Alumnus bestowed civic award
In early 2017, alumnus and trustee听Cemal 脰zg枚rkey ’84听was named to the Order of听Rio Branco by the Government of Brazil as a civil servant and honorary consul.
A citizen of Turkey, 脰zg枚rkey was formally inducted during an October 17 ceremony in Istanbul, where he was presented with the Rio Branco Medal. 脰zg枚rkey is the chairman of and a member of听Oglethorpe鈥檚 Board of Trustees.
Members of the Brazilian and Turkish governments were in attendance for the medal presentation. Turkish-American businessman and chairman and former Coca-Cola Company CEO Muhtar Kent sent a congratulatory video presented at the ceremony.
The Order of Rio Branco was established with the objective of distinguishing meritorious service and civic virtues.听Named in听tribute to the patron of the Brazilian diplomacy, the Baron of Rio Branco,听Jos茅 Maria da Silva Paranhos Junior.听Jos茅 Paranhos is a national hero in Brazil with his legacy coming from the听peaceful settlement of border disputes with neighboring countries, which resulted, to a large extent, in the current outline of the Brazilian territory.
脰zg枚rkey’s brother, Armagan 脰zg枚rkey ’84, is also an Oglethorpe alumnus. The Lupton Hall bell tower is named听in honor of their mother,听Lale 脰zg枚rkey, in recognition of a generous gift from the 脰zg枚rkey family towards the Turner Lynch Campus Center.
