Leadership + Innovation

Under the dynamic leadership of President Freeman A. Hrabowski, III, UMBC has become a powerhouse in higher education and has gained a national reputation as one of the nation’s premier universities. The University honored the 20th anniversary of his presidency in 2012, and hundreds of supporters and friends, faculty and staff, students and alums gathered for a Celebration of Leadership + Innovation.

The outpouring of support from people across the state and nation recognizes the tremendous contributions the entire UMBC community has made to the social fabric of the region, to Maryland’s economy and to public education nationwide. The enthusiasm is palpable for the model UMBC has created for excellence in teaching across the disciplines. That work continues with the launch of the Hrabowski Fund for Innovation.

In 2011, President Hrabowski received the Carnegie Corporation of New York’s Academic Leadership Award, one of the highest honors given to an educator. The award included a $500,000 grant, which he has directed to support and promote a culture of innovation, entrepreneurship, and student success at UMBC. In honor of his 20th anniversary and his many contributions to the university, UMBC has established The Hrabowski Fund for Innovation to permanently endow the initiatives launched with support of the Carnegie grant. The Hrabowski Fund for Innovation will enable the President’s Office to invest in faculty, staff, and student initiatives such as course design and redesign; development of unique classroom learning environments that support active learning, team-based learning, and entrepreneurial skill development; lab- and project-based capstone courses; faculty fellowships; and peer-learning initiatives. This fund will sustain and drive UMBC’s culture of innovation.

You can learn more or make a gift to the fund here. Highlights from the Celebration of Leadership + Innovation are below.

A Tribute to UMBC President Freeman Hrabowski:

Welcome Remarks by Brit Kirwan, Chancellor of the University System of Maryland:

Dramatic Reading by Wendy Salkind, Professor of Theatre at UMBC:

Remarks by Derek Musgrove, Assistant Professor of History at UMBC:

Remarks by Freeman Hrabowski, President of UMBC: