Rick NegronFebruary 15, 2018 (Natchez, Miss.) - The Mississippi Humanities Council will honor Belhaven's Film Production Chair Rick Negron and William Bristow, a film production major from Brandon, Miss., as 2018 William Winter Scholars.

Several dozen outstanding students, faculty, and professionals from Mississippi's universities, colleges, and community colleges will be recognized for their work in the humanities at the 29th Natchez Literary and Cinema William BristowCelebration (NLCC): Southern Gothic.

Each William Winter Scholar is chosen by his or her educational institution as the humanities division's most outstanding student, faculty member, or professional. The annual award carries with it prestige and public acknowledgment of how highly the person is regarded by his or her institution.

The 2018 festival, held February 22-24 in Natchez, Miss., will focus on “Southern Gothic” elements in scholarly literature, popular fiction, biography, and history. Winners will be honored publicly at the opening and closing sessions, in printed materials, and in publicity. The group will also be photographed with former Mississippi Governor William F. Winter, after whom the scholarship is named. Winter has served as director of proceedings for the NLCC each year, since the event began in 1990.