Member Awards and Achievements Jesmyn Ward Wins 2017 MacArthur Fellowship October 11, 2017 Share on Twitter (opens in a new tab) on Facebook (opens in a new tab) on Linkedin (opens in a new tab) via email Jesmyn Ward is a 2017 MacArthur Fellowship recipient. The fellowship is a $625,000, no-strings-attached award for extraordinarily talented and creative individuals to “pursue their own creative, intellectual, and professional inclinations.” For a complete list of recipients, please visit the MacArthur Foundation website.