Honors Art Makers Program

The Makers Program is a year-long, paid residency program within the ECU Honors College that gives Honors students from all majors the opportunity to create visual or performance artworks, and act as Honors College arts ambassadors. These students will be provided with resources and connections to grow their craft as artists and learn more about the artistic process as a whole. 

Program Components

Makers create and show at least three artworks of any media inspired by this year’s theme, “Materialism.” They will be given two opportunities to display their work to the public:

  1. Fall Makers Showcase: artists will show three pieces, comprised of one piece created for the residency, along with two other personal pieces (not necessarily related to the theme — they may be works made prior to the residency).
  1. Makers Final Showcase: this is a special event hosted specifically for the Makers to display their hard work! During this showcase, Makers will present all three of their required works produced for the residency, and an artist statement alongside their works.

Along with these showcases, Makers attend an Inspiration Trip to the Greenville Museum of Art and participate in a service activity where they will aid in teaching an art class.

All Makers participate in regular meetings with the curator for critiques and advice. Some of these meetings are group meetings, but many will be one-on-one as the year progresses.

Each Maker leaves one of their works with the Honors College to be displayed in Mamie Jenkins once their residency is completed. For fine artists, this means leaving a physical work. For performing artists, this will be photos and a video of you performing at least one of your pieces. 

Professional headshot of a person facing the camera against a light gray background. The person has shoulder-length brown hair, large round metal-framed glasses, and dangling white earrings. They are wearing a dark purple collared blouse. The image is evenly lit and cropped from the chest up.

Curator

Annika Rogov

Annika is a second year student majoring in biology with a minor in medical sociology. Outside of her STEM-heavy classwork, she is passionate about the arts. In her free time, she crochets, embroiders, draws, paints, sculpts, writes poems and more.

“I think that art is the most instinctual form of human expression, and everyone is capable of making something beautiful in appearance, intention, or meaning. I am so very excited to work with and support the artists of the Honors College community, and I hope to spotlight students in all stages of their artistic journeys as curator of the ECU Makers program.”

2026-2027 Makers

A person stands beside a large pirate statue in an outdoor campus setting. The statue wears a black hat, purple coat, yellow shirt, eye patch, and holds a curved sword. The person is leaning an arm on the statue and wearing a gray sweatshirt with the text “EAST CAROLINA” and a university seal on the front, along with dark jeans. Trees, benches, and a brick walkway are visible in the background.Mariah Caudle
Biochemistry major
“As a Maker this year, I am especially excited to experiment with different techniques and grow as an artist while also being part of a creative community here at ECU.”
Portrait of a person with dark shoulder-length hair wearing a bright red sleeveless dress, seated and leaning against a wooden wall. The image is cropped from the waist up and taken with a shallow depth of field, creating a softly blurred background. Natural lighting highlights the red dress and the texture of the wood paneling beside the subject.Hannah Escobar
Nursing major
“This year, I’m looking forward to seeing the wonderful creations my fellow Makers and I will bring to life.”
A person with long reddish-blond hair sits in tall green grass in a sunlit field, wearing a patterned maroon dress and a gold sash with the word “HIGHEST” visible in red lettering. Trees and wild grasses fill the background, and natural sunlight illuminates the outdoor scene.Emma Owen
Art & foreign language majors
“This year, I am looking forward to connecting with my fellow Makers and experimenting with new ways of being creative.”