Ivan Allen Jr. Prize for Social Courage


Ivan Allen Jr. Prize for Social Courage
The Ivan Allen Jr. Prize for Social Courage was established by the Georgia Institute of Technology in 2010 to honor alumnus and former Atlanta Mayor Ivan Allen Jr. The prize underscores the Institute’s mission to improve the human condition by recognizing those around the world who, like Mayor Allen, have made a positive difference by standing up for moral principle at the risk of their careers and livelihoods, and even their lives. Funded in perpetuity by a grant from the Wilbur and Hilda Glenn Family Foundation, recipients are awarded a $100,000 stipend. The inaugural prize was awarded in March 2011. The prize is presented during events on campus that examine grand challenges relevant to the recipient's work.
Sl | Name | Country | Flag | Year | Awarded For |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
13 | Robert Benham | Georgia | 2024 | stand up for moral principles and render service to humanity without regard for personal or professional peril. | |
12 | Christiane Amanpour | United Kingdom | 2023 | stand up for moral principles and render service to humanity without regard for personal or professional peril. | |
11 | Georgia Tech's Trailblazers | Georgia | 2022 | stand up for moral principles and render service to humanity without regard for personal or professional peril. | |
10 | Anthony Fauci | United States | 2021 | stand up for moral principles and render service to humanity without regard for personal or professional peril. | |
9 | Charlayne Hunter-Gault | United States | 2020 | stand up for moral principles and render service to humanity without regard for personal or professional peril. | |
8 | Hamilton E. Holmes | Georgia | 2020 | stand up for moral principles and render service to humanity without regard for personal or professional peril. | |
7 | Andrew Jackson Young | United States | 2018 | stand up for moral principles and render service to humanity without regard for personal or professional peril. | |
6 | Jimmy and Rosalyn Carter | United States | 2017 | stand up for moral principles and render service to humanity without regard for personal or professional peril. | |
5 | Nancy Parrish | United States | 2016 | stand up for moral principles and render service to humanity without regard for personal or professional peril. | |
4 | Beatrice Mtetwa | Eswatini | 2014 | stand up for moral principles and render service to humanity without regard for personal or professional peril. | |
3 | John Lewis | United States | 2013 | stand up for moral principles and render service to humanity without regard for personal or professional peril. | |
2 | William H. Foege | United States | 2012 | stand up for moral principles and render service to humanity without regard for personal or professional peril. | |
1 | Sam Nunn | United States | 2011 | stand up for moral principles and render service to humanity without regard for personal or professional peril. |

Ivan Allen Jr. Prize for Social Courage Laureates (2030 ~ 2021)

Robert Benham
Ivan Allen Jr. Prize for Social Courage 2024
On Thursday, Feb. 8, Georgia Tech’s Ivan Allen Jr. Prize for Social Courage will be presented to Retired Justice Robert Benham. The annual award honors individuals who have stood up for moral principles at the risk of their careers, livelihoods, and even their lives.
A lifelong resident of Georgia, Benham was appointed to the Supreme Court of Georgia by Gov. Joe Frank Harris in December 1989. He was the first African American appointed to the Supreme Court of Georgia in its more than 140 years. In 1990, he won statewide election to a full term on the Supreme Court. He served as chief justice from 1995 to 2001 and remained on the court until his retirement in 2020.
"Justice Benham's long career of public service was defined by a commitment to safeguarding civil liberties and an unflinching belief in serving communities and doing the right thing," said Ángel Cabrera, president of Georgia Tech. "He was a key figure in the integration of his hometown and a breaker of barriers. Achieving those ‘firsts’ meant he was shunned, ostracized, and threatened, but he still showed great social courage and leadership, even when the risks were high."
Justice Benham earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from Tuskegee University in 1967 and attended Harvard University. In 1970, he obtained a J.D. from the University of Georgia’s Lumpkin School of Law and a Master of Laws degree from the University of Virginia in 1989.
After law school, he served in the U.S. Army Reserve, attaining the rank of captain. He then served briefly as a trial attorney for Atlanta Legal Aid Society. He later returned to his hometown of Cartersville, where he started a private law practice, served as special assistant attorney general, and served two terms as president of the Bartow County Bar Association. Justice Benham was the first African American to establish a law practice in Bartow County.
The Ivan Allen Jr. Prize for Social Courage is named for former Atlanta Mayor Ivan Allen Jr., a graduate of Georgia Tech, who at great personal and political risk was the only southern white elected official to testify before Congress in support of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

Christiane Amanpour
Ivan Allen Jr. Prize for Social Courage 2023
Two of her longtime colleagues and friends, Foreman and veteran journalist Parisa Khosravi, spoke about her achievements and delivered a message from Tom Johnson, retired president of CNN.
“Almost every world leader has been interviewed by Christiane,” Johnson said. “Some of them, like President Bill Clinton, found her interview with him so tough that he complained to CNN. In recent years, the only interview that I know she has not been able to secure has been with President Putin of Russia. One Russian friend explained why Putin declined. ‘I simply think he may be afraid of her.’”
Presenting the award to Amanpour, President Ángel Cabrera, said, “Reporting isn’t her job — it’s her mission. That mission began just blocks away from our campus at CNN’s world headquarters, during the infancy of the global news network.”
Calling her “truly exceptional,” he added, “Christiane refuses to be neutral in the face of horror because, I’m quoting you now, Christiane, ‘When you’re neutral, you become an accessory.’ She has braved bombings and dodged artillery fire in her quest to shed light on the darkest corners of the world. She uses her platform to do good, to make this planet a better place, to stand up for what is right. Christiane exemplifies both the spirit of the Ivan Allen Jr. Prize and Georgia Tech’s mission to improve the human condition by living our motto of Progress and Service.”
Accepting the award, Amanpour said, “I am very moved by receiving an award for civil rights and social courage much more than getting an award for a particular story or report. Because as you grow older, you realize that there’s so much at stake, more at stake than just delivering good products.”
The Ivan Allen Jr. Prize for Social Courage honors individuals who bravely act to improve the human condition, often in the face of seemingly insurmountable challenges. The award celebrates the alumnus, civic leader, and former Atlanta Mayor Ivan Allen Jr., who was instrumental in integrating Atlanta and supported federal civil rights legislation. The prize is funded in perpetuity by a grant from the Wilbur and Hilda Glenn Family Foundation, and recipients are awarded a $100,000 stipend.
Past recipients include former U.S. Senator Sam Nunn, civil rights leader and former U.S. representative John Lewis, former President Jimmy Carter and Rosalynn Carter, public health expert Anthony S. Fauci, and others. Last year, the award was presented to the first three Black students to enroll at Georgia Tech and the first Black student to graduate, Ford C. Greene, Ralph A. Long Jr., Lawrence Williams, and Ronald Yancey.

Georgia Tech's Trailblazers
Ivan Allen Jr. Prize for Social Courage 2022
In 1961, three Black students began classes at Georgia Tech and made history, making the Institute the first higher education entity to peacefully integrate in the Deep South without a court order. Civil unrest was rampant throughout college campuses across the South.
In recognition of their roles as trailblazers, Tech’s first Black students — Lawrence Williams, Ralph Long Jr., and the late Ford Greene, along with the first Black graduate Ronald Yancey — were awarded the 2022 Ivan Allen Jr. Prize for Social Courage on April 20 at the Biltmore Ballroom in Atlanta.
A symposium was led by 2020 Ivan Allen Jr. Prize recipient Charlayne Hunter-Gault where Long Jr., Williams, and Yancey discussed the integration of the Institute, the former students’ personal experiences, and the continued struggle for racial equity and inclusion at higher education institutes across the nation. During the panel session, the three former students recounted the racism they encountered — despite a facade of peaceful integration. Although their experiences left them feeling socially and intellectually isolated from most of the student body at the time, the pioneers expressed their hope that future generations of Black students at Tech feel at home on campus.
“I’m so thankful for those who continue to matriculate here and carry on the tradition,” said Williams.
A video greeting from Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens, a Georgia Tech chemical engineering graduate himself, was presented at the celebration. Dickens honored the trailblazers for their courage in making history and acknowledged the hardship they faced along the way.
“I cannot imagine the tremendous amount of courage they had to arm themselves with every day they had to walk on campus,” he said. “Thank you for paving the way for those of us who would come behind.”
The Ivan Allen Jr. Prize honors those who have made a positive difference by risking their careers, livelihoods, and even their lives to stand up for moral principles. For these trailblazers, though their college years were not easy, they went on to have successful and impactful careers.
Greene studied chemical engineering at Georgia Tech. He completed his bachelor’s degree in mathematics and computer science at Morgan State University and worked in telecommunications and information technology systems. He died in 2020 at the age of 76.
After attending Tech, Long completed his bachelor’s degree at Clark College (now Clark Atlanta University) in mathematics and physics and was the first Black systems engineer for the Large Systems Group in the Southeastern U.S. at IBM Atlanta.
After his time studying electrical engineering, Williams served honorably in the Air Force during the Vietnam War, earning several distinctions and honors.
A week after graduating with a degree in electrical engineering from Tech, Yancey began a successful career with the U.S. Department of Defense.
Because Greene died in 2020, members of his family joined the other prize recipients at the Biltmore for the day’s events celebrating the honorees’ place in history.
“Ford has always been a change agent, a disruptor, and him being a recipient of this prestigious award solidifies his place in history that he so richly deserves,” said Frankie Hall, Greene’s wife.
The inaugural prize was awarded in March 2011 to former Senator Sam Nunn. A few other past recipients include Dr. Anthony Fauci, Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter, U.S. Rep. John Lewis, and humanitarian activist Nancy Parrish.
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Anthony Fauci
Ivan Allen Jr. Prize for Social Courage 2021
For decades now, Dr. Anthony Fauci has been a steadfast source of health guidance rooted in science. As the federal government’s top infectious disease expert, Fauci has advised seven presidents from both political parties. As a public servant, Fauci’s role was thrust into the national spotlight as our country has faced one the most significant public health crises since the Spanish flu a century ago. For his unwavering commitment to sharing the facts and figures that have helped Americans navigate this pandemic, Fauci has been honored with Georgia Tech’s 2021 Ivan Allen Jr. Prize for Social Courage.
“I’m deeply honored to accept this award, with gratitude and profound humility,” said Fauci.
For Fauci, social courage — and specifically bravery in the field of science — means sticking to the principles of what data and evidence provide. In accepting the prize, Fauci said that also means never compromising integrity however inconvenient or uncomfortable the truth may be. The Ivan Allen Jr. Prize for Social Courage, named for Atlanta’s mayor at the height of the civil rights movement in America, honors those who have made a positive impact defending moral principles at the risk of their own careers and even well-being.
“The wrenching events that our country has witnessed lately remind us that we have much work to do as individuals, and as a country, to overcome social injustices. As made plain by the Covid-19 pandemic, the adverse effects of health disparities most profoundly affect people of color,” said Fauci. “As a physician, scientist, and public health official, my main goal is to preserve and protect the health and welfare of all Americans.”
During the Covid-19 pandemic, Fauci has been subject to criticism as he shared guidance intended to help the public protect themselves and each other from this highly contagious virus. He and his family have had to have a security detail at times during the past year due to threats they received. Despite those trials, Fauci says he has continued to share information and science with the public.
“If you’re a scientist and you’re communicating with the public, the goal is not to show people how smart you are. The goal is for them to understand what you’re talking about,” said Fauci.
The trophy that accompanies the annual prize was shipped to Washington D.C. and was given to Dr. Fauci by staff members at the National Institutes of Health, where Fauci has served as director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) since 1984.
In a virtual celebration, Fauci joined Georgia Tech President Ángel Cabrera for a conversation about the intersection of social courage and his role in public health.
“Dr. Fauci has shown an unwavering commitment to science-based guidance, and his voice has become one of the most trusted across the country,” said Cabrera.
Also joining the conversation was Fauci’s colleague, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, who said her mentor and hero has been a rock of principle through incredibly challenging circumstances.
“He’s done something bold and audacious,” said Walensky. “He’s told the American people the truth even when it was inconvenient to do so.”
Fauci, now 80 years old, will continue to serve the public in his role at NIAID and as the chief medical advisor to the White House. Responding to a question from Georgia Tech biomedical engineering major Kyra Halbert-Elliott, Dr. Fauci explained where he finds his inspiration to keep working.
“What keeps me on course and not burned out is focusing like a laser beam on the importance of the problem you’re trying to tackle,” said Fauci. “It could be a sick patient or a particular problem that needs a solution. Understand the enormity of what you do.”
Fauci joins former President Jimmy Carter and the late Congressman John Lewis among the prestigious list of recipients to receive the Ivan Allen Jr. Prize for Social Courage.

Ivan Allen Jr. Prize for Social Courage Laureates (2020 ~ 2011)
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Jimmy and Rosalyn Carter
Ivan Allen Jr. Prize for Social Courage 2017
They are the first couple to receive the award, which recognizes those who demonstrate leadership to improve the human condition despite personal risks and challenges.
After the ceremony, the Carters participated in a town hall discussion with Georgia Tech students.
“It’s a pleasure always to be associated with the Ivan Allen family in any way. We’ve been close to the family for a long time,” said Jimmy Carter, who attended Georgia Tech and received an honorary degree from the Institute in 1979. “In every respect my heart is with Georgia Tech and I'm particularly grateful to Ivan Allen himself and his family, and this award has special meaning for me.”
“This is a great honor for me, especially to receive an award in the name of Mayor Ivan Allen Jr. for whom I had such great admiration,” Rosalynn Carter said. “Mayor Allen was a beacon of light for Jimmy and for me and so many others actually in our whole country, standing up for what was good and what was right.”
The Carters, who have been married for more than 70 years, have accomplished much together, whether it be their time in the White House, his receiving the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 or her groundbreaking work in mental health advocacy.
The Ivan Allen Jr. Prize in Social Courage honors the people behind the efforts to improve the human condition. The award is named for former Atlanta Mayor Ivan Allen Jr. Funded in perpetuity by a grant from the Wilbur and Hilda Glenn Family Foundation, the Allen Prize includes a $100,000 stipend.

Nancy Parrish
Ivan Allen Jr. Prize for Social Courage 2016
In 2011, Parrish founded Protect Our Defenders, the only national human rights organization solely dedicated to ending the epidemic of sexual assault and harassment in the U.S. military and its wide-ranging effects on our communities. In 2014, the New York Times wrote that Protect Our Defenders has “quickly become the nation’s pre-eminent advocacy group on behalf of victims of sexual assault in the military.”
Parrish was also a founding co-chair of Human Rights Watch’s Northern California Chapter, an organization dedicated to protecting human rights around the world. She has worked with President and Mrs. Carter in support of their international humanitarian work at the Carter Center, which is guided by a fundamental commitment to the alleviation of human suffering.
Parrish served two terms as development trustee of UCSF’s Friends of the Department of Psychiatry’s Hospital Board, which led to the creation of a children’s center. She also served as an officer of the Children’s Guardian Fund Board of Sarasota, helping to provide basic needs and enrich the lives of foster children.
During her professional career, Parrish was founder and managing partner of a southern-based political strategy and public relations consulting firm.

Beatrice Mtetwa
Ivan Allen Jr. Prize for Social Courage 2014
Prominent human rights attorney Beatrice Mtetwa has been named recipient of the Ivan Allen Jr. Prize for Social Courage, an award given to individuals who, by asserting moral principle, have positively affected public discourse at the risk of their careers, livelihoods, and sometimes lives.
“Ms. Mtetwa has endured a sometimes painful journey to achieve the larger purpose of freedom and justice for all,” said Georgia Tech president G.P. “Bud” Peterson. “That is the promise of a democracy, and Beatrice Mtetwa embodies the effort to fulfill that promise.
Above: Allen Prize Symposium:“Human Rights and the Rule of Law” Below:President Jimmy Carter and Beatrice met to discuss human rights
There are some who, through great personal sacrifice and courage, impact the lives of countless individuals as well as those for generations to come. Ms. Mtetwa is one such person.”
The eldest child of 50, Mtetwa grew up on a farm in Swaziland without electricity and running water. She became the first in her extended family to attend high school and went on to study law at the University of Botswana and Swaziland.
After pursuing a career as a government prosecutor, she became disillusioned by the selective justice she saw being doled out and moved into private practice, where she was able to conduct human rights work without political interference.
Her dedication to representing those persecuted under the Mugabe regime is represented in the documentary Beatrice Mtetwa and the Rule of Law.
Mtetwa has been internationally recognized for her defense of press freedom and has faced physical assault and threats against her life in her quest to champion civil activists and local and international journalists.

John Lewis
Ivan Allen Jr. Prize for Social Courage 2013
An icon of American civil rights, Congressman John Lewis, was the third recipient of the Ivan Allen Jr. Prize for Social Courage presented by the Georgia Institute of Technology on April 4, 2013.
"John Lewis put his life on the line for many years during the 1960s to bring about equality under the law for all Americans. His unflinching civil rights leadership and ongoing advocacy for social change throughout his career have elevated the causes of human rights around the world,” said G.P. "Bud" Peterson, president of Georgia Tech. “It is our privilege to honor the life and work of Congressman Lewis through the Ivan Allen Jr. Prize for Social Courage.
Congressman Lewis became known around the world at the age of 25 when he called on President Lyndon Johnson for federal intervention following a brutal attack on peaceful protesters by law enforcement near Selma, Alabama. Lewis’ appeal on that “Bloody Sunday,” March 7, 1965, turned public opinion against those trying to maintain the old social order of the South and moved President Johnson two days later to present to Congress what would become the Voting Rights Act.
Congressman Lewis is one among us who has had the discipline and tenacity to stand tall, even in the face of physical danger, and he continues the struggle to change the world and make it a better place.

William H. Foege
Ivan Allen Jr. Prize for Social Courage 2012
Dr. William H. Foege, a transformational leader in global health, was honored as a recipient of the Ivan Allen Jr. Prize for Social Courage during events held March 14-15, 2012.
Dr. Foege is an American epidemiologist who worked in the successful campaign to eradicate smallpox in the 1970s. He became chief of the Smallpox Eradication Program of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and was appointed director of the CDC in 1977. He attended Pacific Lutheran University, received his medical degree from the University of Washington, and his master's degree in public health from Harvard University.
In 1984, Dr. Foege and several colleagues formed the Task Force for Child Survival and Development, a working group for the World Health Organization, UNICEF, The World Bank, the United Nations Development Program, and the Rockefeller Foundation. Its success in accelerating childhood immunization led to an expansion of its mandate in 1991 to include other issues that diminish the quality of life for children.

Sam Nunn
Ivan Allen Jr. Prize for Social Courage 2011
“While some individuals talk about achieving world peace, Senator Nunn has actively pursued this vision and created a legacy that continues to reap results long after his exit from public office,” said President G.P. "Bud" Peterson. “The Ivan Allen Prize for Social Courage stands as the preeminent award offered by Georgia Tech and underscores the mission we have in Georgia, the nation, and the world.”
Senator Nunn is co‐chairman and chief executive officer of the Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI), a charitable organization working to reduce the global threats from nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons. He served as a United States senator from Georgia for 24 years (1972‐1996) and is retired from the law firm of King & Spalding.
During his 24‐year tenure in Congress, Senator Nunn served as chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee. In this capacity, he was the guiding force in reshaping American policy toward the former Soviet Union in the wake of the break‐up of the Soviet Empire. The Nunn‐Lugar Cooperative Threat Reduction Program, which provides assistance to Russia and the former Soviet republics for securing and destroying their excess nuclear, biological and chemical weapons, has been hailed as “the most significant congressional achievement in nuclear affairs since the dawn of the nuclear age.”
Although Senator Nunn retired from the U.S. Senate in 1996, he has continued to provide leadership against the dangers of terrorism and nuclear weapons. Together with fellow Georgian and CNN founder Ted Turner, he established the Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI), a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that focuses on reducing global threats from weapons of mass destruction. NTI will be celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2011, having made significant achievements with a lasting legacy to make the world a safer place.
NTI triggered significant U.S. and global funding for securing loose nuclear bomb‐making material through its bold initiative to remove vulnerable materials from Yugoslavia. The organization also conceived of and helped create the first international organization focused on nuclear security, the World Institute for Nuclear Security. Most recently, NTI, through the generosity of Warren Buffett, supported the development of an international nuclear fuel bank, which gives countries an alternative to producing their own nuclear fuel and avoiding the introduction of technology that can be used either for peaceful reactors or for creating bombs.