Jim Pitts, the longtime director of International Programs who’s retiring this summer, was honored during the reception with a framed print and a replica blue plaque of the London Study Centre. A blue plaque is a permanent sign installed in a public place in the United Kingdom to commemorate a link between that location and a famous person, event, or former building on the site, serving as a historical marker.
It was an emotional moment for all attending, as Pitts has served as director of International Programs for almost thirty years. Early in his career, he was instrumental in purchasing and renovating the current Study Centre building complex, which has allowed the London program to evolve to meet the needs of generations of FSU students.
“Seeing you all here, hearing you share your testimonies, seeing this room and knowing how it’s been used over the last thirty years, gives me great pleasure in knowing this is the greatest return on investment I’ve ever made,” said lifelong economist Jim Pitts. “It’s been an amazing journey and I’m really looking forward to Provost Clark’s vision in building on the foundation that the London staff has built here.”
Provost Jim Clark was then presented with a framed print of the ceiling painting in the Study Centre’s main building, titled “Bacchus & Ariadne.” It was painted in approximately 1700 by a French Huguenot, Louis Chéron, and is one of the only of its kind surviving in a London townhouse today.
Having this piece of artwork gives the FSU London Study Centre Grade II listed status by English Heritage, a level of recognition reserved for particularly important buildings. The painting depicts the love story of the two mythical figures but is a political nod to the change in monarchy from King James II to King William and Queen Mary in 1689. It symbolizes new beginnings, which seems fitting for the mission of International Programs and the Provost’s vision for the future.
“This is an extraordinary place, you’re all amazing people, you’re risk takers, you push the limits, build new things and imagine your way into wonderful lives, and that’s what FSU is about,” Clark said. “I join everyone in thanking Jim for his vision, we are so lucky to have him as a leader and administrator. At his heart he’s about ROIs in lives, and just look around at what he’s produced for us all and the university.”
To learn more about the FSU London Study Centre, visit international.fsu.edu.