Congratulations, Dr. Johnson!

Yesterday, Interim Vice President of Academic Affairs Stacey Johnson, a member of the 1980 U.S. Olympic Fencing Team, became one of 461 1980 U.S. Olympic Team athletes officially honored as having received a Congressional Gold Medal--the highest civilian honor that can be bestowed by Congress!

According to a United States Olympic Committee news release, 27 years after Congress authorized President Carter to present a congressional medal to the 461 athletes of the 1980 Olympic Team, the medal has now been confirmed as being the highest civilian honor that can be bestowed by Congress. Until this recent designation, the medals awarded to the 1980 Olympic Team have been denied full recognition due to a technicality in production.

The release further notes that with the recent designation, the medals awarded to the 1980 Team hold the same standing as the ones that have been awarded during the last 231 years to such luminaries as George Washington.