KENNESAW, Ga. | Apr 16, 2018

Top honor awarded to noted architect

Kennesaw State University’s Division of Global Affairs awarded its highest honor – the Global Public Service Prize – to the architect responsible for Atlanta’s Millennium Gate Museum and the Prince of Wales Monument, the city’s lasting tribute to the Centennial Olympic Games.

Rodney Mims Cook, Jr., founder of the National Monuments Foundation, accepted the honor at the University’s Fifth Annual International Awards Ceremony April 14 at the Marietta Country Club. The event recognized community leaders and partners, faculty members, alumni and students who have helped advance global education.

In addition to his work fostering classical architecture in the U.S. and abroad, Cook was honored for his support of Kennesaw State’s “Year of Russia” annual country study during the 2016-2017 academic year. He has done architectural restoration work in St. Petersburg, Russia, consulted extensively on restoration and revitalization of art and architecture elsewhere in the country, and facilitated exchanges between the Russian arts community and Atlanta.

“The Global Public Service Prize is the perfect opportunity to acknowledge a person or organization that was instrumental in the success of the annual country study program, which has been an essential part of global education at Kennesaw State for 35 years,” said Lance Askildson, vice provost and chief international officer. “Mr. Mims Cook helped facilitate contacts for the Year of Russia program and study abroad trip and shared his expertise on Russian architecture in our Year of Russia lecture series.”

Kennesaw State also presented the following International Awards during the 2018 ceremony:

• The Sheth Distinguished Faculty Award to Kamal Fatehi, professor of management, Kennesaw State
• International Community Partner Award to Joseph Ghartey Ampiah, vice-chancellor, the University of Cape Coast
• The Sheth Distinguished Alumni Award to Karen Carvajalino, Daniela Carvajalino and Stephanie Carvajalino, Kennesaw State University
• The Takada Endowed Scholarship to Samantha Rudd, history major
• Emerson Scholarship for the Advancement of International Education to Hazel Lika, sociology major

From left, DGA's Lance Askildson with 2018 International Achievement Award winners Kamal Fatehi, Joseph Ghartey Ampiah, Rodney Mims Cook, Stephanie Carvajalino, Daniela Carvajalino, Karen Carvajalino, Samantha Rudd and Hazel Lika.

“We are very pleased to recognize these distinguished honorees who, each in their own way, have made significant contributions to global education,” Askildson said. “The awards, like the Sheth Distinguished Alumni Award recognizing the work and accomplishments of talented international alumni like the Carvajalino sisters, are indicative of the level of passion and commitment that is pervasive in our extended campus community.”

Kennesaw State’s International Achievement Awards, which are organized by the University’s Division of Global Affairs, are made possible with the support of the Madhuri and Jagdish N. Sheth Family Foundation. The Emerson Scholarship is funded by Christie Emerson, assistant professor in Kennesaw State’s WellStar School of Nursing, and her husband, Tom. The Takada Endowed Scholarship is funded by Karen and Hideo Takada.

– Sabbaye McGriff

Photos by Anna Barnes

A leader in innovative teaching and learning, Kennesaw State University offers undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees to its more than 47,000 students. Kennesaw State is a member of the University System of Georgia with 11 academic colleges. The university’s vibrant campus culture, diverse population, strong global ties and entrepreneurial spirit draw students from throughout the country and the world. Kennesaw State is a Carnegie-designated doctoral research institution (R2), placing it among an elite group of only 7 percent of U.S. colleges and universities with an R1 or R2 status. For more information, visit kennesaw.edu.