{"69949":{"#nid":"69949","#data":{"type":"news","title":"In memoriam: Phil McKnight, School of Modern Languages Chair","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EPhil McKnight, professor and chair\nof the School of Modern Languages in the Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts, died\nunexpectedly of unknown cause during the Labor Day holiday. He was 69.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EJoining Georgia Tech as chair\nin August 2001, McKnight transformed the Institute\u2019s 107-year old modern\nlanguages curricula into one of the nation\u2019s premier programs. Today, 21\npercent of Tech students are enrolled in applied language and intercultural\nstudies, compared to an 8 percent national average.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EMcKnight was a forceful advocate\nfor modern language studies framed in the many contexts\nin which other languages are spoken and he emphasized the critical competitive\nedge they provide to 21st century students entering the global workforce. He expanded the school\u2019s language curricula from six to nine\nlanguages, including Arabic and Farsi. He oversaw the growth of the joint major\nin International Affairs and Modern Languages and helped established both the joint\ndegree in Global Economics and Modern Languages and a bachelor\u2019s degee in\nApplied Languages and International Studies (ALIS). \u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EThe connections McKnight forged throughout the College and\nInstitute resulted in the creation of key programs. He fostered continued\ngrowth of the school\u2019s signature Languages for Business and Technology (LBAT) faculty-led summer study abroad programs and formed partnerships\nwith Tech\u2019s ROTC programs, supporting the military\u2019s emphasis on foreign\nlanguage competency.\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cPhil\u2019s vision and tireless work have been an inspiration to\nus all,\u201d said Modern Languages Professor Bettina Cothran. \u201cAbove all, however,\nPhil has been a human being of greatest integrity, wisdom, with a generosity of\nheart that encompassed his entire \u2018family\u2019 at Modern Languages. His untimely\nand unexpected passing leaves us with a profound sense of loss, but also a call\nto continue to build the School of Modern Languages into a place which creates\nopportunities for students, faculty and staff to reach their highest\naspirations.\u201d\u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EMcKnight\u2019s research interests included East German writers, contemporary\nliterary representations of history, late 18th century literature, and applied\nlanguage learning in the context of the global economy. \u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EHe is survived by\nhis wife Ulrike Hahn-McKnight and two daughters, Anna and Ursula. \u003C\/p\u003E\n\n\u003Cp\u003EPlans for services\nwill be announced as they are available.\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EPhil McKnight, professor and chair\nof the School of Modern Languages in the Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts, died\nunexpectedly of unknown cause during the Labor Day holiday. He was 69.\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":"","uid":"27299","created_gmt":"2011-09-12 09:03:56","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:10:09","author":"Michael Hagearty","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2011-09-12T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2011-09-12T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"40708":{"id":"40708","type":"image","title":"Dr. Phil McKnight","body":null,"created":"1449174231","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 20:23:51","changed":"1475894354","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:39:14"}},"media_ids":["40708"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/www.modlangs.gatech.edu\/","title":"School of Modern Languages"}],"groups":[{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"}],"categories":[{"id":"134","name":"Student and Faculty"}],"keywords":[{"id":"1616","name":"Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts"},{"id":"3643","name":"Modern Languages"},{"id":"1060","name":"obituary"},{"id":"10107","name":"Phil McKnight"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ERebecca Keane\u0026nbsp; \u003Cbr \/\u003EIvan Allen College of Liberal Arts\u003Cbr \/\u003E404-894-1720\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}