Freeman A. Hrabowski III

Freeman Hrabowski
President of University of Maryland, Baltimore County
In office
1992–2022
Preceded byMichael Hooker
Succeeded byValerie Ashby
Personal details
Born
Freeman Alphonsa Hrabowski III

(1950-08-13) August 13, 1950 (age 74)
Birmingham, Alabama, U.S.
SpouseJackie Coleman
Children1[1]
EducationHampton University (BA)
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (MA, PhD)
Websitepresident.umbc.edu

Freeman Alphonsa Hrabowski III (born August 13, 1950) is an American educator, advocate, and mathematician. In May 1992, he began his term as president of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC),[2] one of the twelve public universities composing the University System of Maryland.[3] Hrabowski has been credited with transforming UMBC into an institution noted for research and innovation.[4] Under his leadership, UMBC was ranked the #1 Up and Coming University in the U.S. for six consecutive years (2009-2014) by the U.S. News & World Report magazine.[5] When that designation was retired, U.S. News & World Report began including UMBC on its annual Most Innovative National Universities list.[6]

His research and publications focus on science and math education, with a special emphasis on minority participation and performance in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).[7][8] Hrabowski is the co-author of the books Beating the Odds: Raising Academically Successful African American Males (1998); Overcoming the Odds: Raising Academically Successful African American Young Women (2001); Holding Fast to Dreams: Empowering Youth from the Civil Rights Crusade to STEM (2015); and The Empowered University: Shared Leadership, Culture Change, and Academic Success (2019).[9]

Hrabowski chaired the National Academies committee that produced the report Expanding Underrepresented Minority Participation: America's Science and Technology Talent at the Crossroads.[10] In 2012, President Barack Obama appointed Hrabowski to chair of the newly created President's Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for African Americans.[11] Publications have named him one of America's best leaders,[12] one of the 100 most influential people in the world,[13] and one of America's 10 best college presidents.[14]

In 2011, Hrabowski received the Carnegie Corporation of New York's Academic Leadership Award, one of the highest honors given to an educator.[15]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference The History Makers was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ "Office of the President - UMBC". Office of the President. Retrieved March 9, 2021.
  3. ^ Office, University System of Maryland. "University System of Maryland Institutions". www.usmd.edu. Retrieved March 9, 2021.
  4. ^ Howard, Christopher B. (November 29, 2011). "On Leadership". The Washington Post.
  5. ^ Reiter, Amy F. (January–February 2004). "Changing the Equations". Illinois Alumni Magazine. Urbana, Illinois: University of Illinois Alumni Association. Archived from the original on September 5, 2015. Retrieved October 29, 2010.
  6. ^ "Most Innovative Schools National Universities". U.S. News.
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference cbsnews.com was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference Mitchell was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ Hrabowski, Freeman (2019). The Empowered University | Johns Hopkins University Press Books. jhupbooks.press.jhu.edu. doi:10.1353/book.67825. ISBN 9781421432922. S2CID 239182571. Retrieved March 9, 2021.
  10. ^ "Committee on Science, Education, and Public Policy". Policy and Global Affairs. The National Academies.
  11. ^ President Obama Announces More Key Administration Posts, Yumanewsnow.com.
  12. ^ Green, Erica (April 18, 2012). "UMBC president named among world's most influential leaders". The Baltimore Sun.
  13. ^ Rotherham, Andrew J. (April 18, 2012). "The World's 100 Most Influential People: 2012". Time.
  14. ^ Cruz, Gilbert (November 11, 2009). "Freeman Hrabowski - The Top Ten College Presidents". Time. Archived from the original on November 15, 2009. Retrieved November 15, 2009.
  15. ^ "Carnegie Corporation Honors Higher Ed Leaders Freeman A. Hrabowski III and Eduardo J. Padrón". Carnegie Corporation of New York. November 2, 2011. Retrieved April 14, 2022.