The William and Ida Friday Center was a place of love and levity on November 20, 2015 as UNC Chapel Hill Professor Emeritus of History, Bill Leuchtenburg, and outgoing UNC President Tom Ross received RFAs top awards.
Leuchtenburg, internationally known historian on all things Roosevelt and the New Deal era was the first recipient of the Jonathan B. Howes Lifetime Achievement Award.
The Howes Award was established by RFA to recognize a retired faculty member of UNC-Chapel Hill for a lifetime of outstanding teaching, research and public service as emulated by the lifetime and contributions of the late Jonathan Howes.
It is intended to encourage, recognize and reward University faculty for service to the community as well as major contributions to the University and their own academic discipline.
Ross was recognized with the 2015 RFA Distinguished Leadership Award for his contributions to the University and his successful career of civic engagement.
More than sixty retired faculty and friends gathered to pay tribute to the winners and hear stirring words of encouragement to faculty to share their lives as public scholars and the University.