To watch on our YouTube channel, click here.
Tune in as our podcast partner, Dr. Mordecai Brownlee, sits down with Dr. Freeman Hrabowski III, President Emeritus of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC), for a powerful conversation on leadership, integrity, student success, and the responsibility of higher education to lift others.
Drawing from 30 years as president of UMBC and a life shaped by education, faith, and his childhood involvement in the Civil Rights Movement, Dr. Hrabowski reflects on the principles that have guided his leadership. He shares why humility becomes even more important as leaders rise, why admitting mistakes builds trust, and why character is defined just as much by who you are when no one is watching.
Hrabowski also challenges higher education leaders to make difficult, mission-driven decisions about where institutions invest their resources and how they define excellence. He reflects on lessons from UMBC’s nationally recognized work preparing students in science and engineering, including why universities must go beyond awarding degrees to helping students build careers, develop strong networks, and access meaningful employment.
At its core, this conversation reminds us that leadership is not about titles or recognition. It is about continuing to learn, remaining grounded in purpose, and using your influence to help others see what is possible for their lives.
KEY POINTS:
● Hrabowski’s lifelong mission to help others through education and leadership
● Why humility and lifelong learning are essential at every level of leadership
● How integrity, honesty, and admitting mistakes build trust
● Higher education’s responsibility to develop leaders of character and service
● Why mission-driven leadership requires choosing focused excellence over doing everything
● Keeping students, especially the most vulnerable, at the center of higher education
● The importance of asking good questions and challenging what previous generations believed
● Why universities must better prepare students for careers, mentorship, and meaningful employment
● Hrabowski’s mission to care for people, remain authentic, and never give up
QUOTABLES:
“The more you learn, the more you realize there's so much more to know. Don't ever think you have arrived or that you know it all.” – Dr. Freeman Hrabowski III
“The future of higher education has to be inextricably tied to the future of humanity.” – Dr. Freeman Hrabowski III
“Universities need to feel more responsible for making sure their graduates get a good job, because everybody doesn't have a trust fund.” – Dr. Freeman Hrabowski III
GUEST RESOURCES:
Previous coverage of Dr. Freeman Hrabowski from The EDU Ledger
Dr. Freeman A. Hrabowski III Awarded the 2021 Dr. John Hope Franklin Award
Dr. Freeman Hrabowski III President emeritus, University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC)
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Transcription is available in the video for this episode.
In The Margins is produced by The EDU Ledger and edited by EPYC Media Network (visit at https://www.epyc.co/).
