Carnegie Corporation Honors BHEF’s William Kirwan with Leadership Award

2009 Carnegie Corporation Academic Leadership Award recognizes commitment to education; Kirwan recognized for math and science focus

Washington, DC (September 30, 2009) —The Business Higher-Education Forum (BHEF) announced today that William E. Kirwan, II, chancellor of the University System of Maryland (USM) and a member of the BHEF executive committee, was honored by the Carnegie Corporation with its 2009 Carnegie Corporation Academic Leadership Award.

Kirwan specifically was recognized for his commitment to diversity, math and science learning, and affordable higher education, and will receive $500,000 to support academic priorities.

“We are very pleased that Brit has been recognized for his deep commitment to increasing the number of graduates in science, technology, engineering and math (so-called STEM disciplines), and thus boosting the supply and improving the quality of students entering teaching and STEM fields,” says BHEF Executive Director Brian K. Fitzgerald, Ed.D. “Under Brit’s leadership, USM has made progress in closing the achievement gap in Maryland by initiating efforts to increase college retention and completion rates for lower income and underrepresented students and to help ensure that more Marylanders have access to excellent education that is also affordable. Brit has made Maryland a model for the nation.”

Kirwan was recognized along with three other top education leaders: Leon Botstein, president of Bard College; Scott Cowen, president of Tulane University; and Amy Gutmann, president of the University of Pennsylvania.

Established in 2005, the award recognizes higher education leaders for their commitment to excellence in undergraduate education; the development of interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary undergraduate and graduate programs; university outreach to their respective communities and cooperative efforts with business, civic, and education leaders; and international initiatives.

“At a time when resources are scarce, we hope these awards will allow outstanding leaders to maintain the momentum of their most critical and innovative educational initiatives,” said Carnegie Corporation President Vartan Gregorian.

For more information about the 2009 Academic Leadership Award winners, visit the Carnegie Corporation Web site.