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By Meghan Williams

Jack Dudley

BLACKSBURG, Va., August 29, 2008 -- Charles "Jack" Dudley of Blacksburg, retired professor of sociology in the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences and past director of the University Honors Program at Virginia Tech, was conferred the "professor and director emeritus" title by the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors during the board's quarterly meeting on Aug. 25.

The title of emeritus may be conferred on retired professors and associate professors, administrative officers, librarians, and exceptional staff members who have given exemplary service to the university and who are specially recommended to the board of visitors by Virginia Tech President Charles W. Steger. Nominated individuals who are approved by the board of visitors receive an emeritus certificate from the university.

A member of the Virginia Tech community since 1974, Dudley served as the director of the University Honors Program for 18 years. Through his leadership and guidance, the program grew significantly and saw many successes along the way.

Since 1990, the program has grown fourfold in student involvement. He mentored countless students toward national and international scholarship awards, including one Rhodes Scholar, three Marshall Scholars, 11 Fulbright Scholars, two Truman Scholars, three Howards Hughes Scholars, 81 National Science Foundation Scholars, 33 Goldwater Scholars, 11 Udall Scholars, and 6 USA Today Academic All Americans. He also created the program’s first two residential communities, a new curriculum designed to integrate students into citizenship, and four new honors diplomas.

As a member of the Department of Sociology, Dudley won numerous teaching awards, achieved outstanding teaching evaluations in courses related to social organization, political sociology, and the sociology of family, and developed innovative methods of using theater as an instruction method.

He received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Georgia and earned his Ph.D. in sociology from the University of Oregon.

Contact Meghan Williams at iwill07@vt.edu or (540) 231-4754.

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