Weatherford, OK – Dr. Denise Landrum-Geyer, Professor of English and Chair of the Department of Language and Literature at Southwestern Oklahoma State University (SWOSU), has been named the recipient of the 2025 Bernhardt Academic Excellence Award. The award was presented during a ceremony held on March 13 in the Memorial Student Center Ballroom.

The Bernhardt Academic Excellence Award was established in 1993 to recognize an outstanding member of the SWOSU faculty community who exhibits exceptional achievement in teaching, scholarship, and service. The Award is made possible by the late Dr. Bill Bernhardt, SWOSU Classes of 1947 and 1948, a 1991 SWOSU Distinguished Alumni Hall of Fame Honoree, a 2015 SWOSU Presidential Order of Merit Honoree, and a SWOSU Foundation, Inc. Trustee for just under thirty years, and Ms. Theta Juan Sickles Bernhardt, SWOSU Class of 1950, who generously endowed the award via the SWOSU Foundation, Inc.

Along with the award, Landrum-Geyer received a $5,000 prize, clock, pen, and medallion.

Landrum-Geyer, known to many as “LG,” has been a faculty member at SWOSU since 2010. She previously served as the University Writing Center Coordinator from 2012 to 2021 before becoming department chair. She teaches a wide range of courses, including Composition, Creative Nonfiction, Writing in the Disciplines, Advanced Composition, Writing Exploration and Practice, Introduction to Film, and Introduction to Women’s Studies.

Her research interests include composition theory and pedagogy, creative nonfiction, writing across the curriculum, genre theory, women’s rhetorics, and film studies. She regularly presents at regional and national conferences and has published articles, book chapters, and creative works on various topics.

Beyond the classroom, Landrum-Geyer is deeply involved in both the university and the Weatherford community. She has contributed to numerous committees and initiatives at SWOSU, particularly those focused at enhancing teaching and supporting faculty and student research. She has played a key role in expanding concurrent and dual-credit course offerings and frequently collaborates across departments to improve faculty and student support systems.

She is also active in community service, serving as a longtime member of the Weatherford Arts Council and contributing to the grant-writing committee for the Summer Arts Academy. Additionally, she has been involved in the SAGE STEAM Camp, serving as an Arts and Humanities Liaison and Workshop Co-Coordinator. She has supported local scouting programs and is actively involved with her church, Liberty Church International, hosting weekly group gatherings and volunteering in various ministries within the church.

Originally from Louisville, Ky., Landrum-Geyer holds a double B.A. in English and French, an M.A. in English with an emphasis in Creative Nonfiction, and a graduate certificate in Women’s Studies from the University of Kentucky. She earned her Ph.D. in Rhetoric and Composition from Miami University of Ohio.

A complete list of previous award winners can be found at www.SWOSUFoundation.com.

About Southwestern Oklahoma State University

Southwestern Oklahoma State University (SWOSU) was founded in 1901 and offers over 100 undergraduate and graduate programs across three locations in Weatherford, Sayre, and Yukon. The university serves over 5,000 scholars and prides itself on affordability, small class sizes, and over 200 faculty and staff committed to helping students achieve their academic and personal goals.