College of Education alumnus Dr. Freeman Hrabowski was recently awarded the Centennial Academic Leadership Award by the Carnegie Corporation of New York.  Dr. Hrabowski, who has been President of University of Maryland, Baltimore County since 1992, was selected for his efforts in creating a culture of excellence and success in preparing students of diverse backgrounds to earn Ph.D.'s in science and engineering.  Dr. Hrabowski earned his doctorate in higher education administration from the College in 1975.  His wife, Jacqueline, also an alumna of the College, is the retired Vice President of Community Relations for T. Rowe Price Investment Services. 

In addition, Dr. Hrabowski is one of 10 college or state university administrators President Obama invited to a December 5 meeting at the White House to discuss affordability and productivity in higher education. The move is highly unusual: While administration events often feature college leaders in various roles, a meeting called on such short notice, with the president himself in attendance, is rare.

The guest list, drawn largely from public institutions, includes leaders of large state systems, public universities, a statewide community college system and two private institutions. Amid an increasing focus on student debt and college prices, the event seems to signal that the Obama administration will make those issues a focus going into the 2012 campaign.

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