Pictured L to R: Professor Dana Johnson, Georgia Soares, Yuki Jasmine Li, Professor David Roman, Cameron Plunkett, Veronica Syop, Jason Ketchum and Susi Lopera
On Sunday evening May 1st, the six 2016 recipients of the Jimmy Gauntt Memorial Award, aka the “Jimmy,” were introduced by their nominating professors and celebrated at Jaime Turrey’s Ostrich Farm restaurant in Echo Park.
Twenty-five faculty members of the USC Department of English were in attendance including the following who introduced their nominees for the Jimmy:
Professor Anna Journey Veronica Syop
Professor Chris Freeman Cameron Plunkett
Professor Elda Maria Roman Georgia Soares
Professor Rebecca Lemon Jason Ketchum
Professors Molly Bender and John Carlos Rowe Yuki Jasmine Li
Professor Alice Gambrell Susi Lopera
Also celebrated that evening was Professor Viet Thanh Nguyen who only days earlier was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for his book, The Sympathizer. Professor Nguyen spoke to the Jimmys about the importance of perseverance, patience and steadfast passion and commitment to one’s work.
Casey Gauntt (Jimmy’s dad), Professor Nguyen and Ryan Kirby (Jimmy’s brother-in-law)
{ 0 comments… add one now }