Student Spotlight: Ellie Mandelker '26
2023 Mary Ellen Hale Lovett Travel Fellow
The Lovett Travel Fellowship, through the generous support of Mr. H. Malcolm Lovett, provides students with the unique opportunity to enhance their educational experience at Rice by traveling to significant sites to conduct field research in art history and architectural history.
Triple majoring in Art History, VADA, and Ancient Mediterranean Civilizations and minoring in Museums and Cultural Heritage Studies, Ellie Mandelker is most definitely a go-getter and was accepted to the competitive San Gemini Preservations Program in Italy over the summer with the support and encouragement from Prof. Sophie Crawford-Brown. With the fellowship, Ellie will be able to participate in the program and learn about traditional painting methods and restoration issues:
“The specific program I will be participating in at the San Gemini Preservation Studies Program focuses on background knowledge and skills in traditional painting techniques and is aimed towards students with an interest in art restoration and conservation, art history, museum studies, and painting. It is divided into three courses: a lecture based class focused on the materials and techniques used during the Middle Ages and Renaissance in Italian Painting; Traditional Painting Workshop where students create a series of paintings using traditional materials and methods; and Restoration Theory, Ethics, and Issues to examine the social goals, motivations, approaches and ethical and philosophical issues surrounding cultural heritage preservation. My future career plan includes attending law school to become an art attorney for both museums and artists, with an emphasis on maintaining standards of conservation.”