James Gustafson, Woodruff Professor of Comparative Studies and Religion, received a Governor's Award in the Humanities in a ceremony held at the Old Georgia Railroad Freight Depot on Jan. 27. The award honors individuals and organizations who have demonstrated creative leadership and exceptional effectiveness in increasing understanding of the humanities disciplines in Georgia.
"Through the Luce Seminars and through contributions to the wider academic dialogue regarding the moral life," his award citation stated, "James Gustafson is having a salutary impact on Georgians' capacities to make better choices." The Luce Seminars allowed select faculty members a semester free of administrative and teaching responsibilities to look at new connections among the humanities and between the humanities and the social and natural sciences.
Gustafson was joined by historian and preservationist Alfonso Biggs; Jean Bolen Bridges, humanities chair of East Georgia College; Joseph Jacobs, teacher and authority on Southern economy; William "Billy" Winn, editorial page editor of the Columbus Ledger-Inquirer; the Museum of Aviation in Warner Robbins; and the Troup County Historical Society in LaGrange in receiving the award.
"I am pleased to present these awards to such a fine and deserving group of recipients," said Gov. Zell Miller. "Their outstanding efforts to increase knowledge in different areas of the humanities is admirable and much appreciated." Award recipients were given sterling silver medallions.