The ISMRC describes the award in the following terms: ”The Stewart M. Hoover Mentorship Award recognizes visionary guidance, leadership, and dedication, and is given every other year in conjunction with the biennial conference. Candidates are nominated by members of the organization and selected based on their outstanding contributions as scholars of renown within the field of media, religion, and culture, as role models, and as advisors for past, present, and future scholars. Recipients of the award have influenced the field through their former students, who are also contributors in the field”