Mary Swander, Distinguished Professor of liberal arts and sciences and professor of English at Iowa State University, has been named Iowa State University's 2006 Distinguished Arts and Humanities Scholar.

That announcement was made by the Center for Excellence in the Art and Humanities (CEAH) at Iowa State.

An Iowa State faculty member since 1986, Swander has an international reputation as a nonfiction writer, poet and scholar. Her poems, essays, articles and scholarly papers have frequently appeared in preeminent national venues.

She has authored nine books with major publishing houses, including her latest book of nonfiction, The Desert Pilgrim. That book, which weaves together history, herbal medicine, physical healing, and "what it means - in this modern age - to believe," was published by Viking Press.

Swander has won seven major national awards and has served as a commentator on National Public Radio. She has held distinguished teaching chairs in two of the country's premier creative writing programs.

The Distinguished Arts and Humanities Scholar spends a semester without teaching responsibilities to work on his or her scholarly research. The recipient presents a lecture to the university community upon their return to campus. Swander's lecture is scheduled to take place during the 2006 fall semester.

While serving as the Distinguished Arts and Humanities Scholar, Swander will research and write her next book, a poetry collection with the working title Fiddling on Top of My Head. The book will be based on interviews of folk or outside artists throughout the United States. The collection will include painters, junk sculptors, quilt makers, instrument makes, cowboy poets and musicians ranging in age from 30- to 94.

"The artists will be profiled in interweaving dramatic monologues capturing the creative impulse and processes," Swander says. "I hope to capture the creative impulse and processes with each artist giving voice to his or her life and vision."