• Testimonials

    Publications, important professional connections, and new research interests and teaching ideas have grown from my participation in WLA.
    Jenny Emery-Davidson, 2008
    Taylor Award recipient 2000

The J. Golden Taylor Award

Named in honor of the first editor of Western American Literature, and also one of the Western Literature Association’s founders and presidents, the Taylor Award is a prestigious award juried by a team of experts in the field and given annually to a work of scholarship submitted by a graduate student for the annual conference. Creative work is not considered for the Taylor; however, creative work may be submitted to the association’s Creative Writing Award, and graduate student participants have been successful in winning that in the past (see Creative Writing Award).

To be considered for the Taylor Award, submit a complete, conference-length paper (not exceeding 15 pages) that you will be presenting at the conference with a cover letter indicating that you wish to be considered for the Taylor Award.

Email your submission to Bill Handley, chair of the Taylor Judging Committee with the subject line “TAYLOR AWARD SUBMISSION.”

Deadline for submission: August 1, 2023.

The award consists of a $200 cash prize plus a banquet ticket.

The award will be given during the conference banquet. 

Note: To be eligible for this award, you must be registered as a graduate student at the time of the awards ceremony. 

The award can only be received once. 



The J. Golden Taylor Award Recipients

YearRecipientAffiliation
2022Bowen DuUC Davis
2021Meagan MeylorUniversity of Southern California
2020Surabhi BalachanderUniversity of Michigan
2019Amanda MonteleoneUniversity of Texas at Arlington
2018Travis FranksArizona State University
2017Elena ValdezRice University
2016Jada AchUniversity of South Carolina
2015Jenna HunnefUniversity of Toronto
2014Aubrey Streit KrugUniversity of Nebraska, Lincoln
2013Heather DundasUniversity of Southern California
2012Sylvan GoldbergStanford University
2011Christopher MunizUniversity of Southern California
2010Alex YoungUniversity of Southern California
2009Joshuah O'Brien West Texas A&M
2008Matthew J. LavinUniversity of Iowa
2007 Patrick GleasonUniversity of California, San Diego
2006Angela Waldie University of Calgary
2005John Gamber Univ. of California, Santa Barbara
2004Ianina ArnoldUniversity of Idaho
2003Matt BurkhartUniversity of Arizona
2002Laurie Clements LambethUniversity of Houston
2001Virginia KennedyMontclair State University
2000Jenny Emery DavidsonUniversity of Utah
1999Jenny Emery DavidsonUniversity of Utah
1998Anne L. Kaufman
1997Jonathan PittsSUNY-Buffalo
1996Wes Mantooth
1995Phil Coleman-Hull
1994David Mazel
1993Evelyn I. FundaUniv. of Nebraska-Lincoln
1989Nat Lewis
1988Nancy CookSUNY-Buffalo
1987Cheryll Burgess GlotfeltyCornell University
1986 Linda A. Hughson-Ross
1984Anne K. Phillips

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