Olivia Carr Edenfield, professor of English at Georgia Southern University, has received the 2025 Arts and Humanities Faculty Mentor Award from the Council on Undergraduate Research. The national organization presents the award to faculty who nurture undergraduate research, scholarship, and creative inquiry in arts and humanities disciplines.
Dr. Edenfield has been a faculty member at Georgia Southern since 1986. Over the past four decades, she has mentored over 50 undergraduate students, guiding them through scholarly research, writing, and professional development. During her time as associate dean for student affairs in the former College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, she launched an undergraduate research symposium and established the Center for Undergraduate Research.
Outside of the classroom, Dr. Edenfield serves as director of the American Literature Association. Her scholarly work on the American short story has led to several publications, including Understanding Andre Dubus (University of South Carolina Press, 2017).
“I have been a university faculty member for decades, and nothing has provided me with more satisfaction and pride – more pure, unbridled joy – than my students’ myriad successes these 39 years,” said Dr. Edenfield. “The Council for Undergraduate Research Arts and Humanities Faculty Mentor Award encapsulates my highest priority as a university professor: helping my students thrive. I am deeply blessed and incredibly honored to receive this award.”
Dr. Edenfield is an alumna of Georgia Southern, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in English. She holds a master’s degree from the University of Iowa and a Ph.D. in English with an emphasis in American literature from the University of Georgia.