1981

John Chappell, actor

1982

W. D. Snodgrass, poet

1983

Vincent Dowling, actor and director

1983

Arthur Kincaid and Deirdre Barber, actors

1984

Laura Whyte, actress

1985

Cyril Mallett and Jean Lane, actors

1986

John Maxwell, actor

1987

James Mitchell Lear, actor, and David Walters, director

1988

Elaine Sulka, director

1989

Natalie Ross, actress

1990

Brenda Wong Aoki, actress

1991

Mark Stevenson, actor

1992

Ken Richters, actor

1993

Joy Harlo, poet

1994

Kent R. Brown, professor of drama

1995

Amy Hempel, author

1996

Joy Harjo, poet

1997

Carolyn Forche, poet

1998

no lecture

1999

no lecture

2000

Tobias Wolff, author

2001

Brian Bedford, actor

2002

Jason Marr, actor

2003

Bret Lott, author

2004

Robert Olen Butler and Elizabeth Dewberry, authors

2005

Cleo Laine and the John Dankworth Band, jazz musicians

2005

Nikki Giovanni, poet

2006

William S. Yellowrobe Jr., playwright