Bucknell University Scholar Wins Two Literary Awards in One Day

Claire Vaye Watkins, an assistant professor of English at Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, won two prestigious literary awards on the same day. She received the Rosenthal Family Foundation Award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters and the Story Prize, considered the most prestigious award for short fiction in the United States. Watkins received $10,000 for the Rosenthal award and $20,000 for the Story Prize.

Watkins was honored for her short story collection Battleborn (Riverhead, 2012). The book includes 10 short stories set in the American West. She is currently writing her first novel, a futuristic tale set in the Mojave Desert.

Watkins is a graduate of the University of Nevada at Reno. She earned a master of fine arts degree at Ohio State University.

Here is a brief video showing Professor Watkins’ reaction to winning the awards.