Smiles all around were the order of the evening at Friday night's Emory Medal ceremony, as evidenced by the happy faces of recipients Henry Bowden Jr. 74L and Arthur Keys Jr. 92T (left to right above, flanking President Jim Wagner).

The evening was packed with all sorts of meaningful touches. The venue, Cox Hall, is where Bowden met the woman he would eventually marry, Jeanne Johnson Bowden 77L. Among Keys' guests was a table of students who are interning with International Relief and Development (IRD), the Washington, DC-based, international nonprofit he founded.

The Medal is the highest University award given exclusively to alumni. Judging by Wagner's words about each recipient, the 2009 Class is a worthy one.

Of Bowden: "Son of Atlanta, devoted servant of Emory ... drawn home to study the law, you made Atlanta and Emory central to your life and the lives of your family ... your counsel on the [Board of Trustees] Executive Committee evinces a genetic blending of analytical insight and practical wisdom. Above all, your dedication to advancing the well-being of Emory carries forward a great legacy, which you burnish daily."

Of Keys: "Pastor, entrepreneur, advocate for justice ... supped by theological insight to work out your faith in the public arena, you have lived out a gospel calling to service, bringing sustenance to countless millions, channeling generous impulses of persons of many faiths, and helping to reduce conflict and human misery around the globe."

And those accomplishments are definitely something to smile about.

-- Eric Rangus, director of communications, EAA