Cynthia Brown Named Chevalier des Palmes Académiques

Antonia Rigaud, attachée culturelle adjointe of the French Consulate in Los Angeles presided over a ceremony March 13 formally naming Cynthia Brown (above), a professor in UCSB's Department of French and Italian, Chevalier (Knight) of the Ordre des Palmes Académiques (Order of Academic Palms). The award, presented by the French government, recognizes Brown's outstanding scholarship and instruction in French literature and culture. Sharing in the celebration were (l. to r.) David Marshall, Michael Douglas Dean of Humanities and Fine Arts; Chancellor Henry T. Yang; Brown's husband, Art Ludwig; and Ronald Tobin, professor emeritus in the Department of French and Italian, who was named Chevalier, Officier and Commandeur of the Ordre des Palmes Académiques in 1972, 1987 and 2005, respectively.