Honors & Awards

This is an abbreviated list of awards and honors Dr. Hrabowski has received during his time as UMBC president.

2023

Medicine for All People (MAP) International –  2023 Bill Foege Global Health Award

UNCF’s Baltimore City Mayor’s Masked Ball – Honoree

Birmingham Civil Rights Institute’s 31st Anniversary – Honoree

Amherst College — Honorary Degree

New York University — Honorary Degree

Society for Science — Honorary Board Member

National Academy of Sciences — Public Welfare Award, fellow

2022

University of Illinois at Urbana — Champaign, Chancellor’s Medallion

Skidmore College — Honorary Doctorate

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Commemorative Lecture Speaker at Harvard

College Board — Dr. Asa Hilliard Award

National Academy of Engineering — Fellow

American Association of Blacks in Higher Education – Harold E. Delaney Exemplary Leadership Award

Yale School of Management — Legend in Leadership Award

STAT — STATUS List 2022 (Leaders and Influencers in the Life Sciences)

NASPA — Outstanding Contribution to Higher Education Award

Ohio State University — Honorary Doctor of Education

ASU+GSV — Lifetime Achievement Award and Innovator of Color

Drexel University — Honorary Doctorate

Wesleyan University — Honorary Doctorate

Northeastern — Honorary Doctorate

2021

The New American Colleges and Universities — Ernest L. Boyer Award

Diverse: Issues In Higher Education — Dr. John Hope Franklin Award

Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai — Honorary Doctor of Science

University of Miami — Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters

The Society for Science — Honorary Board member

National Academy of Public Administration — Fellow

2020

The World Trade Center Institute — Governor’s Award

The Baltimore Sun Business and Civic Hall of Fame

University of California San Francisco — UCSF Medal

2019

University of California, Berkeley — Clark Kerr Award 

University of Denver — Honorary Doctorate

Hamilton College — Honorary Doctorate

Worcester Polytechnic Institute — Honorary Doctor of Arts

2018

New York Academy of Medicine —Medal for Distinguished Contributions in Health Policy

University of Maryland School of Medicine — Dean’s Medal

University of Pennsylvania — Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters

Brandeis University — Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters

Wagner College — Honorary Degree

American Council on Education — Lifetime Achievement Award

2017

Society of Developmental Biology — Viktor Hamburger Outstanding Educator Prize

University of Massachusetts Lowell — Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters

University of New England — Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters

The Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) — Advocate for Higher Education Award

2016

Ebony magazine — Ebony Power 100

Georgia Institute of Technology — Honorary Doctorate

University of the Arts — Honorary Doctor of Fine Arts

Savoy’s Power 300 — Most Influential Black Corporate Directors

2015

American Society of Mechanical Engineering (ASME) — Ralph Coats Roe Medal

University of Notre Dame — Honorary Doctor of Laws

University of Pennsylvania — Zemsky Medal for Innovation in Higher Education

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. State Celebration Commission, Missouri — Chairman’s Award

2014

FCW: The Business of Federal Technology – named to the Federal 100

American Council on Education (ACE) – Council of Fellows/Fidelity Investments Mentor Award

American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology — Ruth Kirschstein Diversity in Science Award

Maryland Daily Record Circle of Influence Inductee (Reflecting Designation as an Influential Marylander in 2007, 2012, and 2014)

Chesapeake Regional Tech Council Legend’s Circle Individual Award

Johns Hopkins University, Martin Luther King, Jr., Ideals Award

University of Cincinnati, President’s Award for Excellence

Champion for Children Award, Maryland State Department of Education

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Honorary Doctor of Laws

2013

Spelman College, Honorary Degree

Morehouse School of Medicine, Honorary Doctor of Science

Presidential Medal of Excellence, Bowie State University

American Association for the Advancement of Science, William D. Carey Award

American Educational Research Association, Distinguished Public Service Award

Association for Program Administrators of CSTEP and STEP, Educational Visionary Award

World Affairs Council – Washington, D.C., Educator of the Year Award

Black Engineer of the Year Award

Heinz Award (Human Condition category)

National Black College Alumni Hall of Fame Inductee

2012

Leadership Maryland, Outstanding Leader of the Year

U.S. News & World Report STEM Solutions Leadership Hall of Fame Award

The Links, Incorporated, Co-Founders Award for Services to Youth

University of La Verne, Honorary Doctorate (Exemplary Leadership & Public Service)

Bank Street College of Education, Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters

University of Maryland, Baltimore, President’s Award

Ohio State University, William Henry Watson, Jr., Memorial Award

Greater Baltimore Committee, Regional Visionary Award

Baltimore Washington Corridor Chamber, Visionary Leadership Award (inaugural)

TIME – named one of the 100 Most Influential People in the World

Technology Council of Maryland Lifetime Achievement Award

2011

Top American Leader Award – Washington Post and Harvard Kennedy School’s Center for Public Leadership

Carnegie Corporation of New York Academic Leadership Award

GE African American Forum ICON Lifetime Achievement Award

Gladstone Institute Leadership Award for Promoting Diversity in Science & Medicine, University of California, San Francisco

Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters, Johns Hopkins University

TIAA-CREF Theodore M. Hesburgh Award for Leadership Excellence

2010

Ruth L. Kirschstein Award, Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students

Honorary Doctor of Laws, Harvard University

Honorary Doctor of Engineering, Harvey Mudd College

Maryland’s “First Citizen” Award (Maryland State Senate)

Frank W. Hale, Jr., Diversity Leadership Award, National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education

Candle in Education Award, Morehouse College

2009

Time – named one of America’s 10 Best College Presidents

Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters, Georgetown University

Memorial Sloan-Kettering Medal for Outstanding Contributions to Biomedical Research

Honorary Doctor of Laws, University of Michigan

Virginia B. Smith Innovative Leadership Award, National Center for Public Policy & Higher Education and Council for Adult & Experiential Learning

Honorary Doctor of Letters, Daniel Webster College

Reginald Wilson Diversity Leadership Award, American Council on Education

2008

Honorary Doctor of Sciences, North Carolina State University

Named one of America’s Best Leaders, U.S. News & World Report & the Center for Public Leadership, Harvard University Kennedy School of Government

Frederick Douglass Award, University System of Maryland Achievement in Higher Education Award, Washington Center for Internships & Academic Seminars

2007

Honorary Doctorate, Haverford College

Honorary Doctor of Letters, Wheaton College

2006

Honorary Doctor of Laws, Princeton University

Honorary Doctor of Laws, Goucher College

Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters, Pace University

Teachers College Medal for Distinguished Service to Education, Teachers College-Columbia University

Board of Judges, Harold W. McGraw, Jr., Prize in Education

2005

Honorary Doctor of Humanities, University of Alabama, Birmingham

Honorary Doctor of Letters, Duke University

2004

Citigroup Friends of Maryland Education Award

Honorary Doctor of Education, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Honorary Doctor of Laws, Gallaudet University

Honorary Degree, Prince George’s Community College (Maryland)

Speaker’s Medallion, Maryland House of Delegates

John Hope Franklin Distinguished Contributor to Higher Education Award, Black Issues in Higher Education

Outstanding Volunteer Fundraiser in Maryland, Maryland Chapter, Association of Fundraising Professionals

Ida B. Wells Risk Taker Award, National Alliance of Black School Educators

2003

American Philosophical Society, Fellow

Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters, Franklin & Marshall College

Honorary Degree, Roosevelt University

National Academy of Sciences – Induction into National Academy’s Portrait Collection of African Americans

Phi Kappa Phi – University Service Award

Maryland Business Hall of Fame, Membership Induction

2002

Yale University – Edward Bouchet Leadership Award in Minority Graduate Education

Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters, Binghamton University

Honorary Degree, Medical University of South Carolina

Honorary Degree, Brooklyn College, The City University of New York

Fast 50 Champion of Innovation, Fast Company Magazine

Council on Chemical Research, Diversity Award

Marion C. Bascom, Sr., Leadership Award, Associated Black Charities

2001

American Academy of Arts & Sciences, Fellow

Harold W. McGraw, Jr., Prize in Education

Author-Illustrator Human & Civil Rights Award, National Education Association

Honorary Degree, Mercy College

Stuart M. Macht Award for Community & Business Leadership (Baltimore County, MD)

2000

American Association for the Advancement of Science, Fellow

1999

Marylander of the Year, The Baltimore Sun

Reginald H. Jones Distinguished Service Award, National Action Council for Minorities in Engineering

Golden Torch Academic Visionary Award, National Society of Black Engineers

1998

Honorary McCormick Scientist, McCormick Technology Worldwide, McCormick & Company, Inc.

Henry A. Rosenberg, Sr. Distinguished Citizen Award, Boy Scouts of America, Baltimore Area Council

BETA Award (Baltimore’s Extraordinary Technology Advocate), Greater Baltimore Committee’s Technology Council

Human Relations Chairperson’s Award, Baltimore County Human Relations Commission

1997

Education Award, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, Baltimore County, Maryland Chapter

Paul Harris Fellow Award, Woodlawn-Westview Rotary Club

1996

U.S. Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics, & Engineering Mentoring
(Awarded to Dr. Hrabowski’s university in recognition of the Meyerhoff Scholars Program for gifted African American undergraduates in science and engineering)

1994

The Andrew White Medal, Loyola College of Maryland

The Hatikvah Award, The Jewish National Fund

The Educator Achievement Award, National Science Foundation

1993

Outstanding Science Educator Award, Eli Lilly & Company