2026 Hatfield Prize Recipients

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What is the Hatfield Prize?

2026 Hatfield Prize The Hatfield Prize is awarded annually to three student-faculty pairs. Recipients conduct research on social policies that impact vulnerable children, families, and communities, and explore the impact of these policies in their local communities. This semester-long research project culminates in three policy reports that make recommendations for both government and civil society institutions in contributing to policies that promote flourishing communities. The Prize honors the legacy of the late Senator Mark O. Hatfield, who served as a United States senator from Oregon for three decades. Hatfield was known for his principled Christian faith and for his commitment to working across differences to find common ground.

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From Covenant College

Margot Kapic is a daughter, a sister, a friend, and a student. She is pursuing an undergraduate degree in economics at Covenant College. One of her favorite courses was U.S. Urban Poverty, taught by Dr. Lance Wescher. It opened her eyes to the structural and systematic brokenness that is a contributing factor of poverty in our country. Being born and raised in Chattanooga has deepened her interest in the alleviation of homelessness within her city. Working with organizations such as Metropolitan Ministries and The Chalmers Center gives her much hope. Daughter of a theologian and a non-profit innovation consultant, Margot’s background has laid the foundation for her to address social injustice and inequality. Her mom especially has instilled in her a drive to seek after justice for those without a voice. She is an active member of Northshore Fellowship Church, located in the center of north Chattanooga. Margot loves hiking and making latte art in her free time.

Research Question: What are the current Medicare and Medicaid benefits for end-of-life care, how adequate are they, and what disparities exist in hospice access and utilization in Spokane County, Washington?

Michael Mawhinney, originating from Sarasota FL, is a junior undergraduate student at Covenant College pursuing an economics degree. Throughout his time at Covenant, he has been intrigued by the issues of poverty and homelessness. Michael has been called by the Holy Spirit to pursue vocational ministry and he plans to use his undergraduate degree to help him reach the poor and marginalized through whatever ministry the Lord puts him in. After taking intro to the New Testament and US Urban Poverty, Michael has been deeply concerned about how churches are reaching the poor and needy like the gospel of Luke commands. He sees a prevalent need in the community and that churches have the opportunity to meet if they are presented with the resources. While he is not a Chattanooga native, after living three years in the area and studying poverty in Chattanooga, Michael is excited to pursue this research and create a model for transitional homelessness alleviation. He hopes to synthesize his economic analysis and research with his heart for ministry to contribute to this project in a way that cares for those without a roof over their head.

Research Summary: This feasibility study will lay the groundwork for a holistic, sustainable and scalable approach to transitional housing by leveraging existing community infrastructure churches-and prefabricated shelters. By examining both the opportunities and the barriers, this study will provide a realistic, evidence-based assessment of a model that could be expanded throughout the region, replicated nationally, or internationally. Margot and Micheal will be spending December 2025 through June 2026 researching, collecting data, conducting interviews with stakeholders, and documenting the entire process.

Lance Wescher, Ph.D.

From Gordon College

Emma Scott grew up in Central New Hampshire and loved to spend time at the beaches with her family and friends. She just received her Bachelors of Arts degree in Social Welfare from Gordon College. She plans to continue working to cultivate spaces for children to thrive by using her countless years of experience in doing just that through tutoring, leading summer camps, and interning at a Head Start agency. She is excited to work with others who are focused on serving children and families in a way that reflects their dignity and worth.

Research Question: What is the role of faith-based organizartions in preventing and addressing homelessness in Santa Barbara, CA?

Ivy George, Ph.D. teaches sociology at Gordon College, in Massachusetts. She was trained at the University of Madras, Bryn Mawr, Brandeis and Harvard in economics, social work, social policy and religion. She has written two books on child labour , (From Child Labour to Child Work, 1990) and cross-cultural comparisons of romance and marriage (An Uncommon Correspondence – East West Conversations on Friendship, Intimacy and Love, 1998, co-authored with Margaret Masson). She has published articles and contributed book chapters and lectured on a wide variety of crucially important topics including masculinity, feminism, the impact of globalization on social inequalities, and international adoptions.

From Wheaton College

Jonathan Porteous is a student at Wheaton College, IL majoring in cultural anthropology and urban studies and pursuing a certificate in Human Needs and Global Resources (HNGR). Born in Johannesburg, South Africa, he mostly grew up near Boston, MA and has also lived in rural New Jersey and southern Florida. He followed a vocational high school track and spent a few wonderful and formative years working as an equine professional in high performance sport. He stepped back from this work to allow for a time of discernment and travel, spending time at places like L’Abri Fellowship in England, which eventually led him to college. He is interested in the development and function of educational ecosystems and their formational effects, and hopes to pursue graduate studies related to these topics following his undergraduate years. Jonathan is an alumnus of Wheaton in Chicago, an experiential urban studies program, and was the recipient of the 2025 Wheaton College Global Scholar Award.

Research Question: How do variations in state nondiscrimination and religious exemption policies affect foster care systems and the ability of faith-based agencies to provide services in West Michigan?

Brian Howell, Ph.D. is Professor of Anthropology at Wheaton College (IL) where he has taught since 2001. He is the author of several books, including Short Term Mission: An Ethnography of Christian Travel Narrative and Experience (IVPAcademic, 2012) and Introducing Cultural Anthropology: A Christian Perspective (with co-author Jenell Paris, [Baker Academic 2019]). He has numerous articles and book chapters on issues such as ethnographic perspective and theory, theology and anthropology, and race in the United States. In addition, he regularly teaches on topics of gender and masculinity, travel and tourism, and global indigeneity. For the past four years he has studied improv and now regularly teaches and coaches at Westside Improv Studio in Chicagoland. He is married to Marissa Sabio, and has three children, Hannah, Sam and Ben.