This Monday, the winners of this year's Pulitzer Prize Awards were announced at the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism in New York City. Among them was Mark Feeney, a long-time arts writer for the Boston Globe and journalism professor at Brandeis University. Nominated for the award by the Globe, Professor Feeney won in the category for Arts Criticism. Once a finalist for the prize in 1994 for Feature Writing, Feeney learned one month ago that he was in the final running once again. "It's quite unreal. It's something, I dare say, that every journalist thinks about," said Feeney over the phone from his home in Cambridge. "It's very gratifying. But it's also very humbling because you know how many deserving people there are. I'm glad that I was acknowledged but I wish many others could be acknowledged, too. It really is ultimately pretty arbitrary, but I'm glad that the gods smiled upon me."

In the Criticism category, the entrant can submit up to ten pieces for consideration. A few of Feeney's submissions were on film, as well as one on the paintings of Edward Hopper, but the majority was on the subject of photography--an unusually diverse portfolio for the awards. "This really was a rather interdisciplinary submission which hasn't really been the case in the Pulitzers in this category in the past and it's nice to see that kind of flexibility," he says.

Born in Winchester, MA and raised in Reading, MA, Feeney is a graduate pf the Harvard University class of '79. Shortly after graduation, he joined the Boston Globe and has been there in different capacities ever since. Getting his feet wet as a library researcher, Feeney rapidly rose to the position of Book Editor. But, eager to explore new territory, he left the position after a six year stint to helm the Globe's news analysis section, "Focus." Currently, Feeney is a member of the Globe's "Living & Arts" staff and a much sought-after professor here at Brandeis University. He also authored a book in 2004 called Nixon at The Movies (University of Chicago Press). The book details the some 500 movies that former President Richard Nixon viewed in the White House during his administration, linking them to his actions and choices as a leader.

When asked if the Pulitzer changes anything for him, Professor Feeney mentioned fellow Brandeis professor and former Globe writer, Eileen McNamara (JOUR), who was the recipient of a Pulitzer ten years ago: "She is a dear friend, and now I feel I can look her in the eye.