Kenneth J. Knoespel was honored for his year of service as Interim Dean of Ivan Allen College at a reception at Habersham August 6. President Peterson and Dean Designate Jackie Royster recognized Knoespel for not only maintaining momentum, but for his achievements moving the college forward.

In comments at the reception Provost Gary Schuster said: “Ken is one of those few people that you can turn to serve. Without hesitation, he stepped in as Interim Dean and led the College through an especially challenging financial period. During this past year, I’ve come to know him better and want to express my admiration for Ken’s skills and deep scholarship.”

Among the initiatives in which Knoespel participated are the successful relocation of the graduate program in Digital Media in the School of Literature, Communication and Culture and the approval of the new B.S. degree in Applied Languages and Intercultural Studies in the School of Modern Languages. Knoespel said that he is pleased also at the College’s success in faculty retention and its focus on solutions for the issue of salary compression. Other highlights of the College during his tenure include its role in Georgia Tech’s strategic planning, the Atlanta Conference on Science and Innovation Policy, and the Nunn Policy Forum. Given his own emphasis on interdisciplinarity, Knoespel is particularly pleased that Barbara Stafford will be joining Georgia Tech for two years as a Distinguished Visiting Professor supported by the Colleges of Engineering and Architecture, Ivan Allen College, and the Provost’s Office.

Knoespel shaped the College’s 2010 Founder’s Day as a springboard for expanding the Allen legacy campus-wide. The event honored Bill Todd and included the symposium “Humanitarian Leadership on a Global Level: Georgia Tech Responds to the Allen Legacy.” At the same time Knoespel advanced the Allen Initiative including formulation of plans for the Allen Institute for Advanced Studies and the establishment of the new Ivan Allen Jr. Prize for Social Courage.
Knoespel said, “I am very proud of the accomplishments of my colleagues and their contribution toward Georgia Tech receiving the invitation to join the American Association of Universities.” He told colleagues during the reception, "Above all your presence here today gives us an opportunity to celebrate the many accomplishments of the College during the year."

During his years with Georgia Tech, Knoespel has had a robust influence on the growth of Ivan Allen College. He has participated in program development since the reorganization of Georgia Tech in the 1990s. He has previously served as chair of the School of Literature, Communication, and Culture and as associate dean of the College. He previously served as interim dean of the College in 1998 during its refocusing to liberal arts. Knoespel celebrates the many accomplishments of former Dean Sue Rosser who shaped the infrastructure and established a major research profile for the College.

For the past months Knoespel has worked closely with Dean Designate Jackie Royster who formally joins Georgia Tech on September 1. During the fall semester he will be a senior researcher at the Center of Baltic and Eastern European Studies in Stockholm. In the spring, he will be a visiting professor at the University of Paris VIII where he will be working with European colleagues on digital media and the future of the museum. When he returns to Georgia Tech, Knoespel will continue to be involved in the Allen Initiative and other cross-campus interdisciplinary endeavors.