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Pearl McHaney, who is the Kenneth M. England Professor of Southern Literature, received a 2017 Governor’s Award for the Arts and Humanities on Tuesday, October 3.
The Governor's Awards recognize outstanding individuals and organizations that have made significant contributions to Georgia’s economic, civil and cultural vitality. McHaney was one of a class of 12 recipients this year.
"It's a special pleasure to be in a class of honorees that includes such brilliant friends as Lois Reitzes, Valerie Boyd, Kenny Leon and Janisse Ray," McHaney said. "And I feel especially fortunate to have been able to contribute to both the arts and the humanities, with both public and academic scholarship and programs."
McHaney was selected for her wide range of work promoting humanities and the arts. She has authored or edited seven books and is a world-renowned scholar of the author Eudora Welty. On-campus, she has served as the Director of the Center for Collaborative and International Arts, the Associate Dean for the Fine Arts in the College of Arts and Sciences, and the co-director of the South Atlantic Center for the Institute of the Americas.
She is also on the board of directors of the Decatur Book Festival, the largest independent book festival in the country, and worked with the Theatrical Outfit, a local theater, to create a series of readings, “Southern Writers On Stage.”
“The College of Arts & Sciences is lucky to have a leader like Pearl McHaney,” said Dean Sara Rosen. “She is a well-respected scholar, a pillar of the local literature and arts communities, and a force on campus for international and collaborative work in the arts and humanities.”
The Governor’s Awards for the Arts and Humanities is presented by the Governor’s Office in conjunction with the Georgia Council for the Arts and Georgia Humanities.