The French government honored two MSU professors for their work in the humanitarian studies of French culture.
Anna Norris and Ehsan Ahmed, professors in the MSU French, Classics and Italian department, were named Chevaliers dans l'Ordre des Palmes Académiques, or Knights in the Order of Academic Palms — one of the oldest and most-honored awards a person can receive from the French government.
MSU professors previously have been recognized four other times.
Professor and department chairman John Rauksaid said both professors are great representations of what the department and university want out of their teachers.
"We, as a department, are very honored by two of our professors receiving this title," Rauk said. "Both (professors Ahmed and Norris) are excellent researchers and teachers as well."
Norris, who teaches 19th and 20th century French literature, said she was a little shocked but happy to receive the honor.
"I was very surprised but happy at the same time that … the French government was interested in our important work," Norris said. "It's nice to know we have been recognized, but besides us, it is truly an honor for the department and university, as well."
Rauk said he could name a variety of reasons why these professors were distinguished in such a manner.
"Norris had done an amazing job in the past with dealing with women writers, specifically ones in prison," Rauk said. "Ahmed is a fantastic researcher and just recently had an important work published on a French Renaissance writer. Both people have definitely gone beyond what they do locally at MSU."
Besides these accomplishments, both professors had several books published and Norris said she planned on releasing a book about French women who wrote about war.
Ahmed, who teaches French intellectual history and literature, said this honor shows how much MSU is recognized as a factor in international studies.
"This is a truly wonderful honor," Ahmed said. "This shows Michigan State is concerned about global issues and trying to become more informed about them."
Ahmed added that after teaching to students about these writers for the past 16 years, this title now makes him feel as if he made some type of cultural difference to this generation.
"These writers I talk about to these students I believe were the forerunners of their time," Ahmed said. "Now that I am talking about them on daily basis, I feel that they have crossed over to modern times and are as relevant today as they were in the past."
