Georgia Tech to honor Dr. Anthony Fauci with award for social courage
Dr. Anthony Fauci looks on during the daily briefing in the Brady Briefing Room of the White House in Washington, DC. (Photo by MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images)
ATLANTA - Georgia Tech will award Dr. Anthony Fauci the school's 2021 Ivan Allen Jr. Prize for Social Courage for his work during the fight against COVID-19.
The school announced that Fauci will receive the award, which honors individuals who have stood up for moral principles at great personal and professional risk, in March.
In a statement, the university called Fauci "a trusted face in the fight against COVID-19," saying that he faced public criticism and pressure over his messages about the virus but nevertheless continued "to deliver his clear and unwavering assessment of the facts and science and provide critical advice to guide the nation and world."
"Dr. Fauci’s resolve in the face of extraordinary threats to our public health here at home and abroad make him the clear choice for Georgia Tech’s Ivan Allen Jr. Prize for Social Courage," said Georgia Tech’s President Ángel Cabrera. "As an institution of higher learning committed to bettering the human condition through our motto of Progress and Service, there could be no better person suited to receive this honor than a man who has unflinchingly relied on science and facts in the face of tremendous public and political pressure."
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As the nation’s top infectious disease expert, Fauci provided steady guidance during the turbulent pandemic. As the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, he has been one of the nation’s leading sources of information about the fight against COVID-19 - pressing Americans to wear masks, avoid crowds, and wash their hands.
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"Amid the crisis, Dr. Fauci’s conscientious leadership continues to provide sound guidance, clarity, and hope to our citizens, our communities, and our institutions as we battle Covid-19," said Kaye Husbands Fealing, dean of the Ivan Allen College for Liberal Arts. "For his truth, for his exemplary dedication, and his courage, Dr. Fauci is most deserving of this prize."
The prize, which was established in 2011 and funded by a grant from the Wilber and Hilda Glenn Family Foundation, provides a stipend of $100,000 to either the awardee or as a charitable contribution to a nonprofit in the awardee's honor.
The award is named after former Atlanta Mayor and Georgia Tech graduate Ivan Allen Jr., who was the only southern white elected official to testify before Congress supporting the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
Past honorees have included the late Congressman John Lewis, former President Jimmy Carter and first lady Rosalynn Carter, Ambassador Andrew Young, the first African-American students enrolled at the University of Georgia, and more.
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