Press Release - Chancellor Kirwan Receives Distinguished Service Award from NASULGC
November 11, 2002
Chancellor Kirwan Receives Distinguished Service Award from NASULGC
William E. "Brit" Kirwan, chancellor for the University System of Maryland (USM),
has been named the recipient of the Distinguished Service Award from the
National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant College's (NASULGC)
Commission on Human Resources and Social Change. The annual award was presented
to Kirwan during the Commission's awards luncheon on November 10 in Chicago, IL,
as part of NASULGC's annual meeting there.
According to NASULGC, the award recognizes Kirwan for "his national leadership
in advancing student access and opportunity, and the promotion of student and
faculty diversity."
The Commission focuses on issues of broadening access and opportunity to public
universities, as well as utilizing the diversity of the undergraduate experience
to prepare graduates for the 21st century, enhancing the diversity of students
and faculty, and creating partnerships between universities and the community to
bring about beneficial social change. Kirwan has served as chairman of the
Commission since 2001.
"I am excited and honored to receive this award," Kirwan said. "I believe
wholeheartedly in the work of the Commission as well as that of NASULGC.
Providing access to education and creating opportunities for a diverse
population of students and teachers is one of the most important things that I
can do in my role as chancellor. I am happy to help any way I can."
In addition to the award, Kirwan also was named chair-elect of NASULGC's board
of directors. He will become chair in 2004.
Founded in 1887, NASULGC is the nation's oldest higher education association. A
voluntary association of public universities, land-grant institutions and many
of the nation's public university systems, NASULGC campuses are located in all
50 states, the U.S. territories and the District of Columbia; it currently has
214 member institutions. NASULGC's mission is to support excellence in teaching,
research and public service.
The Commission on Human Resources and Social Change established the
Distinguished Service Award in 1999. Previous winners include Trevor L.
Chandler, executive director of academic advancement for the University of
California System; Frank W. Hale Jr., vice provost and professor emeritus at
Ohio State University; and James A. Anderson, vice provost for undergraduate
affairs at North Carolina State University.
A native of Kentucky, Kirwan holds a Ph.D and a master's degree from Rutgers
University; he has a bachelor's degree from the University of Kentucky. He is a
member of several honorary and professional societies including Phi Beta Kappa,
Phi Kappa Phi, the American Mathematical
Society and the Mathematical Association of America. He is co-editor of the book
Advances in Complex Analysis. He serves on the boards of directors of the
American Council on Education and NASULGC, and co-chairs the Business-Higher
Education Forum's Diversity Initiative Task Force. He is a member of President
Bush's Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
Last April, Kirwan was elected as a member of the American Academy of Arts &
Sciences, the nation's preeminent learned society and research institution. In
June, as he prepared to depart Ohio State University as its president to become
the USM chancellor, the university's Board of Trustees named Ohio State's
Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity in the Americas in his honor. The
institute is now known as the William E. Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race
and Ethnicity in the Americas.
Contact:
Chris Hart
Phone: 301/445-2739
E-mail: chart@usmd.edu
