Emory Report

April 10, 2000

Volume 52, No. 28

International Affairs: Creekmore will leave international legacy When Marion Creekmore retires as vice provost for International Affairs in June, he will leave behind the seeds of an effort to expand the University's global perspective. But Creekmore, who also is director of the Halle Institute for Global Learning, said Emory has a long way to go before it becomes a preeminent international university. However, he is confident it will happen. "Because of the cooperation of so many people, we have made significant progress in enhancing internationalism at Emory," he said, adding that the University's international aura has been strengthened by the Halle Institute and its four major programs, ranging from the visits of distinguished Halle fellows and guest speakers to a study-abroad program for faculty. Faculty and staff who have worked with Creekmore, a former U.S. ambassador, said Emory has benefited from his knowledge, dedication and leadership. Students described him as a thoughtful and enthusiastic teacher who effectively conveyed complex concepts. "With his wealth of diplomatic experience and personal appeal, Marion Creekmore has shepherded Emory into the global arena," said Bradley Currey, chair of the University's Board of Trustees. "He has helped us all to understand what a great big world there is out there--and how small it is becoming. His work with Claus Halle and the Halle Institute has created a solid foundation for Emory's growing global focus. We will forever be in his debt." Reynaldo Martorell, chair of international health in the School of Public Health, said Creekmore "created a sense of community" as he brought together a diverse group of faculty, staff and students to chart an international course for Emory. "Marion helped place international affairs high on Emory's agenda," Martorell said. "His leadership, fine interpersonal skills and broad experience made it possible for him to achieve so much in so little time." Some of Creekmore's students say his guidance changed their lives and inspired them to surpass their potential. They said they benefited from his diplomatic experience and wealth of knowledge, a combination that gave him instant credibility. "I will remember Dr. Creekmore as a professor who knew everything about his subject, as an advisor who motivated his students to exceed their limits, and as a mentor who gave me the confidence to achieve great things," said junior Stephanie Shemin, who hopes to go to law school. Ram Sunkara, a senior who will attend Emory Law School next fall, said Creekmore was perhaps the most approachable and easygoing teacher he had. "Dr. Creekmore is different from many of the other professors I have taken at Emory," Sunkara said. "He not only knows and understands the subjects he teaches--whether it be through scholarly research or practical experience--but he captures the imagination of his students while he instills this information." Shemin said students were "awakened" in Creekmore's classes. "We thought differently about subjects than we ever had before. Dr. Creekmore helped us all challenge our views and reconsider the world as we thought we understood it," she said. Shemin said students also had the chance to apply what they learned to real-world conflicts. In her class, students wrote a memo to President Jimmy Carter outlining a solution to a current conflict, such as a civil war. Because the students had contact with someone at The Carter Center, Shemin said, they felt "as if we were not just writing a paper--but saving the world." Elizabeth Kurylo is communications consultant for the Office of International Affairs and the Halle Institute for Global Learning. Return to April 10, 2000 contents page