Pictured L to R: Brandon -Ali Smith, Matt Eighmy, Alfredo Arevalo, Vanessa Batyko, Emma Dyson, Ossy Chandiyana and Samantha Dilley [Photo by Steve Cohn (c) 2018]
On Sunday evening April 29, the six 2018 recipients of the Jimmy Gauntt Memorial Award, aka the “Jimmy,” were introduced by their nominating professors and celebrated at the Ostrich Farm restaurant in Echo Park. One of the 2017 Jimmies, Matt Eighmy was also in attendance and introduced by Professor Aimee Bender. Matt was in Spain teaching at the time of last year’s Jimmy Award dinner, also at the Ostrich Farm.
Twenty three members of the USC Department of English were in attendance including the following who introduced their nominees for the Jimmy:
Professor Aimee Bender- Matt Eighmy (2017)
Professor Meg Russett- Brandon-Ali Smith
Professor Rebecca Lemon- Emma Dyson
Professor Chris Freeman*- Ossy Chandiyana
Professor David Roman- Samantha Dilley
Professor Molly Bendall- Alfredo Arevalo
Professor David St. John- Vanessa Batyko
[*Professor Freeman stood in for Professor Mark Irwin who was unable to make the dinner due to illness]
The Jimmies with the 2018 Jimmy Committee Chairs, Professors David Roman and Dana Johnson [Photo by Steve Cohn (c) 2018]
Two very special guests were also in attendance: John Dale and Evan Nicholas. John and Evan were two of Jimmy’s closest friends and writing and creative partners. Jimmy and John knew each other since they were in nursery school, and Evan and Jimmy were fraternity brothers at USC and discovered early on they were born on the same day, November 8, 1983. Jimmy ran the Los Angeles Marathon–his first and only–in 2007. John and Evan decided to run this year’s Marathon in March in memory and honor of their good buddy, and through a Go Fund Me campaign raised over $6,000 for the USC Jimmy Gauntt Memorial Fund!
Evan Nicholas (L) and John Dale at the finish line
Jimmy wrote the poem Suffering Is the Only Honest Work shortly after running the marathon. John read the powerful poem at the dinner and a copy can be found in the Jimmy Gauntt Library page on this website.
Jimmy crossing the line.
Jimmy’s sister and brother-in-law Brittany and Ryan Kirby with Evan and John
Jimmy’s parents, Hilary and Casey Gauntt, and Brittany with Evan and John.
Photo by: Steve Cohn
© 2018
Professors Viet Nguyen, David Treuer, David Roman and Danzy Senna with 2018 Jimmy Samantha Dilley
[Photo by Steve Cohn (c) 2018]
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