By: Jack Rossi | 2021.04.15 | 07:51 am To the world, she’s a writer, vocalist, actress, professor, scholar, critic, author, and more. Tracie Morris But University of Iowa Professor Tracie Morris says she’s first and foremost a poet—a poet who was named a 2021 John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation Fellowship recipient. “I was very much shocked because there are so many wonderful people deserving these honors, and I didn’t feel entitled,” says Morris. “I was in a few days of shock, but also gratitude of the support and outpouring of congratulations.” Established in 1925, the Guggenheim Fellowship aims to further the development of scholars and artists by assisting individuals who have already demonstrated exceptional capacity for creative arts. The fellowship provides six to 12 months’ funding for artists, scholars, and writers to pursue creative projects.