Mark Brazaitis, professor and director of the creative writing program in the Department of English, has been named the recipient of the 2025 Faculty Award for Distinction in Graduate Research Mentoring.
Sponsored by the Office of Graduate Education and Life, the award was created in the 2018-19 academic year to honor faculty who have demonstrated exceptional commitment to the mentorship of graduate students.
Through engaging classroom instruction and an aptitude for creating opportunities that position his students for success, Brazaitis has inspired and empowered both current and former students for over two decades with his philosophy of mentoring that is rooted in enthusiasm, dedication and perseverance.
“All semifinalists for this award have significantly contributed to the development and support of graduate students,” Micalyn Stump, program director for graduate academic affairs, said. “Brazaitis’ track record was distinctive in his ongoing support for his students as they continue in their careers. The kindness and genuine care he shows his students is evident in all facets of his work.”
Throughout his 25-year tenure at WVU, Brazaitis has published nine books, taught more than 100 sections of graduate and undergraduate courses in creative writing and literature and served on over 100 MFA thesis committees.
He actively facilitates opportunities to engage and support his students through local readings, the West Virginia Writers’ Workshop, which is hosted on the WVU campus and open to writers across the world, connections to editors and more.
Under his direction, more than 45 MFA students have published their books with New York publishing houses and independent and university presses, like the WVU Press. Their stories, essays and poems have appeared in dozens of literary journals and magazines.
“We are a small, competitive MFA program, and our students come to us with talent and enthusiasm,” Brazaitis said. “It is a privilege to help guide their creativity. Three years — the length of our program — goes by quickly.”
The end of the program does not mark the end of support and mentorship for Brazaitis’ students, however. He continues to assist and guide them well beyond their time in the program, whether that is through letters of recommendation, mock interviews or connecting them to publishing and job opportunities. He said he believes in the power of showing up as a mentor — both in academia and beyond.
One former student spoke to Brazaitis’ lifelong mentorship philosophy, noting “he truly cares and does all he can for his students, and it does not stop when they graduate and leave town.”
A current student highlighted the supportive, professional and safe environment Brazaitis fosters, calling him the “backbone of the program.”
“Whenever any of us have a panicked email to send in the middle of the night, or a question to be blurted out in class, he always has the grace to answer our questions and respond to us as soon as possible. He values our presence in the MFA program and treats each student with equal time and attention,” the student shared.
Brazaitis is described as “selfless” by a colleague who says they have witnessed, firsthand, his commitment to current and former students, as well as his leadership within the department.
The Distinction in Graduate Research Mentoring Award, which the University awards annually, requires nomination from current and former graduate students, faculty or staff. Finalists are judged on 12 criteria of how one might make an excellent mentor.
The selection committee reviews nominations and solicits a full application from semifinalists.
Finalists are identified from the following disciplinary categories: Physical Sciences and Technology, Behavioral and Social Sciences, Biosciences and Health Sciences, and Humanities and the Arts.
The 2025 finalists included:
Jeffery Houghton, human resource management, John Chambers College of Business and Economics
Kathleen Benison, geology, Eberly College of Arts and Sciences
Bingyun Li, orthopaedics, School of Medicine
Brazaitis will receive a $2,500 honorarium and was recently honored during the annual Faculty and Staff Awards Celebration in mid-April.