UGA's Knox receives USG Hall of Fame Faculty Award

UGA faculty member John Knox was among three USG faculty honored with the Felton Jenkins, Jr. Hall of Fame Faculty Award at the University System of Georgia (USG) 20^th annual Regents’ Scholarship Gala on September 12. The black-tie gala, hosted at Town Stage at Trilith Studios in Fayetteville, GA, honored faculty, alumni and friends while raising $1.85 million from generous sponsors to support and provide need-based scholarships for USG students across the state. Governor Brian Kemp and First Lady Marty Kemp were in attendance, as were Chancellor Sonny Perdue and UGA President Jere Morehead.

“The letters of nomination from my students, in one case from a student in my large Intro to Weather and Climate class 22 years ago, are the best part of this award,” said Knox, Josiah Meigs Distinguished Teaching Professor in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences department of geography and undergraduate coordinator for the Atmospheric Sciences Program. “I'm thrilled that one of my nominator-students, Jada Smith, was able to share this special evening with me, along with members of my family – especially my wife Pam, who has been my uncredited collaborator throughout my teaching career."

Knox is the eighth UGA winner of the award since it was created in 1997, and the first since 2019. 

"Dr. Knox is the reason I chose UGA, stayed at UGA, and thrived at UGA," said Jada Smith, a 2023 First Honor graduate of UGA, and currently Environmental Compliance Specialist and Air Quality Forecaster for the Georgia Environmental Protection Division, as well as a part-time Master's student in emergency management at Millersville University of Pennsylvania.

The Felton Jenkins Jr. Hall of Fame Award is named after the late USG Board of Regents member, Dr. Felton Jenkins “in honor of his dedication to the mission of the University System of Georgia and his life of exemplary service to others.”

Image: Photo from the USG Gala red carpet, left to right: UGA alumna Jada Smith, John Knox, Pam Knox.