Whitworth Student and English Professor Receive Prestigious Center for Public Justice Award
The award is given annually to three student-faculty pairs. Hatfield Prize recipients integrate their Christian faith with academic scholarship to address social challenges through a public justice framework. They conduct research on social policy that impacts the well-being of children, families and communities.
Mullet and Emerson’s research will focus on Medicare and Medicaid benefits for end-of-life care and the disparities in hospice access and utilization in Spokane County.
Mullet is an English and American Studies double major and a Whitworth Honors Program student. She’s also a Sigma Tau Delta English Honor Society officer and the nonfiction editor for Whitworth’s literary journal, Rock & Sling. In 2016, she became a full-time caregiver for a terminally ill family member. This experience led her to become an advocate for healthcare justice.
“First as a recipient and now as a hospice volunteer, I've seen how important and necessary end-of-life care is,” Mullet says. “I believe how we legislate and talk about death and dying shows us how we understand justice, care and how we value human life. I hope my research will help policymakers, providers and pastors explore how to better promote the dignity of all people, no matter their age.”
Emerson, who has authored several publications including American Literary Misfits: The Alternative Democracies of Mid-Nineteenth-Century Print Cultures (UNC Press, 2024) is passionate about fostering a dynamic environment that promotes the exchange of ideas in his classroom and the opportunity to conduct research with students about issues pertaining to culture, politics and democracy.
“Melinda is a rock star – outstanding in so many academic aspects, both intellectual and creative,” Emerson says. “Getting to engage with her on this passion project is a prize in and of itself. This work, moreover, is indicative of the kind of work that the Whitworth Honors Program champions: engaging issues in the world, assessing them with the best of our Christian liberal arts tradition, and learning how to take interdisciplinary approaches to problem-solving in public-facing ways. Melinda’s work will integrate her training in humanities and public policy to address important needs that lead to increased justice in our healthcare systems. Such work will also strengthen our democracy by advocating for greater empowerment of all people. I’m very excited for her talents to earn this kind of platform.”
Hatfield Prize recipients will conduct their research from January to June. The semester-long project will culminate in a policy report that will make recommendations for both government and civil society institutions. It will be released in September and published by the Center for Public Justice. Mullet will receive $5,000, and Emerson will receive a $1,500 award.
The prize honors the legacy of the late Sen. Mark O. Hatfield, who served as a U.S. senator from Oregon for three decades. He was known for his strong Christian faith and his commitment to working through differences to find common ground.
About the Center for Public Justice:
The Center for Public Justice is the leading Christian nonpartisan think tank and civic education organization advancing principles and policies that support a pluralistic society. It was founded in 1977 by citizens committed to developing and advancing an integrated biblical view of political service and responsible government. Its mission is to equip citizens, develop leaders and shape policy in pursuit of its purpose to serve God, advance justice and transform public life.
About Whitworth University:
Located in Spokane, Wash., Whitworth is a private Christian liberal arts university affiliated with the Presbyterian church. The university, which has an enrollment of about 2,500 students, offers more than 100 undergraduate and graduate degree programs.
Contacts:
Trisha Coder, media relations manager, Whitworth University, (509) 777-4703 or tcoder@whitworth.edu
