Honored for returning the Roney Fountain at Duke University to its former glorious state, and making it a focal point of the Sarah P. Duke Gardens.  

The history of the Roney Fountain begins in 1901, when Anne Roney, the sister-in-law of major Trinity College benefactor Washington Duke, donated a fountain that formed the focal point of the campus entry. Duke's namesake building, constructed in 1892 when Trinity College relocated to Durham, was the backdrop.  The fountain featured elaborate naturalistic designs and two tiers of bowls with cascading water.

The setting changed dramatically in 1911 when the Washington Duke building burned to the ground. Rebuilding and moving roads shifted the focus of the building, and the fountain became a footnote, quickly falling into disrepair.  Over the years, the fountain was hugely overshadowed by magnolia trees and nearly forgotten about.  Mary Duke Biddle Trent Semans, a granddaughter of Washington Duke, learned of the state of the fountain, and wrote to University archivist Tim Pyatt, which led to a study of the feasibility and potential cost of restoration.

It was found that, despite years of neglect, many parts of the fountain were still intact.  Upon completion of the study, it was decided that the fountain would be relocated to the Sarah P Duke Gardens, fulfilling the original Gardens' master plan, which showed a fountain in the center of the rose garden, and returns the Roney Fountain to an axial focal point in its original state.  After a dedication ceremony in May, the fountain is now the most photographed element in the Sarah P. Duke Gardens., and a shining example of  devising a creative solution to restore a beautiful landmark as well as enhance the beauty of the Sarah Duke Gardens.

The restoration ensures that the fountain will now be enjoyed to generations to come in the way that it was intended, and is now the most photographed featured in the Gardens.