The Awards Coordinators: WLA has two awards coordinators who serve overlapping four-year terms. The new Awards Coordinator is chosen by the EC, with input from the current Awards Coordinator. Applicants for the position must have been a WLA member for at least five years. Applicants should consult the ongoing Award Coordinator for information about the position. 

The Wylder Award for lifetime contributions to the Western Literature Association. The call for nominations will read: “In order to nominate someone for the Wylder award, please collaborate with WLA colleagues and solicit at least three detailed letters of support, from students, WLA members, or anyone else who seems appropriate. They can be submitted together or separately to the WLA Awards Coordinators. The Awards Coordinators will submit the nominations to the Past Presidents and current presidential line, who will make the decision.

Members who have previously won the award will not be considered for a second nomination.

Once the decision is made, the Awards Coordinators should immediately inform the winner, the current presidents as well as the Director of Operations. The winner chooses the person who s/he wants to do the introduction at the banquet.

The Lyon Award for the best monograph published in western literary or cultural studies in the previous calendar year. The committee of 3 members changes every year and must be made up of at least one Past President and one member of the EC. It is important that the three members represent the multiple areas of our field. Members should not have to recuse themselves if they know authors of the books but should consider doing so if they are relatives or advisors. It is the responsibility of the committee chair to inform winners and runners-up and to do so in a timely manner that will allow them to make arrangements to receive the award at the banquet. The chair should also immediately inform the Awards Coordinators, the current presidents, and the Director of Operations. A committee member introduces the winner at the banquet.

The Walker Award for the best article or book chapter from an edited collection in Western North American literary and cultural studies, published during the previous calendar year.

Change adopted in 2023:

The Don D. Walker Prize committee is composed of three WLA members, each serving three-year, staggered terms. In the last year of their term, each member serves as the committee’s chair. A new member is appointed annually by the Association’s Awards Coordinator. 

Because Kalenda takes over as president in 2024, the current rotation is as follows:

2024: Emily serves as chair; Kalenda is on the committee; someone is appointed to replace Randi.

2025: Emily serves as chair; Randi’s replacement is in the second year; someone is appointed to replace Kalenda.

2026: Randi’s replacement serves as chair; Kalenda’s replacement is in the second year; someone is appointed to replace Emily. After that, it just rotates through.

It is the responsibility of the chair to inform winners and runners-up and to do so in a timely manner that will allow them to make arrangements to receive the award at the banquet. The chair should also immediately inform the Awards Coordinators, the current presidents, and the Director of Operations. A committee member introduces the winner at the banquet.

The Taylor Award for the best graduate student essay submitted to the annual conference. This 3-member committee is chaired by the Executive Secretary and must include one past president and one member of the EC. The President(s) cull the best submissions and are responsible for getting them to the committee. The committee chair is responsible for informing the winners or runners-up. Once the decision is made, the chair should immediately inform the Awards Coordinators, the current presidents as well as the Director of Operations. A committee member introduces the winner at the banquet.

The Dorys Crow Grover Awards are given to two outstanding papers submitted by graduate students to the annual conference. Same committee as for Taylor. The President(s) cull the best submissions and are responsible for getting them to the committee. The committee chair is responsible for informing the winners or runners-up. Once the decision is made, the chair should immediately inform the Awards Coordinators, the current presidents as well as the Director of Operations. A committee member introduces the winners at the banquet.

The Creative Writing Award for the best creative writing submission at the annual conference. The Awards Coordinator seeks 3 self-described “creative writers” to serve on the committee every year, choosing when possible those who have degrees in or have published in the fields of fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction or other fields, particularly those with national reputations. Contributors self-nominate and the president is responsible for getting the nominees to the committee members. The committee chair is responsible for informing the winner, any runners-up, and other self-nominated members. Once the decision is made, the chair should immediately inform the Awards Coordinators, the current presidents as well as the Director of Operations. A committee member introduces the winner at the banquet.

The Louis Owens Awards provide financial support for diverse—self-identified BIPOC, LGBTQ, etc.—and international graduate students to attend the annual conference. In addition to the chair, the Owens committee should consist of a grad student rep, a grad student rep who has cycled off (and may no longer be a grad student). The chair will rotate on a five-year basis. During the fourth year of their term, the chair will send out a call for those who might be interested in serving as chair, encouraging candidates with experience in fields related to diversity and social justice, who, ideally, have been associated with WLA for some time. Once the decision is made, the chair should immediately inform the Awards Coordinators, the current presidents as well as the Director of Operations. A committee member introduces the winner/s at the banquet.

The WLA/Charles Redd Center K-12 Teaching Award provides teachers with funding to attend and present at the annual conference. The chair should have some experience working with teachers and is a voting member. S/he will choose a two-person committee with an effort to get former K-12 teachers on it. The chair’s term is five years, but committee members rotate year by year. At the end of their term, the chair seeks a successor, to be approved by the EC. Because this position requires an ongoing relationship with the Redd Center to receive funding, the chair should have a relatively free hand in figuring out their successor. The chair is responsible for informing the awardee. Once the decision is made, the chair should immediately inform the Awards Coordinators, the current presidents as well as the Director of Operations. A committee member introduces the winner at the banquet.

The Rosowski Award goes to a generous and caring mentor and teacher of students and of colleagues in the Western Literature Association who has created a legacy within the organization as well as in the field of western studies. It will be given every other year, starting (again) in 2024. The committee will be comprised of three members with overlapping terms. They will remain on the committee for two cycles (4 years). If possible one member will be a former recipient of the award; a second member will, if possible, be a student of a Rosowski Award recipient. They will be chosen by the Awards Coordinators.

Once a winner has been selected, the chair should immediately inform the winner of the award, the Awards Coordinators, the current presidents as well as the Director of Operations. A committee member introduces the winner at the banquet.