Viet Nguyen, Aerol Arnold Chair of English and professor of English, American studies and ethnicity, and comparative literature, has been honored with an ACLU Foundation of Southern California Bill of Rights Award. The annual award, this year bestowed during a Nov. 10 ceremony at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles, celebrates those whose seminal work has challenged the status quo and fostered a more just and inclusive world.
Joan Flores-Villalobos, assistant professor of history, was awarded the Wesley-Logan Prize in African Diaspora History for her book, The Silver Women: How Black Women’s Labor Made the Panama Canal (University of Pennsylvania Press, 2023). The annual award is jointly sponsored by the American Historical Association and the Association for the Study of African American Life and History, recognizing outstanding work in African diaspora history. Flores-Villalobos’ book explores the role of Black West Indian women in constructing the Panama Canal, revealing their critical role in U.S. imperial expansion and migration networks.
Wolf Gruner, Shapell-Guerin Chair in Jewish Studies, professor of history and director of the USC Dornsife Center for Advanced Genocide Research, has received the 2024 Grimme Online Award from the Grimme Institute, which honors high-quality, online journalism. Gruner was honored for his work on the #LastSeen Image Atlas, which collects and contextualizes photographs of individuals deported from Nazi Germany.
Percival Everett, Distinguished Professor of English, has been awarded the 2024 Kirkus Prize for Fiction for his novel James. Established in 2014, the Kirkus Prize recognizes exceptional works in literature, with winners in each category receiving $50,000. With James, Everett reimagines Mark Twain’s classic Adventures of Huckleberry Finn from the character Jim’s perspective.
Mark Irwin, professor of English, has been awarded the Juniper Prize for Poetry for his forthcoming collection,Once When Green (University of Massachusetts Press, 2025). The collection explores themes of mortality and the impact of global warming, examining how pollution affects humans, animals and plant life. The Juniper Prize, awarded annually to one previously published author, recognizes original poetic manuscripts and includes a $1,000 prize upon publication.
Elda Maria Roman, associate professor of English, has been awarded the 2024 Gulf Coast Prize in Nonfiction for her essay “Qualifying Exams.” The work offers a nuanced exploration of personal and systemic struggles, artfully weaving together themes of self-discipline and societal expectations. The prize includes a $1,500 award and publication in Gulf Coast, a literature and fine arts journal housed at the University of Houston’s English department.
Sunyoung Park, associate professor of East Asian languages and cultures and gender and sexuality studies, received a 2024 Uplifter Award from the International Association for the Fantastic in Arts (IAFA) Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) Caucus. The honor recognizes Park’s commitment to advancing the goals and initiatives of the BIPOC Caucus.
Natalia Molina, Distinguished Professor of American Studies and Ethnicity and Dean’s Professor of American Studies and Ethnicity, was awarded a Southern California Journalism Award by the Los Angeles Press Club for her poignant opinion piece, “How I learned the Los Angeles Dodgers are L.A.’s language of love," published Aug. 20, 2023 in the Los Angeles Times. Her piece highlights her insightful contribution to the evolving narrative of cultural identity and sports journalism in L.A. The award recognizes outstanding journalism while promoting diversity and excellence across various media platforms in Southern California.
Nayan Shah, professor of American studies and ethnicity and history, has been elected a member of the Society of American Historians. Membership in the society serves as testament to the literary excellence demonstrated in a scholar’s portrayal and analysis of American history, and this recognition celebrates Shah’s exceptional narrative prowess and the scholarly distinction in his historical work.
