The American School of Classical Studies at Athens Celebrated the Gennadius Library Centennial and Honored Jack L. Davis Honored with Athens Prize at Landmark New York Gala
The American School of Classical Studies at Athens Celebrated the Gennadius Library Centennial
and Honored Jack L. Davis Honored with Athens Prize at Landmark New York Gala
On an overcast spring evening in New York, more than 350 guests gathered beneath the soaring arches of Gotham Hall for the 2026 Gala of the American School of Classical Studies at Athens, an event that paired elegance with a precise sense of mission.
Left: George Orfanakos, Executive Director of the American School; Kathleen Lynch, Vice Chair of the Managing Committee; Carolyn Wiener, Honorary Co-Chair of Gala; Sharon Stocker, Co-Director of the Pylos Excavations; Jack Davis, Athens Prize Recipient; William T. Loomis, President of the Board of Trustees; Bonna D. Wescoat, Director of the American School;
Mark Lawall, Chair of the Managing Committee
The evening marked the centennial of the Gennadius Library, one of the world’s leading research libraries devoted to Greek history, literature, and culture from late antiquity to the present, and honored archaeologist Jack L. Davis, the Carl W. Blegen Professor of Greek Archaeology at the University of Cincinnati and a former Director of the American School, with the Athens Prize. Davis, widely recognized for his work at Pylos and his contributions to the study of Mycenaean civilization, has helped reshape modern understanding of the ancient Greek world.
The Gala brought together business executives, scholars, philanthropists, and leaders in the arts in support of the study and preservation of Greek history and culture. The evening served as the culmination of Gala Week, a series of programs across New York City that began with a Conversation with Jack L. Davis at 15 Hudson Yards, followed by a reception hosted in honor of Gala sponsors. Additional events included a lunch and conversation at the New York Yacht Club highlighting recent archival acquisitions, and the Thalia Potamianos Lecture by Dr. Katherine E. Fleming at NYU Skirball, which was open to the public. Together, these gatherings reflected the breadth of the American School’s work and its engagement with both scholarly and public audiences .
The Gala itself was carefully composed and purposeful. Two films premiered during the evening, Gennadius: One Gift. His Vision. Our Future. and Jack Davis in Greece: Collaboration and Discovery, offering a concise and compelling portrait of both institutional legacy and scholarly practice. Together, they grounded the celebration in the work itself, its history, its people, and its continued relevance.
In accepting the Athens Prize, Davis reflected on the formative role of the American School in shaping generations of scholars. “The American School is the grandest graduate school imaginable, where students from all types of institutions mingle,” he remarked. “All that matters is merit, a commitment to Greek studies, and a shared respect for Greek heritage.” Reflecting on his own path, he added, “There was never any question in my mind that I would eventually go there.”
In honoring Davis, the American School recognized a career defined by collaboration, fieldwork, and intellectual rigor, a model of scholarship that has shaped modern understanding of ancient Greece.
“Our responsibility is not only to safeguard what has been entrusted to us, but to ensure that it remains accessible and relevant for future generations,” said George T. Orfanakos, Executive Director. “This evening reflects a shared commitment to sustaining that work through continued investment in scholarship, collections, and public engagement.”
For Maria Georgopoulou, Director of the Gennadius Library, the centennial is less a conclusion than a point of departure. “The Gennadius Library was founded as an act of vision and generosity,” she noted. “At one hundred years, our task is to carry that vision forward, to expand access, deepen scholarship, and ensure that these collections continue to inspire new generations of inquiry across disciplines and borders.”
Throughout the night, the centennial came into focus less as a retrospective marker than as a statement of the Library’s ongoing role, as a living resource sustained by scholarship, care, and investment.
The success of the evening was made possible through the generosity of Gala sponsors, the leadership of the Gala Committee, and the tireless efforts of the American School’s academic leadership, whose shared commitment shaped a program with depth and cohesion.
Proceeds from the Gala will support the American School’s academic programs, excavations, research initiatives, and public offerings, ensuring that its work continues to inform both scholarship and the broader public.
Please have a look at the Photo Gallery to see gala guests enjoying the festivities and enjoy our new films:
Jack Davis in Greece. Collaboration and Discovery
Gennadius. One Gift. His Vission. Our Future.
Save the Date
Please save the date for next year’s Gala on Thursday, May 6, 2027, at Gotham Hall in New York City.
| The American School's Gala at Gotham Hall. |
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