The Gladding Artist and Author Awards
The Gladding Artist and Author Awards are annual honors presented to two exceptional Wake Forest University faculty members—an artist and an author—who have made significant contributions to their respective fields. Established to celebrate faculty excellence, the award provides recipients with a monetary prize and public recognition among colleagues, leadership, and friends.
This honor is awarded at the annual Faculty Authors & Artists Celebration.
Honoring the Legacy of Dr. Samuel T. Gladding
The award is named in memory of the late Dr. Samuel T. Gladding, a beloved, widely published, and deeply respected Wake Forest Professor of Counseling. Known across campus for his profound empathy, intellectual leadership, warmth, and signature sense of humor, Dr. Gladding left an indelible mark on the university community.
Together with his wife, Claire Gladding—a cherished member of the WFU family and the ZSR Library Board of Visitors—Dr. Gladding’s legacy continues to inspire collaborative creativity, empathetic mentorship, and academic excellence across all disciplines at Wake Forest.
Gladding Award Winners
2026:
Artist: Other Houses |Cagney Gentry | Communication
2025:
Artist: Larry Weng (Music)
Author: Marie-Amelie George (Law)
2024:
Artist: Mary Wayne-Thomas (Theatre)
Author: Dr. Emily Austin (Philosophy)
2023:
Artist: Cindy Gendrich (Theatre)
Author: Phoebe Zerwick (English)
The Gladding Awards are supported in partnership with the Wake the Arts Center, an endowed center under the Office of the Provost. To learn more about funded projects or to submit a project proposal, visit WakeTheArts.wfu.edu.