THE FLATS –Lucius Sanford and Lynn Houston-Moore have been announced as Georgia Tech’s recipients of the 2022 ACC UNITE Award, the Atlantic Coast Conference announced on Thursday.
The ACC UNITE Award was created to honor individuals affiliated with the league who have made an impact in the areas of racial and social justice. The UNITE Award is an initiative of the ACC’s Committee for Racial and Social Justice (CORE – Champions of Racial Equity) and was developed and approved by its 15 member institutions.
Sanford is the Executive Director of Georgia Tech’s Letterwinner Association. He joined the Georgia Tech Athletic Association staff in 1998 as Director of Student Life after a nine-year career in the financial services industry. Sanford is the first person many alumni seek out upon return to The Flats. His infectious smile and laughter exude contrary to the menacing fear on the field. This tough love approach and humility from Sanford has impacted countless student-athletes. Sanford is recognized for his outreach to all alums and the bridges he has cultivated to connect generations of Georgia Tech student-athletes, staff and coaches. Sanford epitomizes the ACC CORE’s mission to promote and encourage racial equity and social justice through education, partnerships, engagement and advocacy. He advocates for those who can’t or struggle to advocate for themselves. Sanford has been a pioneer and has helped pave the way for future generations of Yellow Jackets to have athletic and academic success while we develop the young people who will change the world.
A four-year starter from 1975-78, Sanford was an All-American linebacker at Georgia Tech and is considered one of the top defenders in Ramblin’ Wreck history. He earned first-team all-America honors in 1977 by the AFCA and The Sporting News. He finished his career as Georgia Tech’s all-time leader in tackles (433). As a true freshman, he started the 1974 season opener against No. 2 Notre Dame and made 14 tackles. He posted 124 tackles as a freshman, which still stands as the Tech freshman record. Selected in the fourth round of the 1978 NFL Draft by the Buffalo Bills, he enjoyed a 10-year playing career, including nine seasons with the Bills (1978-86) and one season with the Cleveland Browns (1987).
Sanford was inducted into the Georgia Tech Hall of Fame in 1985 and the State of Georgia Sports Hall of Fame in 2001. He graduated from Georgia Tech in 1978 with a bachelor’s degree in industrial management. He later pursued an MBA at American University while playing in the NFL.
Houston-Moore is the CEO of HJI Supply Chain Solutions, where she has worked since 2007 in roles including Logistics Engineer, Financial and Logistics Manager and Vice President of Finance and Administration. As CEO, she oversees the company’s strategic growth initiatives as well as pricing and budget governance. Houston-Moore represents the enterprise with customer, community, and philanthropic directives and initiatives as well as be an active voice in HJI’s industry-related forums and activities.
Houston-Moore exemplifies the ACC CORE’s mission to promote and encourage racial equity and social justice through education, partnerships, engagement and advocacy by focusing her business model on those who don’t have equitable opportunities. Houston-Moore has created meaningful, lasting change with her focus as CEO to create opportunities for employees that might not have otherwise had opportunities to get into the workforce. Additionally, Houston-Moore focuses on change in the community. HJI Supply Chain Solutions wants to be a change agent where they support other minority- and women-owned businesses to have a stake in closing the racial wealth gap that exists in this country.
Houston-Moore was inducted into the Georgia Tech Hall of Fame in 2016. She was a four-time ACC Champion in high jump while earning a bachelor’s degree in industrial & systems engineering and graduated with highest honors. She continued her education at Georgia Tech earning a master’s degree in industrial engineering while training to compete in the 2000 US Olympic Trials. Additionally, she earned ACC Honor Roll recognition all four years, received the GTAA Total Person Award, as well as the ACC’s James Weaver Corrigan post graduate scholarship.
“We are proud to honor the ACC UNITE Award winners who have made significant contributions in the areas of racial and social justice,” said ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips, Ph.D. “They are true pioneers who inspire us with their contributions to a more diverse and equal society. As a conference we will remain steadfast in our pursuit of racial and social justice, while assisting our student-athletes and institutions with programs that can affect change.”
The UNITE Award is presented annually to individuals who:
- Best exemplify ACC CORE’s mission to promote and encourage racial equity and social justice through education, partnerships, engagement and advocacy
- Have helped create meaningful, lasting change by improving systems, organizational structures, policies, practices and attitudes
- Have been a pioneer and/or helped pave the way for minorities either at the institution or in the community
Each school selects its two recipients based on the above criteria and can choose to celebrate their selections at campus events throughout the academic year.
Sanford and Houston-Moore join Georgia Tech’s inaugural recipients of the award Harvey Webb, Eddie McAshan and Jan Hilliard.
Alexander-Tharpe Fund
The Alexander-Tharpe Fund is the fundraising arm of Georgia Tech athletics, providing scholarship, operations and facilities support for Georgia Tech’s 400-plus student-athletes. Be a part of developing Georgia Tech’s Everyday Champions and helping the Yellow Jackets compete for championships at the highest levels of college athletics by supporting the Support The Swarm Fund, which helps Georgia Tech athletics offset the significant financial challenges associated with Covid-19, and the Annual Athletic Scholarship Fund, which directly provides scholarships for Georgia Tech student-athletes. To learn more about supporting the Yellow Jackets, visit atfund.org.
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