Meet the Honorees

In his wide-ranging literary works, Everett examines a plethora of questions at the core of what it means to be human. From “western” and epistolary novels and wild capers to retellings of Greek mythology, short stories, and poetry, Everett boldly tackles different styles and formats, turning each into his own in the process. With his sharp observations and biting wit, he explores everything from race, politics, gender, and power to family, purpose, the battle between love and intellect, and what it truly means to be alive.

In his engaging talks, he shares fascinating anecdotes about how he created his diverse bibliography and his unique approach to the creative process.

Everett’s newest novel, James, is a brilliant, action-packed reimagining of Adventures of Huckleberry Finn—both harrowing and ferociously funny—told from the enslaved Jim’s point of view. An instant New York Times bestseller hailed as “genius” by The Atlantic, James won the 2024 National Book Award for Fiction and 2025 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. A film adaptation, produced by Steven Spielberg, is currently in development. His other recent books include Dr. No (winner of the 2023 PEN/Jean Stein Book Award and finalist for the NBCC Award for Fiction), The Trees (finalist for the Booker Prize and the PEN/Jean Stein Book Award), Telephone (finalist for the Pulitzer Prize), So Much Blue, Erasure, and I Am Not Sidney Poitier. He has also written acclaimed short story and poetry collections.

Everett received the NBCC Ivan Sandrof Lifetime Achievement Award, the Hurston/Wright Legacy Award, and the PEN Center USA Award for Fiction—among many other literary awards—and was also the recipient of a 2023 Windham Campbell Prize for Fiction. He is a Distinguished Professor of English at University of Southern California and lives in Los Angeles.

Prior to her appointment as Commissioner of the Chicago Public Library, Ms. Dempsey practiced law for 12 years in Chicago focusing principally on legislative and land use issues, which was preceded by her first professional job as a librarian in suburban Chicago.

Mary Dempsey was one of the founders of DePaul College Prep, a Vincentian Catholic co-ed high school, in 2014 along with a group of like minded trustees and administrators of DePaul University. She served as the first Chair of the Board of Directors of DePaul College Prep from 2014 – 2016. In 2016, Ms. Dempsey was elected President of DePaul College Prep and President of the DePaul College Prep Foundation. She remains a member of the Board of Directors.   During her tenure as President, DePaul College Prep has grown to 1340 students from 60 different zip codes in Chicago, acquired a 17 acre campus in the Roscoe Village neighborhood, constructed new academic and athletic facilities, and implemented two strategic plans.  She is currently leading the successful completion of the One Dream, All In Capital Campaign, a $60 million campaign to construct and renovate facilities and create the school’s first endowment. 

Mary Dempsey has served as a Trustee of the Board of DePaul University since 1998. She was the first woman to be elected Chair of the University’s Board of Trustees (2008-2011). She was elected a Life Trustee of the University Board in 2022. Ms. Dempsey is Chair of the Board of Misericordia Home, a member of the Executive Board of the Big Shoulders Fund, a member of the Board of Regents of Mercy Home for Boys and Girls and the founding Chair of Mercy’s Leader Council.  Ms. Dempsey holds a BA from St. Mary’s University of Minnesota, a Master of Library and Information Science from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and a JD from the DePaul University College of Law.

She has received 5 honorary degrees and numerous awards for her work.