnic Institute | Undergraduate | “Saudade: A story of Identity,” advisor: Katharine McIntyre |
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| 2019 | Petra Kumi | Class of 1879 Prize for Outstanding Projects in the Humanities | Winner | Worcester Polytechnic Institute | Undergraduate | “Understanding the Effects of Highly Ideological Music in Thailand From a Structural and Sociocultural Perspective,” advisor: Carlos Odriz |
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| 2019 | Kamryn Spinelli | Class of 1879 Prize for Outstanding Projects in the Humanities | Winner | Worcester Polytechnic Institute | Undergraduate | “The Jewish Exodus from Morocco: Gauging the Social Trauma,” advisor: Mohamed Brahimi |
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| 2019 | Camryn Berry | Class of 1879 Prize for Outstanding Projects in the Humanities | Honorable Mention | Worcester Polytechnic Institute | Undergraduate | “16:91,” Advisor: Katharine McIntyre |
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| 2019 | Jackson Powell | Class of 1879 Prize for Outstanding Projects in the Humanities | Honorable Mention | Worcester Polytechnic Institute | Undergraduate | “The impact of Government Intervention of Global Industry: A Case of China and the Solar Energy Industry,” advisor: John Galante |
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| 2019 | Kristen Antunes | Class of 1879 Prize for Outstanding Projects in the Humanities | Honorable Mention | Worcester Polytechnic Institute | Undergraduate | “Local Knowledge and Climate Adaptation,” advisor: William San Martin |
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| 2018 | Eliot M. Fine | Class of 1879 Prize for Outstanding Projects in the Humanities | Honorable Mention | Worcester Polytechnic Institute | Undergraduate | “Worcester: A Farewell Tour,” advisor: Joshua Harmon |
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| 2018 | Harold Terry Hearst III | Class of 1879 Prize for Outstanding Projects in the Humanities | Honorable Mention | Worcester Polytechnic Institute | Undergraduate | “The Music of Mario Galaxy,” advisor: Douglas Weeks |
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| 2018 | Jared Grier | Class of 1879 Prize for Outstanding Projects in the Humanities | Winner | Worcester Polytechnic Institute | Undergraduate | “Acquired Disability and Disruption of the Self,” advisor: Jennifer McWeeny |
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| 2018 | Neel Dhanaraj | Class of 1879 Prize for Outstanding Projects in the Humanities | Winner | Worcester Polytechnic Institute | Undergraduate | “An Analysis of the Potential Endangerment of Immigrants Due to Merit-Based Immigration,” advisor: Jennifer McWeeny |
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| 2018 | Jessica Hatt | Class of 1879 Prize for Outstanding Projects in the Humanities | Winner | Worcester Polytechnic Institute | Undergraduate | “The Drug that Shattered the Nuclear Family,” advisor: Constance Clark |
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| 2018 | Nde Nkimbeng | Class of 1879 Prize for Outstanding Projects in the Humanities | Honorable Mention | Worcester Polytechnic Institute | Undergraduate | “The Multiple Selves of the Oppressed,” advisor: Jennifer McWeeny |
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| 2018 | Rosa Reynoso | Class of 1879 Prize for Outstanding Projects in the Humanities | Honorable Mention | Worcester Polytechnic Institute | Undergraduate | “The Muslim World in Transition—Rediscovering True Islam,” advisor: W.A. Bland Addison |
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| 2017 | Aviv Brest | Class of 1879 Prize for Outstanding Projects in the Humanities | Winner | Worcester Polytechnic Institute | Undergraduate | “An Ethical Framework for the Genetic Engineering of Animals,” advisor: John Sanbonmatsu |
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| 2017 | Erin Morissette | Class of 1879 Prize for Outstanding Projects in the Humanities | Winner | Worcester Polytechnic Institute | Undergraduate | “Acoustics of the Clarinet and Spaulding Recital Hall,” advisor: Douglas Weeks |
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| 2017 | Olivia Leavitt | Class of 1879 Prize for Outstanding Projects in the Humanities | Honorable Mention | Worcester Polytechnic Institute | Undergraduate | “Repeat and Refrain: Making A Renaissance Villancico Modern,” advisor: Douglas Weeks |
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| 2017 | Nicole Mattson | Class of 1879 Prize for Outstanding Projects in the Humanities | Honorable Mention | Worcester Polytechnic Institute | Undergraduate | “For Every Hour: Twenty-Four Prose Poems,” advisor: Joshua Harmon |
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| 2016 | Reynaldo Duran | Class of 1879 Prize for Outstanding Projects in the Humanities | Winner | Worcester Polytechnic Institute | Undergraduate | "Painting a Bridge Between Past and Future," advisor: W.A. Bland Addison and Kristin Boudreau |
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| 2016 | Cody Slater | Class of 1879 Prize for Outstanding Projects in the Humanities | Winner | Worcester Polytechnic Institute | Undergraduate | "The Temporal Expression of Consciousness," advisor: Jennifer McWeeny |
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| 2016 | Benjamin Huchley | Class of 1879 Prize for Outstanding Projects in the Humanities | Winner | Worcester Polytechnic Institute | Undergraduate | "Online Avatars: An Expression of the User's Self," advisor: Jennifer McWeeny |
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| 2016 | Alex Markoski | Class of 1879 Prize for Outstanding Projects in the Humanities | Honorable Mention | Worcester Polytechnic Institute | Undergraduate | "Greatest Influences for Being a Well-Rounded Musician," advisor: Douglas Weeks |
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| 2016 | Eric Stolz | Class of 1879 Prize for Outstanding Projects in the Humanities | Honorable Mention | Worcester Polytechnic Institute | Undergraduate | "One- and Two-State Peace Solutions in Israel," advisor: W.A. Bland Addison |
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| 2015 | Kimberly Marrion | Class of 1879 Prize for Outstanding Projects in the Humanities | Winner | Worcester Polytechnic Institute | Undergraduate | “Ethics, Dementia and Family: An Investigation into the Familial Issues that Arise with Dementia Patients,” major: Architectural Engineering, advisor: Bethel Eddy |
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| 2015 | Paulo Carvalho | Class of 1879 Prize for Outstanding Projects in the Humanities | Winner | Worcester Polytechnic Institute | Undergraduate | “Developing and Composing for a Robotic Organ,” major: Biomedical Engineering and Robotics Engineering, minor: Electrical and Computer Engineering, advisor: Scott Barton |
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| 2015 | Katherine Picchione | Class of 1879 Prize for Outstanding Projects in the Humanities | Honorable Mention | Worcester Polytechnic Institute | Undergraduate | “Pokomchi Pictorial Literacy,” major: Mechanical Engineering and Society, Technology, and Policy, advisor: Ryan Madan |
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| 2014 | Jedediah Perron | Class of 1879 Prize for Outstanding Projects in the Humanities | Winner | Worcester Polytechnic Institute | Undergraduate | “Going Out With A Bang: The American Supersonic Transport and the Environmental Movement” Major: Aerospace Engineering. Advisor: Thomas Robertson |
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| 2014 | Charlotte Reames | Class of 1879 Prize for Outstanding Projects in the Humanities | Winner | Worcester Polytechnic Institute | Undergraduate | “Gender Roles in Morocco” Major: Biology and Biotechnology. Advisor: W. A. Bland Addison |
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| 2014 | Xuan He | Class of 1879 Prize for Outstanding Projects in the Humanities | Honorable Mention | Worcester Polytechnic Institute | Undergraduate | “Faith Healing” Major: Biomedical Engineering. Advisor: Bethel Eddy |
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| 2014 | Bohao Li | Class of 1879 Prize for Outstanding Projects in the Humanities | Winner | Worcester Polytechnic Institute | Undergraduate | “Lee Teng-hui and a New Taiwanese Nationalism” Major: Computer Science. Advisor: Jennifer Rudolph |
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| 2014 | Ali Fuat Becan | Class of 1879 Prize for Outstanding Projects in the Humanities | Honorable Mention | Worcester Polytechnic Institute | Undergraduate | “Producer as Composer Practicum” Major: Electrical & Computer Engineering. Advisor: Scott Barton (honorable mention) |
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| 2013 | Damien Cabral | Class of 1879 Prize for Outstanding Projects in the Humanities | Winner | Worcester Polytechnic Institute | Undergraduate | "The Origins of Muslim Extremism" , advisor: W.A. Bland Addison |
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| 2013 | Jesse Lehman | Class of 1879 Prize for Outstanding Projects in the Humanities | Winner | Worcester Polytechnic Institute | Undergraduate | "A Discussion of 20th Century Musical Techniques and Their Presence in Karlheinz Stockhausen's Gruppen“ , advisor: Douglas Weeks |
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| 2013 | Shreyas Renganathan | Class of 1879 Prize for Outstanding Projects in the Humanities | Winner | Worcester Polytechnic Institute | Undergraduate | "Undeterminism: Materially Realizing Free Will", advisor: Jennifer McWeeny |
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| 2013 | Robert Dabrowski | Class of 1879 Prize for Outstanding Projects in the Humanities | Honorable Mention | Worcester Polytechnic Institute | Undergraduate | "Do Robots Have Freedom?", advisor: Jennifer McWeeny |
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| 2013 | Rachel Handel | Class of 1879 Prize for Outstanding Projects in the Humanities | Honorable Mention | Worcester Polytechnic Institute | Undergraduate | "The Towers Sesquicentennial Edition", advisor: James Cocola |
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| 2013 | Victoria Carlson | Class of 1879 Prize for Outstanding Projects in the Humanities | Honorable Mention | Worcester Polytechnic Institute | Undergraduate | "The President's Shot, Now What?", advisor: M. David Samson |
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| 2012 | Christopher Bannon | Class of 1879 Prize for Outstanding Projects in the Humanities | Winner | Worcester Polytechnic Institute | Undergraduate | “Transgenic Animals and the Catholic Church”, Advisor: Bethel Eddy |
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| 2012 | Xiuping Chen | Class of 1879 Prize for Outstanding Projects in the Humanities | Winner | Worcester Polytechnic Institute | Undergraduate | "Origins and Characteristics of Chinese Cyber Nationalism”, Advisor: Jennifer Rudolph |
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| 2012 | Justin Rice | Class of 1879 Prize for Outstanding Projects in the Humanities | Winner | Worcester Polytechnic Institute | Undergraduate | “Modernization in the Western Himalayas: Himachal Pradesh and the Apple Industry”, Advisor: Thomas Robertson |