The University of Chicago has announced the recipients of the 2026 Academic Communicators Network (ACN) Excellence Awards, which recognize scholars who excel in sharing their research and scholarship with public audiences.
Representatives from University Communications and the Office of the Provost selected award recipients from a competitive pool of nominations submitted by faculty, staff, and academic leadership.
William Schultz, Assistant Professor of American Religion at the Divinity School, received the Early Career Communicator Award, which honors early-career scholars who make research accessible to the public.
Schultz's debut book, Jesus Springs: Evangelical Capitalism and the Fate of an American City (UNC Press), was published last fall. His public engagement efforts around its release brought his argument to broad and diverse audiences. He reached national podcast audiences on 99% Invisible, spoke to Colorado's flagship news program Colorado Matters, served as an expert source for NBC News, and wrote his own criticism for The Christian Century.
Christianity Today and Publishers Weekly covered his book. By making his scholarship legible and useful to the public, Schultz has shown that a first book can travel far when its author is willing to meet audiences where they are.
“Engaging with broad public audiences can be a vital way for UChicago scholars to amplify the impact of their research and expertise,” said Jeremy Manier, UChicago's chief communications officer. “Academics often face tremendous demands on their time, which makes our honorees' choice to prioritize communication all the more meaningful. We are deeply grateful for their commitment to informing society's understanding of academic research and the most important issues of our times.”
Launched in 2018, ACN supports UChicago faculty and other academic appointees in sharing their expertise with external audiences. A partnership between the Office of the Provost and University Communications, the program offers year-round training on topics such as media engagement, presentation delivery, and op-ed writing. It also provides a media engagement platform connecting journalists with faculty experts.
