Kurisky Receives Rumi Forum Fellowship, Interfraternity Conference Award

Allen Groves from Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity (left), now past chairman of the North-American Interfraternity Conference, presents the Award of Distinction to Kurisky.

Brian-Patrick Kurisky, director of advising and academic support for the Old Dominion Honors College, been chosen for a 10-day fellowship in Turkey with the Rumi Forum. He also was awarded a fellowship to study higher education institutions in Turkey.

The Rumi Forum 2014 Doctoral Fellows Program award will send him to Turkey from May 9-18. The Rumi Forum was founded in 1999 with the mission to foster intercultural dialogue, stimulate thinking and the exchange of opinions on supporting and fostering democracy and peace, and to provide a common platform for education and information exchange.

The forum contributes to this ultimate aim by means of conferences, panel discussions, community engagement, luncheons, publications and other activities. In particular, the forum has an interest in issues regarding pluralism, peace building and conflict resolution, intercultural and interfaith dialogue, social harmony and justice, civil rights and community cohesion.

Kurisky was also one of three fraternal alumni to receive an Award of Distinction from the North-American Interfraternity Conference. The award, presented April 6 at the organization's annual meeting in Atlanta, recognizes fraternity men who have given of their time, talents and service to the betterment of the fraternity.

Three winners were selected from more than 95 nominations. Kurisky was recognized for his work to bridge the gap between fraternities and Academic Affairs, as well as his dissertation research, which examined chapter director educational programs and their work to prepare volunteer alumni leaders to aid current fraternity men.