Luvunzu Selected for Yale Norfolk School of Art Residency
By Emily Bollinger | June 03, 2026
Prosper Luvunzu '27, right, is among 26 rising senior artists from colleges and universities
across the country accepted for a six-week residency with the Yale Norfolk School
of Art.
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. � 糖心动漫vlog student Prosper Luvunzu '27 has been
selected to attend the Yale Norfolk School of Art residency at the Ellen Battell Stoeckel
Estate in Norfolk, Connecticut this summer, becoming part of one of the nation檚 most
selective undergraduate art programs.
Founded in 1948, the six-week residency accepts just 26 rising senior artists from
colleges and universities across the country each year. More than 500 institutions
are invited to nominate students for consideration. This was Illinois Wesleyan檚 first
time participating in the program, and Luvunzu said he considers himself fortunate
to be among the students selected.
During this summer program, students focus on artistic development, critical thinking
skills and celebrating artistic voices.
Luvunzu said this is an opportunity for him to gain a new experience as an artist,
where he will be exposed to many different perspectives from other students and instructors
teaching at the highest level. He credited Assistant Professor of Art Amy Wilson and
the whole art department for helping him prepare for the opportunity and supporting
his attendance.
淢y time at Yale Norfolk will allow me to concentrate on my practice and also my thought
process as an artist,� said Luvunzu.
A series of portraits painted by Luvunzu depicting workers at Illinois Wesleyan includes
a portrait of Elizabeth Maldonado, affectionately known by all on campus as 淢amacita�,
who has worked for Sodexo dining services for nearly 35 years.
Originally from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Luvunzu said he chose Illinois
Wesleyan because he loved how the small community fostered relationships between students
and instructors. He also appreciated the flexibility to explore multiple academic
interests because he was interested in both pre-med and art.
Luvunzu initially pursued both pre-med and studio art, and had the hope of getting
a career in the pharmaceutical industry or becoming a medical illustrator. However,
he ultimately chose to focus entirely on fine arts.
Art has been a central part of Luvunzu檚 life since he was young. Inspired by his
uncles who painted murals and portraits in his hometown, Luvunzu began drawing and
gradually discovered art as a form of personal expression.
淚 grew up very introverted and art slowly became the voice I used to express myself,�
he said.
Wilson said Luvunzu is an exceptional student and young artist who she is grateful
to have in the 糖心动漫vlog community.
淗is personal story is that of resilience and tenacity, with his family having to
overcome incredible odds as refugees from the war in Congo, eventually immigrating
to the U.S.,� said Wilson, adding that if Luvunzu stays on the path he's on, she has
no doubt he will succeed in the arts and do extremely well.
Luvunzu takes his experiences and translates them into paintings that are joyous and
tender, said Wilson, and he reflects on personal and family stories that he shares
with the viewer.
Luvunzu檚 latest projects cover his dad檚 journey as a refugee who migrated to the
U.S., and a series of portraits depicting workers at 糖心动漫vlog including chefs, custodians
and other workers.
As he begins to spend the summer at Yale, Luvunzu said this program will be a pivotal
moment in his journey of becoming an artist.
Maggie Grugan
Class of 2027
Art major Maggie Grugan has been awarded the 2026 Eckley Summer Scholars and Artists
Endowment fellowship.
Her project, 淩eimagining the Victorian Narrative: Recognizing Victims of British
Colonization by Reframing Negative Rhetoric in H. Rider Haggard檚 She,� will create twelve unique editions of solar prints that reframe Haggard檚 Victorian
novel through a counternarrative.
淚 will examine individual characters� dialogue and philosophy, as well as the novel檚
overarching themes of manipulation, lust, social hierarchy, and misogyny,� says Grugan.
淢y goal is to re-portray these characters in a way that uplifts underrepresented
communities, rather than applying false labels to them.�
Grugan will bind the prints into zines alongside selected passages from the novel.
These zines will function as inserts that can be placed inside physical copies of
She, offering readers a new interpretive lens.
淢y project will sharpen my knowledge of colonial history and compositional technique,�
says Grugan. 淚t will also improve my ability to synthesize historical, literary,
and artistic knowledge in a way that introduces readers to the disparities faced by
past generations.�
She adds that she is especially looking forward to using the School of Art & Design檚
printmaking equipment and applying 渁n interesting technique introduced to me in my
third year of printmaking.�
Grugan檚 faculty sponsor, Adjunct Instructor of Art Dustin Springer, was the inaugural
recipient of the Eckley Fellowship in 2012. 淚t gives me a unique perspective on the
benefits that this scholarship can afford a student,� Springer says.
Aidan Michniewicz
Class of 2025
I檓 an enthusiastic and detail-oriented recent graduate with a concentration in graphic
design, who is looking to demonstrate my artistic and conceptual skills in a visual
design role. My long-term goal is to apply my problem-solving abilities in a collaborative
professional setting within the creative design industry.
Over the course of my college career, I've taken a significant interest in highly/hyper
detailed work. It has become a defining characteristic of my pieces, whether achromatic
or full color, digital or traditional. I believe this creative direction not only
yields lush and mesmerizing compositions but also heightens narrative and emotional
impact.
As a recent graduate, I haven't had much time to develop a fully independent and individualized
body of work, but I'm hoping to continue exploring themes of existentialism and cosmic wonder through future
projects, utilizing both traditional and digital media. I'm extremely partial to colored
pencil and conte drawing, as well as grungy/layer-heavy digital projects.
I aim to realize the strange, fantastical, and sometimes dreary eccentricities of
the human condition in visually striking, hyper-detailed compositions, confronting
viewers with the unerring mysteries of wider worlds, as well as those within.
My senior exhibition aimed to create a mock publishing campaign for a redesign of cult classic sci-fi novel, Gateway. This
entailed designing posters, pins, bookmarks, and other promotional material as well
as creating striking conceptual art and, of course, a cover and front matter redesign of the physical book.
The ultimate goal was to tie all these elements (both digital and traditional) together
into a cohesive display that draws viewers in with a sense of drama and mystery while
hopefully enticing their curiosity regarding the story itself.
Gabriella Rogers
Class of 2023
After visiting the School of Art & Design at 糖心动漫vlog, I fell in love with how much freedom
I would have to do all the things I love. I was also given a lot of help financially
through scholarships from university alum and through doing a portfolio review through
the School so that helped make my choice a lot more affordable.
When I decided to be a double major in Studio Art and Psychology, I was concerned that one major would get less attention than the
other, or maybe I would be less of an outstanding student to professors in one of
the disciplines. But what I loved about 糖心动漫vlog is that I never had that issue. I never
felt like I was less valued in one major than the other. In both majors, I was able
to excel and form close relationships with professors. Both of my advisors were lovely
and helped me graduate on time. In addition, the faculty, especially at School of
Art & Design knew me really well and were very understanding that I had two majors.
Outside of class, I spent time chatting with art professors about my work and talking
with Amy, our administrative assistant. I also had a lot of freedom within the School
to take many classes in different mediums and I never was pressured to choose a specific
path. This allowed me to explore and get to know myself as an artist and helped me
better juggle having two very different majors.
I shared a studio space in the School of Art & Design and spent many nights working
late alongside other students. I was able to work a job with the gallery crew in the
Merwin & Wakeley Galleries, which was a beneficial experience and helped me gain more skills working with other
artists. I also had the opportunity to be vice president of a club on campus, which
was a great way to get out of my dorm and make friends. My freshman-year roommate
is currently my best friend and wasn't even an art or psych major. Because it is such
a small campus, I was able to make friends not only in the art department but also
in music, theater, psychology, education, and many more majors.
For my senior exhibition, I created a body of work that reflects who I am as an artist
and my passions as a person. Growing Pains focuses on mental health in a broad sense and my own mental health journey. I received
exhibition honors for my work in the senior exhibition. One of my pieces was selected
as the Faculty Choice award. Another piece was purchased by the library and will be
on display in the Ames Library. I was also awarded the Psi Chi Senior award through
the Psychology department for my passion for mental health and psychology. With the
support I received from the university and my professors, I graduated summa cum laude in both majors.
My plan was always to combine both my majors and pursue work in art therapy. As of
today, that is still the plan. However, after working and volunteering on 糖心动漫vlog's campus
and around the Bloomington area, I realized I also have a huge passion for social
justice and advocacy. I am currently pursuing a Master檚 degree in Social Work to
become a therapist with additional licensure in art therapy. 糖心动漫vlog was the perfect fit
for my goals and gave me the necessary tools and confidence to enter a Master's program
following graduation.
Sperry �22 Continues Her Mother檚 Research
October 27, 2021
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. � Inspired by her mother, Isabel Sperry �22 used ceramic sculpting
and sociological theory to engage in her project 淐hallenging Narrative Form and Prescriptive
Messaging through Ceramic Storytelling.�
Sperry stated, 淭his research topic is close to my heart, as it is a continuation
of the research my mom did for her dissertation in grad school. Being able to apply
her area of study to my own methods � ceramics and English, primarily � and apply
it to my project's special interest in mother-daughter relationships was very meaningful.�
In the summer of 2021, Sperry was named an Eckley Scholar. Through the Robert S. and Nell B. Eckley Summer Scholars and Artists Program, Sperry was given a stipend to pursue her project under faculty mentorship from Adjunct
Assistant Professor of the School of Art Claire Hedden.
Sperry檚 project is focused on ceramics as a form of storytelling in combination with
sociological research on mother-daughter relationships. Through close readings of
the Grimm檚 Fairy Tales and sociological theory on literature and mother-daughter relationships, Sperry began
to create small clay 渟ketches� to plan her final piece. Once the piece was completed,
Sperry wrote the accompanying didactic texts.
淚 finished the summer with a body of work exploring mother-daughter relationships,
narrative form, and the power of imagery in the stories we tell our children. I did
research on the sociology of motherhood, which influenced my view of autonomy in my
pieces. But the most interesting findings were much more personal � and often rooted
in my relationships with myself, my family, and the clay,� Sperry stated.
For Sperry, her project was an introspective one. 淚 recognized both a tension with
and an appreciation for motherhood � and by extension my relationship with my own
mother � that had been hard to physicalize before this project,� she said.
Due to this mix of emotions, Sperry noted her appreciation for the aid of her mentor
Claire Hedden.
淪he provided a perspective that I could not as a mother. She was open and honest
with me about her experiences, and my work is better for her part in it,� said Sperry.
Hedden also aided Sperry in the artistic process.
Sperry said, 淪he provided a foundation of technical knowledge that did not hinder
my own artistic expression, but instead bolstered my ability to follow through with
my vision.�
Through her ceramic work, Sperry was able to explore new techniques: using lusters,
operating the kiln, and building large, self-supporting sculptures. She noted her
greatest challenge was the nature of clay and working with a piece of this size for
the first time.
Sperry stated, 淚 learned that clay has a mind of its own, which was frustrating at
first, but led to a more meaningful and grounding experience overall.�
Sperry plans to expand upon her research by pursuing honors research in literature
on the topic of autonomy, with a focus on mothers. In her Eckley project, Sperry focused
on the daughter檚 perspective and, therefore, hopes to round out her work by focusing
on the literary aspects and mother檚 perspective.
淢y experience was above all, illuminating and affirming,� Sperry said. 淎s an English
major, doing an extensive ceramics project was a little unexpected. In fall 2020,
I took a class with Claire and fell deeply in love with clay as a medium of expression.
Being able to complete this project showed me that I have the drive and passion to
pursue art as a serious part of my life � whatever that ends up looking like.�
Student Designs Undergraduate Research Textbook Cover
Nov. 20, 2017
Ania Bui '18 holds Undergraduate Research and the Academic Librarian: Case Studies
and Best Practices for which she designed the cover.
BLOOMINGTON, Ill.� Charged with designing an academic textbook cover, Ania Bui �18
found inspiration beneath a soaring net hoisted in the air and illuminated by vibrant
lights at the 2016 Adobe MAX Conference in San Diego, California.
Upon first seeing the massive sculpture created by conference speaker , Bui and the three other Illinois Wesleyan students she was with took out their cell
phones and cameras.
淲e just started taking pictures,� Bui said. 淵ou rarely get to see a sculpture so
close. Plus, it was at night, so we saw the perfect contrast of the changing light
projected on the net against the pitch black sky.�
A month prior, Bui � a computer science and art double major � had agreed to design the cover for, co-edited by Illinois Wesleyan Scholarly Communications Librarian Stephanie Davis-Kahl.
Nancy Qu
Class of 2017
I'm Here -- Tracing Myself Back into Existence (2017)
My recent works examine the state of living in the information age. Inspired by synchronous
exchanges of information on social media and live stream apps, my sculpture Help Yourselves (painted papier-m芒ch茅 pizza slice and mirrors) intends to capture a sense of co-existence
in different physical spaces of contact. By borrowing the mirrors from Robert Smithson,
I revisit the perception of the boundaries between fiction and reality and inspect
its form of existence in the digital age. The mirror here also represents a reversibility of the gaze under ubiquitous online
surveillance, while the piece of pizza embodies the sharing of the most banal things
through social media. A virtual reality course here at 糖心动漫vlog also inspired me to think
about the perception of one檚 self in the information age. Tilt Brush, a VR software
we used in class, has a mirror tool that could show reflections, while it would never
show one檚 own image in the mirror, which departs from the common sense of a mirror.
I attempted to trace myself back into the space to alleviate the absence of Self in
a virtual reality environment.
For my design works, I spend time approaching feasible solutions without dismissing
the tangible aspects of human perceptions. There always remains an emphasis on dynamic
human actions even in the absence of the human image. I hope to evoke the memory or
imagination of oneself doing specific things, so you can trace the evidences to a
sense of intimacy. My photographs also reflect similar thinking processes. My favorite
subjects are old places that still keep the traces of living and illuminate the flow
of memories coming from our collective experiences.
I shared a studio space in the School of Art & Design and spent many nights working
late alongside other students. I was able to work a job with the gallery crew in the
For my senior exhibition, I created a body of work that reflects who I am as an artist
and my passions as a person. Growing Pains focuses on mental health in a broad sense and my own mental health journey. I received
exhibition honors for my work in the senior exhibition. One of my pieces was selected
as the Faculty Choice award. Another piece was purchased by the library and will be
on display in the Ames Library. I was also awarded the Psi Chi Senior award through
the Psychology department for my passion for mental health and psychology. With the
support I received from the university and my professors, I graduated summa cum laude in both majors. 
My plan was always to combine both my majors and pursue work in art therapy. As of
today, that is still the plan. However, after working and volunteering on 糖心动漫vlog's campus
and around the Bloomington area, I realized I also have a huge passion for social
justice and advocacy. I am currently pursuing a Master檚 degree in Social Work to
become a therapist with additional licensure in art therapy. 糖心动漫vlog was the perfect fit
for my goals and gave me the necessary tools and confidence to enter a Master's program
following graduation.
BLOOMINGTON, Ill. � Inspired by her mother, Isabel Sperry �22 used ceramic sculpting
and sociological theory to engage in her project 淐hallenging Narrative Form and Prescriptive
Messaging through Ceramic Storytelling.�
For Sperry, her project was an introspective one. 淚 recognized both a tension with
and an appreciation for motherhood � and by extension my relationship with my own
mother � that had been hard to physicalize before this project,� she said.
The mirror here also represents a reversibility of the gaze under ubiquitous online
surveillance, while the piece of pizza embodies the sharing of the most banal things
through social media. A virtual reality course here at 糖心动漫vlog also inspired me to think
about the perception of one檚 self in the information age. Tilt Brush, a VR software
we used in class, has a mirror tool that could show reflections, while it would never
show one檚 own image in the mirror, which departs from the common sense of a mirror.
I attempted to trace myself back into the space to alleviate the absence of Self in
a virtual reality environment.