English professor Darlene Unrue has been selected as this year's recipient of UNLV's Distinguished Professor Award.

A leading authority on American writer Katherine Anne Porter, Unrue has received several other teaching and research awards over the last decade, including the Barrick Distinguished Scholar Award and the Rita Abbey Award for Excellence in Teaching.

The author of four books on Porter with three more in progress, she has also written more than 25 journal articles and reviews on Porter and other authors.

Currently the president of The Katherine Anne Porter Society, Unrue is also a member of the editorial board of the University of Nevada Press. She has served on a variety of university committees and has served as a lecturer, panelist, and advisor for various arts and humanities organizations.

Unrue, who joined the UNLV faculty in 1972, is the seventh recipient of the award, which carries a salary increase and the title of Distinguished Professor. The award will be conferred at commencement on May 11.