Southern Miss Center for Writers Director Awarded Competitive Mississippi Arts Commission Grant

Wed, 07/29/2026 - 09:53am | By: Madison Hankins

Dr. Olivia Clare Friedman, an associate professor of English at The University of Southern Mississippi, has been awarded a $5,000 grant from the Mississippi Arts Commission (MAC). The award is part of more than $1.7 million in grants distributed by the commission during fiscal year 2027 and will support her work on a poetry manuscript.

Dr. Friedman is an award-winning author and serves as the director of the Center for Writers in the School of Humanities. She has published four books — the novel “Here Lies,” the short story collection “Disasters in the First World,” and the poetry collections “An Arm Fixed to a Wing” and “The 26-Hour Day.” Her stories and poems have appeared in The Atlantic, The Paris Review, The Southern Review and Poetry. She is also the recipient of an O. Henry Prize, a Pushcart Prize and a Rona Jaffe Foundation Writer's Award.

“This competitive and prestigious fellowship is a testament to Dr. Friedman’s hard work, talent and passion, and we could not be prouder of her accomplishments,” said Dr. Brian LaPierre, director of the School of Humanities. “From William Faulkner and Eudora Welty to Natasha Trethewey, literature lies at the heart of Mississippi’s cultural identity. Dr. Friedman and USM’s Center for Writers are continuing that proud creative tradition as they educate and inspire the artists of tomorrow.”

“The arts consistently demonstrate a positive impact on communities and local economies and are an essential aspect of Mississippi’s rich cultural landscape,” said David Lewis, executive director of MAC. “MAC grants support artists, arts programs and arts organizations, who in turn reinvest in their communities and enhance quality of life across Mississippi.”

Funding for MAC’s grants comes from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Mississippi State Legislature. The Mississippi Arts Commission is a state agency serving more than two million people through grants and special initiatives that enhance communities, assist artists and arts organizations, promote arts education and celebrate Mississippi’s cultural heritage. MAC is funded by the Mississippi Legislature, the National Endowment for the Arts, the Mississippi Endowment for the Arts at the Community Foundation for Mississippi and other private sources.

Learn more about the School of Humanities, the Center for Writers and the Mississippi Arts Commission.

---

About the College of Arts and Sciences 
The College of Arts and Sciences at The University of Southern Mississippi is home to 13 schools, two ROTC units, and more than 100 academic programs. Guided by the University’s mission, we educate students, lead the state and nation in research and the creative arts, and advance knowledge across the humanities, social sciences, and STEM. Through innovative research and nationally recognized student success, we provide pathways to understanding the past, solving today's challenges, and imagining the possibilities of tomorrow.