Skip to content
Primary Menu
Education, Presentation, Publication
Funding & Recognition

Monson Prize

The Charles H. Monson Essay Prize honors Charles H. Monson Jr., a distinguished member of the University Philosophy Department from 1958 to 1974. Professor Monson earned both his bachelor's and master's degrees from the University of Utah and received his Ph.D. from Cornell University. During his years at the University, he served as chair of the Philosophy Department and Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs. He received the University’s Distinguished Teaching Award in 1970.

In his honor, an annual prize is awarded to an undergraduate who writes an outstanding paper on a subject having to do with "Social Change" (the application includes submission of an original piece of work that is 5-20 pages in length). *A draft of your paper can be submitted by the deadline. If awarded, the final complete paper will be due by the end of the semester)

Eligibility: Any currently enrolled undergraduate with a faculty mentor.
Submission Deadline: March 1, 2026

2026 Monson Prize Awardees

Kalista Leggitt (Mentor: Matt Haber) Monson prize winner photo of Kalista Leggitt

Nested Pediatric Ethicality in Medical Decision Making: Prioritizing and Protecting Adolescent Autonomy

My project in pediatric bioethics explores ethical conflict between adolescents and parents in medical decision-making, which I define as Adolescent Consent Dissonance (ACD). Because minors depend on adults to exercise their rights, their perspectives are often minimized, a form of childism that privileges adult authority. I argue clinicians must recognize adolescents as emerging ethical agents and support their development. I propose adapting the Patient Activation Measure (PAM), used in adult chronic care, to pediatric settings to assess knowledge, confidence, and engagement, will be a great too in guiding developmentally appropriate shared decision-making in the medical and ethical space.

 

 

 

Teyanna Kaibetoney (Mentor: Elizabeth Clement)

Activism and Memory: The American Indian Movement's Role in Preserving Historical Injustice

My research examines how the American Indian Movement (AIM) used activism in the 1970s as a strategy for preserving Indigenous historical memory. Through events like the Trail of Broken Treaties and the occupation of Wounded Knee, AIM linked contemporary political demands to centuries of broken treaties, removal, and assimilation. I argue that these protests were not only acts of resistance but acts of historical reclamation, ensuring Indigenous histories of injustice and sovereignty remained visible in national memory.

 

Past Awardees