Curtis W. Wood Award for Excellence in Graduate Student Mentoring

Curtis Wood

Dr. Curtis W. Wood

The Curtis W. Wood Award for Excellence in Graduate Student Mentoring was established in 2015 thanks to the generosity and long-standing commitment to WCU graduate students from the esteemed Dr. Curtis Wood, Emeritus Professor of History, who served at WCU from 1969 to 2005.

Dr. Wood passed away in June 2020, but remains an icon for what it means to be not only a teacher, scholar, and university citizen of the highest order, but to be a true mentor. Dr. Wood guided innumerable students—undergraduate and graduate alike—toward their own excellence as scholars and as human beings, helping them understand what it means to be part of a community of scholarship within and outside of the academy. He is renowned for the personal time and long-standing commitment he dedicated to his students, and long beyond, and he remains a role model for anyone in graduate education. His endless devotion to other’s excellence is demonstrated by this award which recognizes and supports our graduate faculty in helping to support and guide our graduate students. We are so privileged, and so grateful to Dr. Wood.

Faculty and students submit nominations for the Curtis Wood award in early spring and the nominations are reviewed by a panel of graduate faculty/staff and previous award recipients. The winner is announced and presented a cash award at the Graduate Research Symposium Awards Ceremony.

If you recognize the importance of graduate student mentoring and the positive impact that it has on student success, please add to the legacy of Dr. Wood by supporting the Curtis W. Wood Award for Graduate Student Mentoring.

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