For His Service And Heart, Mark West Selected For The Charlotte Writers Club Advocate Award
Mark West, professor of English at UNC Charlotte, has been named the first recipient of the Charlotte Writers Club Advocate Award. The honor was established to recognize “individuals who go above and beyond in supporting, uplifting and advocating for writers and the literary arts.”
During a four-decade career, West has influenced the writing community through teaching, mentorship and scholarship. He has authored, edited and contributed to more than 40 books on children’s literature and popular culture, examining figures like Roald Dahl, Helen Hunt Jackson and Walt Disney, and shedding light on censorship activism.
Through the Storied Charlotte blog, which he launched five years ago, he spotlights literary events, organizations and authors across the Charlotte region. Through this platform, he has amplified local voices and helped build a stronger, more connected literary scene.
A tireless promoter of reading and imagination, West organizes the annual “Read Aloud Rodeo” at Park Road Books, a marathon event inviting educators to read their favorite picture books to children.
“Dr. West embodies every facet of this award,” said Barbara Reese Yager, Charlotte Writers Club president. “Through scholarship, service and heart, he uplifts writers and readers alike. His work fosters community, imagination and the love of storytelling.”
A recipient of the Gov. James E. Holshouser Jr. Award for Excellence in Public Service (2019), West was honored with the UNC Charlotte Alumni Association’s Distinguished Faculty Award in 2021. At Charlotte, he has served in numerous leadership roles — chair of the English Department, director of American Studies and director of the Liberal Studies program.
He will be honored at the Charlotte Writers Club’s May 20 meeting.
About the Charlotte Writers Club
Founded in 1922, the Charlotte Writers Club is a nonprofit organization that supports writers at all levels and across all genres through contests, critique groups, educational programs and monthly meetings.