On October 1, 2026 we celebrated the recipients of this year’s graduate studies awards Liz Gardner (Mary O’Donnell Award) and Talia Gray (Mildred Kates Award).
The Mary O’Donnell Award for Graduate Studies is designed to reward the same type of resilience and perseverance in completing a graduate degree as Mary displayed. This year’s recipient is Liz Gardner. During her time at UNCG, she has served as co-assistant director of the College Writing Program, a graduate assistant with HNAC, and has presented at conferences and symposia on pedagogy, rhetoric, and nineteenth-century studies.
The Mildred Kates Award is intended to support students who are juggling jobs, domestic responsibilities, or whatever it may be, to get to the PhD finish line. This year’s recipient is Talia Gray. While at UNCG, she has served as a teaching assistant, contributed several chapters to Writing Effects: Practical Techniques for the College Writer, and presented at several national conferences on rhetoric and composition.
