Awards
Congratulations to the 2025 award winners!
The Barry M. Goldwater Award (tie):
Dawn Moore Santiago, "Geography and Politics in New Mexico and Arizona: Economic Ties, 1750-1870."
Janolyn LoVecchio, "Estelle Bjerg: Arizona's Crusader for Women's Rights."
The Valeen T. Avery Collegiate Award:
Johanne Harrigan, "'With the intention to Procure the Miscarriage of any Woman'"
The Don Bufkin Award:
David Grasse, "They Called her Madam': The Life and Times of Eva Blanchard."
If you wish to submit your accepted conference paper for award consideration, please make sure that it demonstrates your original research using primary sources and includes footnotes. Please use the footnote style appropriate to your field of study. Please do not submit a paper longer than 15 pages, typed and double spaced. The Arizona History Convention currently does not accept AI-generated materials.
The convention will award paper prizes every other year (during odd-number years). Papers presented during even-number years are still eligible to receive an award at the following year's ceremony. For example, submissions to the 2026 mini-conference will be placed in a pool with submissions from the 2027 full conference and the winners will be announced at the awards ceremony at the conclusion of the 2027 Tempe conference.
If you have been accepted as a paper presenter for the 2026 mini-convention and would like to compete for a conference award, please send your paper to the Awards Committee at info@arizonahistory.org by September 25, 2026. Papers should not be longer than 15 pages, 12 point type, double spaced, and must be footnoted to compete for the prizes. Papers are eligible for only one prize per convention cycle. The Arizona History Convention currently does not accept AI-generated material and only papers based on original research will be considered for prizes.
Barry M. Goldwater Award
The top conference prize for best overall paper addressing Arizona History is offered in honor of the late Senator Barry Goldwater. All paper presentations are eligible to compete for the $500 prize.
Valeen T. Avery Collegiate Award
A $250 prize will be awarded to the best paper on an Arizona topic by a college student (either graduate or undergraduate). Avery was a beloved professor at Northern Arizona University and this prize was established by her students. Please indicate your advising professor and institution on the completed paper.
Don Bufkin Award
A $250 prize goes to the best paper on Arizona's territorial period or its geography. All accepted papers are eligible. Bufkin was a reknowned geographer and this award was created to honor him in 1994 after his passing.
New Poster Award!
AHC will offer our first-ever award of $100 for best poster in 2026. The best poster contest will be held at each year's conference and the award presented at its conclusion. The poster submission deadline is September 20, 2026. Be sure to use the form on the "Call for Posters" page of this website.
Poster Requirements: Poster size: 36 x 48 inches, max. Easels will be provided for exhibits.
All poster presenters are required to attend the conference and discuss their poster during session breaks. Make sure your discussion clearly and concisely reflects your topic’s arguments because you will be judged on that as well.
All posters should include the title and name of the presenter. The Arizona History Convention currently does not accept AI-generated materials.
Be sure your photos, drawings, and/or maps are relevant to the topic. We are looking for clear and concise descriptions, hypotheses, and summaries, as well as historical accuracy. Please use proper spelling, grammar, and punctuation.
Judging: Your judges will be your peers attending the conference.Each conference attendee will be given one ballot to vote for their favorite poster based on the above criteria. Votes will be tabulated following the break after the third session, and the winner will be announced at the conclusion of the conference.